THE BRONCS

How it started

Back in 1965 horse transport was few and far between and for the first Mid Northern Rodeo, horses had to be borrowed from the Kaitaia Rodeo Club.

This meant that over the course of a team of helpers drove the horses from Kaitaia to Kamo. Stopping in at farms every couple of days for a break; the trip was a long one. They would cover 6km a day with plenty of breaks to ensure the horses were in good condition for the rodeo ahead! The trip home was even longer with horses staying at farms for 2-3 weeks at time.

The following year the rodeo sought out the horses that had taken a liking to bucking - show jumpers, hunters, stock horses – any one would do, as long as they loved to buck! Mid Northern has continued the tradition of intercepting horses destined for the dog tucker truck by giving them a new purpose in life to this day.

Meet The Team

DISLOCATOR

Dislocator was born and bred to event. Originally owned by a vet he spent his days hunting and eventing. Even competing at the Taupo three day.

Unfortunately, for the vet Dislocator also loves to buck!

The final straw was when out hunting, Dislocator took to bucking, and ultimately dislocated the vet’s shoulder – earning himself a new name and new life purpose.

Now, an extremely well-mannered and quiet horse that explodes out of the chutes to perform as a top bareback horse! Dislocator is celebrated amongst the cowboys and crowd alike for his skill and love of bucking.

WILD WEED

Wild Weed is one of the favourites amongst the Mid Northern club. A horse with a cool attitude and immense talent. Wild Weed ended up in rodeo after a deal in the back of the Poroti Tavern when his original owner got sick of being bucked off every time he rode.

Now he is admired by everyone for those same skills that got him sold. At the last Mid Northern held Trans-Tasman challenge, after bucking off one of the Aussies, one of the guys offered $10k for the horse!

When asked what he would do with it, he replied ‘take it back and sell it for $30k, that is the best bucking horse I have ever seen!’

Lucky for us, Noel turned them down!

LET DOWN

Let Down is certainly not a let down anymore!

A talented saddle bronc horse, loved by the club, cowboys, and crowd. Let Down spends his days in the beautiful surroundings of Maungatapere in between bucking off cowboys at the rodeos.

Let Down got his name from his previous owners because every time that they went to do something with him or try their hand at a new style of riding, he would let them down. As it happens, he was just letting them know that he was wanting to buck!

LEATHER & LACE

Leather & Lace was introduced to riding so that she could be a hacking and mustering horse. Instead she took to bucking.

The day that she sealed this fate she was out on a ride when she got into it, bucking off her rider and proceeding to kick out, breaking his leg in the process. Her previous owner got a trip to A&E in a helicopter and Leather & Lace has been a rodeo horse ever since.

Primarily used in the saddlebronc, although this very talented horse can go either way! She is definitely worth watching.

BONE CRUSHER

Bone crusher earnt his name by being famous for breaking collarbones!

This horse has some incredible bucking action, a top bareback horse in his own right. But also, a talented saddle bronc horse, helping our Canadian bronc riding friend Kaila win in his last buck out of the chutes as a saddle bronc horse at the Mid Northern Rodeo.

Originally broken in for a woman who wanted a nice hacking horse, Bone Crusher would take to bucking around 15 minutes into a ride and proved what it was he wanted to do.

MILL SAW

Mill Saw is another one of our talented open horses that can be used in the saddle bronc or bareback competition. A beautiful appaloosa that has a talent for bucking, this one is worth watching at the rodeos.

Originally arriving to us as a stallion, Mill Saw bucked out at the 2016 rodeo before being gelded two nights afterwards. Finally being introduced to his new herd the following day. Now Mill Saw must have had a few shots still in his barrel because 11 months later a mini Mill Saw arrived!

TANGIWHINE DEFENDER

Tangiwhine Defender is one of those horses that you just cant help but fall in love with. Super quiet, always comes to say hello, and an amazing bucker when it comes time to leave the chutes.

Originally bred in Gisborne with the intention of being an eventer, this lovely horse was introduced into the riding world of jumping. Instead she decided that she wanted to buck!

Now one of the reliable great buckers and all-round great horses to be around in the Mid Northern string, her skills are admired by all, and most importantly she gets to do what she loves… BUCKING!

DIESEL DEAN

Diesel Dean is one of the newcomers to the string, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t made an impact.

With a debut buck off ride at Oruru Valley Rodeo this horse has immense talent and is looking to be one of the greats!

After being broken in in early 2019 Diesel Dean made sure to make it clear that while he loves to be around people and will respect them on the ground, he doesn’t want to ride around a paddock or some jumps, Diesel Dean was born to buck!

RATA SAW

Rata Saw has been described as electric, when he bucks it is like a stock whip going off. This is a horse that throws everything into his buck.

A top bareback horse, initially from Rata mill station, this little horse was often overlooked, not exactly a stunner, but as it turns out Rata Saw is an absolute athlete when he gets into the arena. After deciding that station work was not for him, he joined the Mid Northern Rodeo Club and has really come into his own.

While he looks like a cute little horse, I wouldn’t let looks deceive you, he is a lean, mean, bucking machine!

JOLLY WILD CAT

Now here is a polarizing horse, if I ever did see one. This beautiful mare is overflowing with talent and an attitude to match.

Jolly Wild Cat has won New Zealand Bucking Horse of the Year, because boy, can she buck!

She knows that she has talent and loves to play to a crowd, not a horse that wants to leave the arena, this horse celebrates her buck offs by prancing around and soaking up her time in the limelight.

Cowboys tasked with telling her that she is done for the day may find themselves at the end of a swift kick because she is the kind of horse that picks her own timeline as the strong, independent, talented mare that she is.

JOLLY MAYBE

Jolly Maybe loves attention, cuddles, and the camera! Jolly Maybe was the most photographed horse at our photoshoot day as he made sure to put himself in front of the camera at all times!

Originating from Gisborne, Jolly Maybe, along with a few other ‘Jolly’ horses in our string, got his namesake due to the congregation at the Jolly Stockman Hotel after the sales that his previous owner and his mates used to religiously attend, to celebrate the end of a successful sale. I’m sure there were some interesting stories those nights.

Now a talented saddle bronc horse, he gets to show off his moves to the crowds at the Mid Northern Rodeo every year

REDCLIFF JOKER

Redcliff Joker was bought to us in a group of 7 horses that were all supposed to be the start up of a new riding school. Starting life with a natural horsemanship approach, these horses were broken in with the intention of being bomb proof, and child safe. However, luckily for the kids they ended up in the rodeo.

These horses all wanted to buck, and they are really good at it too! Redcliffe Joker has made a name for himself as an open saddle bronc and bareback horse, with a mean intuition on how best to get a cowboy off his back.