These South Burnett siblings are continuing on the family legacy as they compete in the rodeo circuit.
Kingaroy siblings Jordyn (17) and Rhys (15) O’Toole, travelled up to the small rural town of Goomeri to compete in the New Year Eve Rodeo on Tuesday, 31 December, 2024, where they worked with their horse partners to come out on top.
The O’Toole siblings have a rich history in the rodeo circuit, with their father being a saddle bronc rider and their mum a barrel racer and break away rope, the two grew up in the competitive sport of the rodeo circuit.
Jordyn O’Toole, the older of the two siblings, started her rodeo journey back when she was a little girl.
“I started riding when I was two, and I’ve pretty much been competing ever since,” she said.
Her younger brother, Rhys O’Toole, said his start into the rodeo circuit was about the same.
The rodeo circuit is a different experience for everyone, with Rhys stating it’s fun and something to do.
“I like to compete with an animal who’s my best friend,” Jordyn said, referring to her horse partner, Cat.
“I couldn’t do it without him.
“It’s doing it with him that makes it fun.“
Both siblings agree that socialising is another positive about competing and attending rodeos.
Jordyn competes in the barrel race, breakaway roping, team roping, pole bending and steer undecorating events, while her brother, Rhys, competes in team roping, and breakaway and has recently started to try his hand at the calf tie.
“All of them are so different,” Jordyn said.
“You have to put in effort no matter what, and when you get to compete in a rodeo, you get to show off how much hard work you put in.
“How long you spend in the practice ring determines how well you’re gonna do when you show up.“
Rhys has a much more chill reason for why he likes to compete in his events -saying it’s fun.
After so many years travelling and competing in the rodeo circuit, it was hard for the siblings to pick just one memorable moment, but after a lot of thought, Jordyn says her most memorable moment was when she won the Junior Barrel Race at Warwick.
“It’s quite a high atmosphere rodeo in a large arena,” she said.
“It was a lot of fun.”
Jordyn said this was her memorable moment because the Warwick Rodeo is a four-day rodeo, so it’s on average.
“Averages are hard to win,” she said.
Rhys stated that his memorable moment was when he placed second at an Emerald Rodeo in team roping, with it being only his second time competing in team roping.
The siblings have knuckled down and gotten control over their nerves when competing.
“I’ve been doing it so long, that I know pretty much what my horse is going to do,” Jordyn said.
“If I’m on maybe a different horse, then maybe, yeah, [I] get a little nervous.”
“Not really anymore,” Rhys said.
“Mainly when I was learning and doing new things, it was a bit scary, but you get used to it.”
With such a bright future ahead for these rising rodeo stars, their aims are well within their reach.
Jordyn’s aim is to continue rodoeing, and she has a lot of young horses that she is getting trained up, so she will continue with that.
She would like to go to the United States one day and learn from the professionals over there.
Rhys aims to hopefully win an Open Title one day.
So keep an eye out for these rising local rodeo stars as they ride for the top.
