Outram Rodeo Club member Fred Doherty said he was expecting about 200 competitors from across the nation to converge on the village, about 10km from Mosgiel, this weekend.
The competitors came to collect prize money, and more importantly points, in a bid to make the national rodeo finals in Taupo at Easter.
"It’ll cost a cowboy from Northland more to get down here than what they’ll win but they’ve got to be here to get the points — it’s a travelling sport."
Some cowboys car-pooled, sharing travelling costs and combining their prize money to get between rodeos.
This weekend, the club would run two individual rodeo events on both days.
The club had traditionally held a single rodeo each year since 1961 on his 90ha sheep and beef farm in Outram.
However, it held an "emergency" second rodeo last year, allowing competitors to accrue points after a rodeo in Mataura was cancelled due to flooding.
Holding two events last year came at a cost to the club because the revenue from sponsorship and ticket sales was similar to holding a single-day event.
Spectators usually attended a single day rather than both, he said.
Each day this weekend would include the same events, the same contestants and the same points and prize purses on offer.
The prize purses included money from the club and competitors.
For example, the 35 competitors set to race in the open barrel event would put $60 "in the pot" to enter and the club put in $750.
"The whole idea of a rodeo is backing yourself to win your mates’ money."
The winner would take home 40% of the pot.
"You take home $1140 for a 16-second run — if you’re lucky enough, you could do that two days in a row."
The seven rodeo events to feature are bullriding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, rope and tie, team roping and horse bucking events — bareback and saddle bronc.
The club had recently finished installing new steel stockyards to hold animals competing in timed events.
The new yard includes a base of compacted lime rock and gravel to stop the surface becoming muddy and about $20,000 of steel, which replaced a wooden structure.
The club members had spent hundreds of hours working to host the rodeo, including fundraising for the event by tailing 10,000 spring lambs.
"Just so cowboys can come and take our money," he laughs.
The main events begin from 11am on Saturday and Sunday.
