MJ's riding success at two national rodeo finals

First up she headed to Bendemeer near Tamworth for the Australian High School Rodeo Association junior national competition before heading back down the highway to Tamworth for the Australian Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) national finals.

At both competitions she gained placings or set the fastest time in her age group. Her results at the junior high school national finals means Mj and her family will head to Iowa in America in June this year where she will compete in three events at the junior world finals.

The fourteen-year-old on lives her grandparents farm with her parents Steve and Brooke and twelve-year-old twin brothers Cooper and Cruz.

She describes herself as a third generation cowgirl and loves competing at rodeos on most most weekends with her family and grandparents.

The family travel all over Australia throughout the year, Brooke Mapp said.

At the junior high school finals in Bendemeer she competed in the pole bending, team roping, barrels, goat (dummy) tying and the breakaway.

The finals were ran over three days for 3 rounds. She won the team roping in round 1 and 2.

She was 2nd in the goat tying in all 3 rounds. Third in round 2 of the pole bending and 5th in round 2 for the barrels. She also won the 2nd round of breakaway.

After all three rounds Mj's average had her qualify in the Barrels, breakaway and goat tying.

"Mj had so much fun and got to meet new friends from Queensland and Western Australia," Brooke said.

And a few days after the high school finals Mj and her family headed home, rest the horses for a day then headed to Tamworth for the ABCRA national rodeo finals where Mj's dad Steve competed in the Team roping and Mj is the Barrel Race.

Mj's success kept rolling as the ABCRA finals where over three rounds she went onto win the 11-U14 NFR Aggregate in the Barrel Race 2023.

At Tamworth Mj rode a beautiful big horse by the name of Chase owned by Mikayla Weir.

Brooke said "Our family can't thank Mikayla enough for all her help and guidance."

Mj also wanted to thank everyone for their support including her Nan and Pop, Gail, Mikayla, and Peter for Chase's shoeing.

"Thanks to the family's sponsors because without them we wouldn't be where we are doing what we love Hygain feeds Hidez Australia Marsh Carney Saddlery Resistol Australia," said Brooke

This report on Mj final barrel runwas written by Stephen Mowbray for the ABCRA

Another speedy team this finals has been the pairing of Singleton cowgirl MJ Mapp and her aptly name partner in crime ''Chase'. They came into the NFR 4th in the standings in the Pryde's EasiFeed11-U14 Barrel Race and out of reach of the Australian title but they certainly had their eyes on the aggregate title with a pair of second placings

Coming into today's final round there was .810 secs between them in aggregate time from the first two rounds ( or two points) so who was going to be crowned champion came down to today's run. In a reverse seeded draw, MJ and 'Chase' went first and stopped the clock in their fastest time of the week and the fastest time of the day so far, an 18.112 sec run. That turned up the pressure. Lacey was second last out and let's just say it was not the run they had hoped for and accordingly, title hopes slipped out of their hands for this NFR anyway. As second ranked qualifiers in the standings coming into the NFR Lacey and 'Zac' have had an amazing year and we have no doubt they'll be title chasing again at the 2024 NFR.