Nicole McDonald on Rodeo Life, Family & the Western Way

This is the very first episode of Beyond the Buckle… and we had to make it count.

Recorded on location at the Man From Snowy River Bush Festival, in this episode we sit down with M5 Rodeo Boss Nicole McDonald — a name many in the western world will recognise, but this conversation goes beyond what you see on the surface.

We talk about rodeo life, family, resilience, and what it really takes to live and breathe the western lifestyle. The early mornings, the pressure, the pride, and the moments that shape it all.

For this episode, we proudly partnered with our good mates at travla beer — a brand that backs the country lifestyle just as much as we do.

This is exactly what Beyond the Buckle is about.
Because what happens in the arena is only part of the story.

If you love rodeo, country life, or just real conversations with good people… you’re in the right place.

Follow Beyond the Buckle so you don’t miss the stories behind Australia’s biggest western events.

Hosted by Prue Houston, Rodeo Reporter with M5 Rodeo Promotions.

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  www.m5rodeo.com.au

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 hello@m5rodeo.com.au

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Before we kick things off, I want to say a quick thank you. This podcast is proudly powered by M5 Rodeo Promotions. If you're chasing real rodeo, this is where you'll find it: real cowboys and real competition. Check them out online to see where the next showdown is, and we'll see you at the shoots. Alright, let's get into it. Recorded on location at some of Australia's biggest Western events, we're bringing you the stories you don't hear from the stands. I'm Prue Houston, Rodeo Reporter with M5 Rodeo Promotions, and this is Beyond the Buckle, the podcast where we go past the arena and into the stories, the people and the partnership behind it all. And in this episode, you're getting a real look behind the scenes. So let's get into it. We are coming to you live from the Man from Snowy River Festival, right in the middle of the action, the beauty, the history, and everything that makes this lifestyle what it is. And I couldn't have thought of a better person to kick this off with our launch pad of Beyond the Buckle. Not only has she built something pretty incredible with M5 Rodeo Promotion, she lives this lifestyle through and through a real deal, bona fide Aussie Cowgirl, Nicole McDonald. Welcome to Beyond the Buckle. Thank you, Prue. Oh, it is exciting. And I know that you weren't necessarily as excited as me.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Yeah, no. Being in front of the camera is not. I don't like to be on at the front.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Well, I thought it was important for our origin episode to kind of speak to the origins of this whole thing because it wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. And I guess if we just think of it like we're just chilling out, having a look at a beautiful view and having a beer.

SPEAKER_00 1:37

So yeah, good traveller.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Exactly. Alright, so let's kick it off with just the basics. A lot of people know you obviously as the boss of M5, or maybe the competitor, but maybe paint us a picture of kind of how you got here.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Oh my goodness. Well, you know, my husband and I have been married for many moons now, and we left Victoria to make some money, you know, and we we went to the territory, and when we came home from the territory, we noticed that, you know, a lot of the great rodeos that we had grown up rodeoing were no longer, you know, and the kids' events they just weren't there for the kids. And you know, we got three young boys and they're third generation cowboys, and we wanted them to have the experiences and you know grow and live the life, you know, and learn the skill sets, get the morals that you know this this cowboy life, you know, instills in us all. And yeah, and so we noticed that those rodeos were no longer, and we thought it was an opportunity to you know grow our kids up in in a way that we wanted them to grow up in, and you know, bring another level to rodeo. You know, my background is all cowboys and Jean's background is all showman. And so, you know, it was pretty neat for us to be able to bring two genres together that nobody else had really done before, you know. I feel like we've brought level rodeo to a level that has has made other people lift the game and you know do better and make things better for competitors and for the patrons and for our junior cowboys and cowgirls, and and and that's something we're really proud of. But yeah, that's that was probably the be-all and end all of it, and that's you know, M5 is McDonald, and there's five of us, and you know, no big conspiracy there, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

But it's it speaks to a lot of what you've wanted to paint with it. So it starts with family and starts with family, that's exactly right.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

Yeah, yep.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

Nah, beautiful. You mentioned that uh you grew up around the scene a lot, like what what did life kind of look like for you growing up?

SPEAKER_00 3:57

Look, you know, we were very lucky. We had a lot of great cowboys and cowgirls around us right from when we were little kids, you know, and some real champions, you know, my father and his his brothers are all Australian champions, um, you know, but the our mates was you know, Brad Pierce and Jaden Pierce. I come from Jimmy and uh Wendy Pierce and um you know Taylor Pierce who is Dave Johnson and Trish Johnson's daughter, and you know, the list goes it's a it's a very long-term. There's a lot of repeated surnames when you look at a draw. The Bookluck family, you know, they were somebody that you know we lived with, and Deanna and I have been best mates since we were little tiny cowgirls. But you know, Pete and Carol, they were actually one of the first people to um have junior breakaway roping, you know, and they used to sponsor the junior breakaway roping just so we had it, you know, and um you know the Kenny family, uh Shane and Leanne they've done a lot for rodeo and they've done a lot for junior rodeo and they run the junior finals in Emerald, um, which is something that we support and um get behind, and and one of the reasons why we so badly wanted to run these junior pro rodeos for these kids, you know, um was because of the level uh that they could go if they wanted to. You know, I feel like kids in Australia if they if they want to make a living out of rodeo, well, you know, why not give them the opportunity to? You know, so it's it's easy to stand up and say, oh, look what we've created. But you know, we've created this purely because of the people that have been around us, you know, and and you see things that work and that don't work, and being brave enough to give it a go is you know is a lot because you know it's big risks. Every single weekend is huge risks.

SPEAKER_01 6:01

A quick break to let you know that we proudly partnered with our good friends at Travellerbeer to record this episode of Beyond the Buckle. Born in the country and built on mateship, just like the lifestyle we live and love. Now let's get back to it. Like you've mentioned before about coming together with Jean, that's sort of become like a dynasty of like these two worlds that have connected. But how did you guys actually meet? Uh at Corion. Oh really? Oh wow, so it's a special spot for you guys.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

It's a special spot for us. You know, I happened to save a cowboy hat that belonged to Jean, and um, yeah, and that's sort of where it all, yeah, but that's where we we first originally.

SPEAKER_01 6:37

Don't they write novels about that now if you if you wear the cowboy hat home? You wear the cowboy hat home? I do wear the cowboy hat at home.

SPEAKER_00 6:44

I've known that that that list my whole life. But um, no, it was here actually. They used to run um a rodeo at Coryong at Christmas time. It was actually New Year's Eve. They used to run Koryong and um yeah, and and it's and that's another thing, you know, like we grew up coming to a rodeo in Koryong on the 31st of December. Um scary that I remember that date, isn't it? So so long ago. And um, you know, and have a look what this has grown into. You know, it's incredible. The people that are behind this event, um, and it's it it's exactly the same networking as what I was talking about, you know, there's a group of people that have this idea and and you know they start with this event, and then you know, more and more people get around it, and the different experiences and the different knowledge come together, and you know, and they've grown it into this massive four-day event um, you know, that we now have after Easter. And and who would have thought any event would go great after Easter? And like it's it's just amazing, and it's amazing to be a part of.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

And you would see that obviously being that you run your own events, that behind the scenes it's like they're very calm on the top of the water, but underneath it's like a paddling duck, and you know, we've commented on that while walking around that the volunteers and everyone there just seems to be knowing what to do and doing something to make it all look pretty effortless.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

Yes, that's definitely. And you know, there's they've got great volunteers and they've got a great board, and but it's the locals, like you know, the locals come together and you know all pitch in to give a hand and and and keep this country story going, actually I think is just so important, you know. And and this little tiny town with a little tiny RGA and you know, yeah, and a little pub and one little bakery and and those little things, and it's just so awesome to see it flooded by people right across the whole of Australia, you know. They put this as a bucket list festival to come to.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Yeah, and this is my first, and I'm just like the whole way here was just an absolute goofball of just like this is the most beautiful part of the country. I'm so blessed to be able to come up here and yeah, and the yeah, definitely they have it nailed.

SPEAKER_00 9:04

Like they absolutely have it nailed, and I think you know, it just it speaks volumes like you wake up here in the morning and you can't see, you know, your boots at the front step of the van, and then by about 10 o'clock you're pulling jumpers off because the sun is just beautiful and out, and you know, and then come.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

We've got a couple more hours so we have to put hoodies back on, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

And then you come into the night and you want every jacket that you've taken off in the morning. But yeah, and and it's just the whole experience, you know, is is yeah, it's it's like you've nothing you've ever felt before. That's very cool.

SPEAKER_01 9:43

I guess like when we talk about that kind of thing, you know, living in different parts of the country and experiencing that, like you mentioned you'd lived up in the territory for a little while. What was that like?

SPEAKER_00 9:53

Yeah, it's um it's another world up there. We loved our time in the territory and we always talk about going back. Were you mustering or what were you guys doing? Um yeah, we we were. We we managed a couple of different little spots and um we did a lot of contract mustering and um we were at Newcastle Waters, which is quite a big property. Just you and Jean, or had you had any of the boys by then or Lawson.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

Lawson, okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Lawson was nine months old when we left home.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

Fun!

SPEAKER_00 10:23

That's crazy! Yeah, yeah, so Lawson was was nine months old when we left home and we sold everything. We sold everything um and left home and to m you know went on an adventure. Well, and it was it was you know the the Aussie dream, like to come home and buy a property, buy what we wanted, and um yeah, and that was just what we wanted to do and we lived and we did things that you know you don't usually get to do. It's not it's not a nine to five job up there, and uh but once again the country up there is beautiful and the air is clean. I can't explain to anybody how different it is up there, and you've never actually witnessed quiet until you've been yeah, like up there and it's and it's it's really quiet, but it's beautiful. Yeah. Do you miss it? Every now and again when we get into this, you know, I feel like we start you know with our events and things really start to you know start running in August. And yeah, so I I miss the quiet and probably the simplicity. You know, it's it is it's it's a simple life up there, you know, and it's a beautiful life, but it's you know, when we're in the full throttle mix of our events, you know, there's not much time for you know downtime or to take your foot off the accelerator. So yeah, yeah, it is beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 12:01

So then you get to come here for a week. Yeah, and you've said to me before that this is one of your favourite events. It is kicking back for that week, and probably not that you have because you don't have to run it basically as well.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

No, and that's exactly and the kids, you know, Carter's competing this weekend in the striplings, and you know, it's so fun and you know, the diversity that you know, practicing to come up here for the week and yeah, and the friendships that they grow is just amazing, you know. You don't get these these types of friendships that they make at these places at these events, you don't get them at school.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

Do you think that's because it's a sort of solid four-day event and you're so isolated to come to this town that everyone's here together and it's a real kind of like connection of everyone.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

Oh yeah, and it's you know, it's it's the common interest. Yeah, you know, it is everybody's here for the same things. Everybody's here to, you know, do well with their horses or witness someone doing well with their horses. You know, it's it it it is, it's the common denominator, you know, and I think it's so neat for our kids to meet other kids that have the exact same interests, yeah, you know, and they have the same values and they have the same morals, and their parents are all on a similar, you know, time frame with you know where their needs and their wants and their desires, you know.

SPEAKER_01 13:27

And I guess that is probably why it circles back to you starting in five, that seed that started it, you know, a lot of that stuff that is why you wanted to do it. Yeah, like when help me understand like when you got back from the territory, you had like how many boys by then, and like how did it come like the real seed that sort of went, are we really doing this?

SPEAKER_00 13:49

Like, yeah, okay. So we we had trucks for a long time when we got home and we had a trucking business, and we when we got home from the territory, I was pregnant with Carter, and we not long after we got home, I had Carter, and then there's only 14 months between Carter and Slater.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

And we were busy, you know, growing our trucking company, and we had three trucks on the road, and I had these boys. And if you know anybody knows, our boys, they know they're fairly they're cowboys, and um I that's the most diplomatic mum response ever. They're cowboys, they uh you know, I always I always say to them, you know, you need to be polite enough to get a feed wherever you go and have enough sass in you to survive when there is no feed there to get. So you've done pretty bloody well with that. So yeah, so we had these three boys and and they love hunting and fishing and riding horses and riding bulls and you know, all this, all these things, and Jean was away so much, and it just got to a point where you know we decided and Gene decided that it was time for him to actually be home and be around or be around our boys and help grow them up. And I think, you know, that was that was probably one of the first steps towards us, you know, really deciding that we were gonna, you know, really launch into this. And we started with three rodeos. We started with Geelong, Achuka, and Bendigo. Uh Geelong was our first rodeo, and it was massive, and we did so many things wrong. And you know, we learnt hard and fast that first year about different things in running events. You know, it's it's so hard because one of the things that I think you know pulls us apart from others is the fact that you know we desperately want to look after our patrons because our patrons they come in to watch us. You know, they are who are paying to actually see us do the best we can do as competitors. But for competitors to be able to compete at the highest level and you know, break records like we've seen Liz Kenny broke the brokaway roping record last year at Achuka, you know, we've seen 90-point bull rides and 90-point bronch rides, you know, we've seen you know steer wrestling in the three-second mark, and but for them to be able to do that, they need to be surrounded in an atmosphere that makes them think they can be three seconds, makes them think they can be 90 points, you know, and so looking after the competitors and building it into an event where you know the vibe and the atmosphere and the adrenaline is where you walk through and it hits you in the face, you know, that is really important. So keeping those those few things together, you know, and then you've got our sponsors, you know, and actually hitting the mark with all our sponsors, that's really important too, because these guys put their names behind us, you know, and I think of that every time somebody comes and asks me if we want to jump on and sponsor, you know, and you always think, is that is that somebody that I want to attach my name to? You know, are they going to fulfill all my, you know, I suppose your morals, you know, as a person and as a business, and and and that's really that's really important. So having the aspect of, you know, the patron, the competitor, the sponsors, you know, it's it's just so important that you, you know, hit those, hit every mark out of six, yeah, you know, um, and yeah, it's so I feel like us bringing those different aspects together is what's set the bar so high.

SPEAKER_01 17:56

Yeah. So in the early days though, was there ever a moment where you maybe, you know, looked at Gene and you were like, I it this might not work? Like, was there like the the risk and the fear, obviously, but like when it was really crunch time and you just did you wonder?

SPEAKER_00 18:11

Oh my god, I think you know, if you don't if you don't have doubt, I think you're running blind. Okay. You know, I I always feel like doubt is doubt is always double checking that you've done your homework, you know, and um that's it's really important to have to have doubt, I believe.

SPEAKER_01 18:32

It's important to have doubt because otherwise I think you just not me sitting here wondering if he's pressed record. But I trust, I trust all of this.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

Yeah, and yes, start again. Yeah, I I I I think it, yeah, self, you know, it's it's something that you have to work really hard at, you know, and do your homework. And no, and sometimes it doesn't matter if you've done everything right.

SPEAKER_02 19:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:01

It it sometimes that doesn't matter. Sometimes it's just not how it's supposed to roll. And you know And then there's a lesson in that, isn't there? There is, you know, and there's um towns that you go to that just hit it out of the park and you make mistakes, and you know, it still rolls on and nobody realizes or nobody knows. And then there's towns where you just absolutely smack it out of the park and you don't get the support. And that's when you've got to come back, come back to your ground roots, come back to the drawing board, come back and think, okay, so you know, is is this the right town for us to take this type of event to, you know? Um and um yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

It's most definitely now. I'd say, you know, I've only come on board recently, but you know, it's a real fixture in the rodeo calendar now. After all these years, you've earned your stripes with people. But like, what's something that people don't see it takes to actually run this?

unknown 20:01

Thick skin.

SPEAKER_01 20:02

I think there's probably a lot of it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

Thick skin. Um you know uh thick skin and a good partner in crime, you know, but everybody has an opinion, and that's great, you know, and and everybody has standards, and that's what makes you rise above and do things better, you know. But um, you know, people get to to become to where they expect, you know, and um, and to be grateful to have an opportunity to enter a rodeo, I think, is really important. You know, um we should be grateful, and it is a privilege that we actually have these rodeos to attend, and I'm not just talking about our rodeo, I'm talking about this rodeo, you know. Um if you ever get to ride Saturday night here, is like nothing I've can ever explain to you. If you ever get to ride Saturday night of Mount Isa or Saturday night at Warwick, you know, Saturday night in Geelong, if you get to experience these amazing events and be inside the arena, you know, it's a privilege that we get to compete and do the things that we're doing. And I think sometimes we get into a mindset that you know it's an expectation and we should expect people to be at our beck and call and those things. But you know, when it comes down to it, these great events like ours they don't go without volunteers and without employees, and you know, a please and a thank you will get you so far down the line, you know, and just to be grateful, you know, to be grateful that we're here doing what we want to do, you know, is we're so lucky, and we can do it for money, yeah. You know, competitors this year, you know, M5 alone paid out over$360,000 in price. Money. That's incredible. Like that is incredible. You know, and you know, every weekend we had a rodeo, somebody else had a rodeo. Yeah. So that's not the only money in the pool, you know, and so yeah, it is it's a real privilege to be rodeoing in this day and age. Um, and and yes, it's tough and it's hard, and life's tough, and grocery bills are high, and so is fuel and all the rest of it. But we could be we could be doing a lot worse.

SPEAKER_01 22:29

Hi, quick favour before we jump back in. If you're loving this episode, don't keep it to yourself. Send it to a mate, share it on your socials, hit follow, or even better, drop us a review. It helps us keep showing up and bringing you more from this Western world we all love. Okay, now let's get back into it. I like your perspective, and I mean I've seen you in action, and I think something that I took away from it is like I always see everyone kind of wanting a piece of you. And you, you know, you you have that magnetic part of your character, which is why this works. People want to check in with you and check things with you. How does that not burn you out? Because I see it happening, and I'm like, you must get tired.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

Oh, look, you become a beacon, you know, and um, but to be honest with you, I am incredibly grateful that we have so many great people around us that want to work, yeah, that want to work for us and want us to see our events do well, and um so yeah, you do get tired, but it it's short-lived because the reminder is there that you know these people are giving me their time. Time is everything, time is everything, and so um, yeah, it I suppose like it's it's the same as anything, you know. You look at the bigger picture, and I'm very proud of um what Gene and I have created in in M5, and you know, when you stand back and you have a look at um the event that we've set up and everything in place, and um, you know, the signage, M5 signage everywhere, and these fantastic sponsors that uh up on our chutes and on our arena fencing, and um you know it it pulls you into line really quickly because like I said, these guys have backed us with their name. Yeah, they're proudest, you know, that it their name is more important to them than anything else, you know, and and they've backed us with their name. Yeah. So, you know, you you um when you sit back and look at it, it's um it's something to be very proud of. And um, you know, you s sleep in June.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

I was actually gonna say, like, you you do get your your downtime and your rest time, but like surely at the end of a rodeo or of a long weekend or a series of events, like is Jean kind of your person that you just you can take it all off and just be like relaxed with him? Like, who's your biggest support person? Yeah, yeah, my husband.

SPEAKER_00 25:10

Yeah, yeah. And you know, and it's because we want to see not only do we want to see each other win in the arena, you know, we want to see each other win in life, you know, and we want our children to win and we want our friends to win, but um it's you know, like he is he's been my rock, he has been my absolutely my absolute everything, you know, from right from we we we met here. Um it's hard to um have your husband, you know, is your work partner, is you know, is your best friend, is your everything. Um but you know we make it work, but and yeah, you have times where you need to take five and reassess, but you know, um it's it's probably something that um we're probably both very proud of.

SPEAKER_01 26:11

And you should be, yeah. And I mean I see you work to each other's strengths as well, and you both know each other's strengths, which I think helps because you're not jostling for the same no roles within the business. So you can see that is a working.

SPEAKER_00 26:25

That's definitely Jean's that's definitely Jean's uh motto is I'll stay in my lane, you stay in your line. No, um it's I think um because we've got similar goals, and that is to you know to run the best events we can possibly run. So it's easy when you're both working towards this similar, yeah, similar goals, you know.

SPEAKER_01 26:48

But I think it's interesting because not only have you challenged yourself to work and find a working relationship with your husband, you have so many family members involved in M5. Like, yeah, was that a deliberate choice you or or did you just want to challenge yourself as to how much you could deal with?

SPEAKER_00 27:07

Look, I think um, you know, family's family, and um we both we have quite a big family, so um when you're looking for people to help you in a support network, it's uh not hard to uh you don't go far before you somebody find somebody that's related to us. Yeah. Um you know, but um it's just reassuring to have um people around you that are batting for you. Yeah. And I think that's really important. I think that's one of the reasons why M5 has succeeded to the level it has, is because, you know, we have these great support networks around us, you know. I couldn't do what I do, you know, without you girls behind me. You know, I've got the best girl, best team of girls that work with me every day, and it doesn't matter if it's nine o'clock at night or if it's Sunday morning, you know, everybody's everybody's still batting for the same goals, you know, and I think that's similar to, you know, my mum judging, and um you know, I I love looking out and seeing my so many of my morals is the best my mum has taught me, you know, and I am the woman I am today, the sh this, you know, cowgirl, because of her and because of the morals that she's instilled in me. Um, you know, she um yeah, she takes the credit for a lot of what we've been able to achieve. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:38

And I see that when obviously getting to know your bigger family and everything, and just I think everyone has the same goal to preserve this life.

SPEAKER_00 28:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 28:47

And you know, I've often said to you, I feel like I was born into the wrong family, I should have born in been born into one of the families, but it just because I do love that and I see it immediately, and it's throughout the whole M5 organization where there's people related, there's just this really strong determination to keep it going. Yes, that's exactly right.

SPEAKER_00 29:06

Yeah, and you know, like it goes back to you know these friendships that you've you form, you know, as little kids like that our kids are this weekend. You know, we've all formed those relationships, you know, when when we were kids, and now you know, we're all at the stage where we're running the events, and you know, Jazz, Pierce and Jaden, you know, uh huge, huge contributors to the man from Snowy River, and you know, we all grew up together. And now I look out and I see all you know Jaz our boys and Jazz's boys running around together and you know down the street together, and you know, Arnie lives got lollybags for them, and you know, and that they're the relationships that you want. It's you know, it's it is so amazing that yeah, that these that we're now generational friends.

SPEAKER_01 29:59

It's almost like you get to live out the nostalgia that a lot of people miss about their own childhood. Like if you were to say that to someone who wasn't living this lifestyle, they would remember they had that, but maybe their kids don't, and then they miss it. And I feel like it's it's the living, breathing thing that's happening, but it also feels nostalgic. So it's that's probably why I am attracted to it so much because I just think that is aspirational, and you know, it's great that we can share that now with people and the mainstream elements coming into rodeo and people that are seeing it kind of unfold. So definitely.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

And I, you know, I had some people come to Geelong Rodeo and they said something really neat to me, you know, they hadn't been to a rodeo before, and they come to Geelong and they said it it's like you step inside the gates and you're inside, we're inside this community of people that we all think the same, and you know, and how cool is it just to be there and witness this, you know, phenomenal sport that showcases, you know, horses and cowboys and cowgirls, and and then and then we're a part of it, and we've never even you know stepped foot near a horse or a bucking bull or a cow, or you know, and that's really that's true.

SPEAKER_01 31:16

I feel that when I walk through the crowd at any event, and there's just a sense of camaraderie togetherness that you'd find if you went to the MCG or you know, uh something like that. You know, there's this connectivity because everyone's there for that good time. Yeah, and you know, it's really great. And and it it is a testament to all your hard work. And I guess I'd love to know what you'd go back to sort of day one M5 Nicole and say to her. Maybe after your first event where you kicked your boots off at the end and you were like if you could visit that girl, what would you say to her? Pull your hat down.

SPEAKER_00 31:53

All right, you know, it's uh it's yeah, like I said, like that first event, we got so many things wrong, and you know, probably nobody would know that, you know. And there's little different things that we laugh and we giggle at now, and we think, oh my god, did we really do that? You know, but we did something right because you know, we had sponsors that came to us at that event that are still with us now, and you know, we we we brought we put Geelong rodeo back on the map, and you know, it had we had worked out that it had been 12 years since Geelong had had a rodeo. Wow, you know, and same with Bendigo, yeah. And you know, Achuka, I actually can never remember going to a rodeo in Achuka. So Achuka hadn't had a rodeo for you know 35 plus years, you know, and the those rodeos are are some of our biggest rodeos, yeah. You know, Achuka, we've become locals in these towns, you know, and and it's really cool and it's really neat. And I suppose, you know, the friendships that you form with the sponsors and and and the locals, you know, is is is really fun.

SPEAKER_01 33:09

Yeah, no, it's it's it's amazing. I mean, I think it makes me wonder though, what if you could put a proudest moment on anything, did something stand out for you? Because I mean, everything you just said then is something to be super proud of, but like is there something just as the founder is something you know, you've created this that you can actually go like a real just a moment that stood out.

SPEAKER_00 33:33

There's there's so many moments, you know, and I think that's why it's really important to, you know, slow down and and enjoy it while it's happening, because you can so easily just get into this mindset of racing through the through your event and racing through your day. But look, you know, I think um at the probably this year is one of the proudest things that has been when we started presenting our buckles and stuff to our kids this year, you know. That was a phenomenal ceremony, like that was it's you know, I I I can tell you like, you know, when we very first had a full junior rodeo, it was the first one we had, you know, we had four steer riders. Four steer riders. Now we average 19. 19 to 20 steer riders. You know, we had four junior breakaway ropers. N now we're at 24, you know, averaging 24 junior breakaway ropers. The junior team roping is it's in the same boat. Like, you know, that in itself, and you know, to look at the top 10 kids in the country at the moment and see that there is, you know, a lot of Victorians and a lot of South Australians that would not have got the opportunity to go to the junior finals now have, you know, those things that that makes me proud. Makes me proud that, you know, the next generation of kids, you know, able to rodeo, you know, and and able to set goals, life goals, get to college, go to the states. Incredible, you know, is is just is amazing, you know, and it's something that's on our boys' you know, bucket list. It's what they you know, it's what drives them to go to school most days, is that you know, they want to go to college in the states, and and that they're that's opportunities that we never had, you know, and to be able to have those opportunities for our kids is amazing, you know. Every week they're releasing another another Rosie going to the States, you know, and and that's something, you know, extreme saddlebronk that's here that we've we'll watch the final here on Saturday night, you know, that's something that they've contributed to in growing the Saddlebronk. And you see, we've got you know, some phenomenal saddlebronk riders in the states and here in Australia, you know, and it's it's all to do with just you know keeping the morals, keeping the dream alive, and keep driving that level of professionalism higher and higher.

SPEAKER_01 36:23

And I think you know, you create a great environment for the kids, like they are all together, and I mean, you know, that barrel racing list is growing. Your mum's checking it regularly to see who's coming up after her as well. But you know, those kids are so so amazing, and they're you know, they're checking which events they like, you know, want to grow into, but at least in that junior section, they can kind of try some things out and feel safe with that. You know, they don't have to kind of pick a lane yet, and I love seeing them all, you know, going through that and doing well and being around themselves.

SPEAKER_00 36:55

It's you know, it's it is it's phenomenal. Like, you know, and and I hope it's something that you know grows into, you know, I say like the very first ones that we ran, they ran for 40 minutes. Yeah. And then these we've had to pull our gate opening time to two o'clock because we're up to three and a half hours of junior rodeo, you know, and I refuse to put them in the slack. And because that's what you want. You want them to have the experience and uh and enjoy what they're doing so that they want to stay and do it.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

And can you imagine what the main event's gonna look like in ten years? Oh my god. When all these kids have come through and been rodeoing for years, like that is just gonna be incredible.

SPEAKER_00 37:42

Like we're doing stadiums, Nicole, like flat axe stadiums, like and and like why not? Yeah, you know, why not? Why aren't we? You know, I I just think like why not? Why aren't we doing stadiums? You know, it's the sky is the limit with this, and and I think you know, country's cool.

SPEAKER_01 37:59

And I was gonna say, what a time to be, you know, yeah, could trying to connect mainstream with this life is the fact that country music's opened up the gates, cowboys are cool, everything about country life. I think cowboys have always been cool. I think the world's just working on it. I think they've just realized, excuse me, we like our men this way. But no, I 100% agree. And I think that you know, we've seen it with country music just become like on the regular radio stations and that sort of thing, and so you know, it's only natural that it it could conceivably be that you know, we rock up to Marvel Stadium one day and we've got a rodeo there. Yeah, damn straight. An M5 radio. Yeah, an M5 radio. Yeah, that's right. So you're at Coryong now for the week, you know, rodeo season with M5s on on a break now. But what is life actually like when you're stepping back? Like if you're at home, you know, what what what are you doing to sort of just take the brakes off a little bit?

SPEAKER_00 38:55

Look, we're we're at the moment we're focused on getting the kids to the last of the junior rodeos. They've both both kids, both older boys, Carter and Lawson, both set goals for the junior finals this year. So, you know, for this last for April, our goals are just purely about getting them to these last few rodeos to give them the best chance that they can to make the finals. And then, you know, I don't feel like we ever really take the brakes off. I feel like you start planning the next thing and the next thing and the next thing, but um just being home and our good horses all go out and have a well-earned break, and we'll bring some young horses in, and we'll just be at home, we'll do some hunting, we'll spend some time. Just do you uh farm anything at home or has you just got property like just horses, we just farm horses, bloody good ones too. No, no, no, no, we just we just just got our horses and rope pennies.

SPEAKER_01 40:00

Which is enough. Yeah, that's exactly a few steer wrestlers. As someone who's eyeing off getting one, I've been told that's enough.

SPEAKER_00 40:07

That's enough, and uh yeah, a few buck and steers and all the rest of it to keep everything going. But yeah, no, and and and it's nice to just be at home. I think you know that's when you get to sit sit back and think of how you're gonna change things and build things and make things better and yeah, yeah, grow it again for the next year. And start a podcast and start a podcast and step into a new era, yeah. Oh, like, you know, but that is so important to, you know, keep moving forward and and you know, coming to these events like like the man from Snowy River, you know, you can learn so much if you, you know, walk around with your eyes open and you know you can see how they've done something better than you, or you know, look at what different companies they're using, or you know, how you know how they're running a program or you know who they're using as an announcer and all those different things. You know, if you if you walk around and just take it in, you can honestly learn so much from other events because um there's there's people doing such great things, yeah. You know, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:26

I think I probably already know the answer to this, but if you went back to the moment where it could have gone either way at that stage, would you have still chosen this path? Yes. I already knew that, but I can't imagine that you wouldn't have.

SPEAKER_00 41:41

I say all the time, I say, you know, if if we won Tatslotto, we would be doing exactly the same thing we're doing now. It just we wouldn't be worrying about bills. But yeah, like that's how you know though, like you wouldn't change a thing. You would not no, no, we wouldn't change a thing. Like they're long, hard days, and you know, there's times where you're working from sunup to sundown, and but when you step back just before gates open and look at what you've created, you know, it's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01 42:19

And I kinda can't imagine that you'd be very happy if you weren't this busy. Like I feel like this is this is just sort of your you're happy in the chaos and the crazy, and like you'd be bored, right? Yes, being so bad.

SPEAKER_00 42:32

Yeah, we I I think if we weren't doing this, we'd be taking on something else. Like it's um, you know, but it's um it it's so cool. Like, you know, who would have ever thought, you know, we grow up listening to everybody, our parents, and everybody saying, you know, you can't make a living off rodeo, you can't, you know, you can't make a living off this and you can't make a living off that. And you know, and I think we all listened to a certain ext point, you know, and we had the nine to five job and we did the things that we had to do to make ends meet, and you know, like hold my beer and watch me. Let's let's give it a crack, you know. Like, what's the worst that can happen?

SPEAKER_01 43:15

Taking a quick break here to thank our supporters, the Man from Snowy River Bush Festival, one of Australia's most iconic celebrations of horsemanship and western lifestyle, and of course, where this episode of Beyond the Buckle was recorded. Now let's get back to it. Well, I think that leads me into our kind of little finishing segment that we're gonna do on the podcast, and it's called the Buckle List. A little play on words from the bucket list, but it's basically where we ask you kind of to share what's on your buckle list. It could be life, business, rodeo. What's on your bucket list? Your buckle Oh for God, I can't even say it now. What's on your buckle list?

SPEAKER_00 43:56

Oh, look. You know. Probably probably somewhere like Marvel Stadium. I thought that was you know at least not a point. Yeah. You know, we'd love to build this series into to where we run our own finals. And, you know, why not be at Marvel Stadium? Why not be at the MCG? Why not be at one of these stadiums? You know, there it it is like sky is the limit and it's a building block, you know, and it's probably not something that's gonna happen, you know, in the next 12 months or two years, but you know, who knows where it's gonna land. And you know, we're always just striving to to do better than we did the week before. So, you know, if the opportunity comes, we would definitely get hold of it.

SPEAKER_01 44:49

But I think yeah, I could think of no one better than than to do that. Next stop the Olympics, right? Yeah, that's right. Well, Nicole, I just want to say thank you and not just for coming on today, but for taking a chance on me, which was you know an unknown at the time, and I will not forget that. You once told me when we first started speaking that you only work with hustlers, and that lives rent-free in my head whenever I think of things to do and make better about what I do as part of this role, and only because I see you backing that in everything you do. So to see what you've built with M5 and to be a little small part of it means so much to me. And I just want to thank you for coming on and sharing your story, and thanks for being on Beyond the Buckle. Thanks, Brady.

SPEAKER_00 45:37

No worries.

SPEAKER_01 45:38

No worries. And that is it, that is a wrap. That is it for this episode of Beyond the Buckle, recorded on location at some of Australia's biggest Western events, bringing you the stories you don't hear from the stands. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you're following on your favourite podcast platform and on YouTube so you don't miss what's coming next. Because the arena is only part of it. The rest happens beyond the buckle.