World's oldest cowboy, Cootamundra's Bob Holder, makes historic comeback at Mt Isa Rodeo

The highly respected 92-year-old cowboy from Cootamundra received a "Good Australian" award from Anthony Albanese in a special ceremony at the famed Mount Isa Rodeo which wrapped up last weekend.

It was a wonderful return to the rodeo scene for Mr Holder, who made the 2200-kilometre trek north with daughter Kerrie after he was forced to pull out due to illness in 2022.

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"The Mount Isa Rodeo went really well with record crowds... [and] they gave me a good [welcome back]," Mr Holder said.

At the event, Mr Holder competed in the over-55s team roping with 56-year-old stockman Darren Brandenburg and made rodeo history successfully making his head catch, although the team failed to record a time.

"I caught the steer very well, but missed his heels. Otherwise we would have had some money in our pockets," he said.

He also competed in the open team roping.

Mr Holder, who has been competing in rodeos for 78 years, was impressed at the quality of this year's event, noting it had the "toughest stock" he's ever seen at Mount Isa.

His long and storied career included becoming the first Australian cowboy to ever win rodeo money in America and competing in the historic Madison Square Garden rodeo in New York City in the 1950s.

Since his return to the arena following last year's illness, Mr Holder has already competed in seven rodeos and he's feeling in great shape.

"I'm back to normal [now]," he said.

Looking ahead, Mr Holder hopes to compete until he turns the big 100 and he revealed how he keeps it up.

"I just keep getting up and keep on trying," he said.

Mr Holder isn't showing any signs of slowing down yet, with another rodeo lined up in Townsville this Saturday, followed by an event in St George before his eventual return to Cootamundra.

He was not the only Riverina competitor to travel thousands of kilometres to compete, with close friends the Pierce family also travelling up from Tooma.

Rodeoing has been in the Pierce family for five generations, with parents Brad and Tayla and children Katie, 8, and Ryder, 10, all keen competitors.

The Pierce family is steeped in rodeo history and has a generations-long association with the Holder family.

"Bob rode [alongside] my children's great-grandfather," Mrs Pierce said.

Katie and Ryder hail from an impressive rodeo lineage with grandfather Dave Johnston being the first cowboy to ever ride legendary bucking bull, Chainsaw for the full 8 seconds.

One of the greatest bucking bulls in living history, only four cowboys ever rode Chainsaw for the full 8 seconds.

In keeping with this legendary legacy, the family competes in up to 45 rodeo events each year, including the famed Mount Isa Rodeo, which is a winter highlight.

This year Mrs Pierce and her two children made the three-day journey north, while their father remained at home.

"Ryder had the most success [in our family this time round. He] went really well in the Under 18s steer ride," Mrs Pierce said.

Ryder also took part in the mini bull ride, the junior barrel race and the breakaway roping.

Meanwhile, Mrs Pierce made the finals in both the open barrel race and the open breakaway.

"[Unfortunately I] had no luck in the finals," Mrs Pierce said.

"Katie had the least luck of all of us. Her horse [Lori] was a bit naughty and bucked her off on the way home in the Barrel Race.

Mrs Pierce said fortunately it all turned out well as the trio made the three-day trek back to the Riverina.

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