Clint (15), who hails from Willowburn Station, at Omarama, has come a long way since he began riding sheep at the local rodeo.
A year 11 boarder at John McGlashan College, he has been selected in the New Zealand secondary school team to travel to Rockhampton, Australia, later this year for a transtasman rodeo challenge.
It will be his second time representing his country; he was a member of the school team which hosted Australia at the Mataura rodeo in January. He is now preparing to raise funds for the trip and is looking for sponsorship.
Clint was recently presented with his sporting "blues" at John McGlashan College and is believed to be the school's first recipient of the honour for rodeo. That was "pretty cool", and he was grateful for the support of the school.
This past rodeo season was his first "full on" season competing in the youth steer ride. He competed at all the South Island rodeos, whereas previously he only did four or five.
It had been a good season because he won the South Island youth steer ride title and finished second in New Zealand.
Clint, who was excited about the prospect of competing in Australia, said rodeo was "a pretty good rush". He also enjoyed the camaraderie among the competitors.
He had a head start on his father, Dannie, who did not take up the sport until he was 18.
Mr McAughtrie's rodeo career spanned from 1975 until 1987 and he won two national bull-riding titles.
He was initially encouraged by a friend and recalled riding his first steer at the Kurow gymkhana where he got third and won $5.
"I was rich," he laughed.
His own foray into rodeo was probably inevitable, given he started wearing stetson hats from the age of about 11 and, as a boy, chose wallpaper that depicted cowboys and Indians for his bedroom.
After winning a national title and then defending it the following year, he decided to quit.
Clint, who also shoots and plays hockey, rugby, cricket and touch, hoped to "just do the best I can".
Eventually, he would like to be an open bull-rider but he will leave that until he is a bit older.
He tried not to get too daunted about the prospect of representing his country.
"If you ride well for yourself, you also ride well for the team," he said.