The Wood sisters Riley (14) and Lylah (16) Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
It's been a busy year for Lylah and Riley Wood, who have been busy practising for another rodeo season which hits its straps over the Christmas New Year holidays.
The home-schooled teens, aged 16 and 14 respectively, represented New Zealand youth at rodeo competitions in the United States and Australia in July and September.
Country Life caught up with the sisters at an arena in the King Country where they demonstrated some of their barrel racing and breakaway roping skills.
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In cowboy hat, jeans and leather belts, emblazoned with their names, the sisters look every inch seasoned cowgirls.
The decorative buckles on their belts represent recent wins. Lylah was Junior Breakaway Roping champ in 2023 and Riley's buckle comes from a jackpot competition win. The highlight of their rodeo careers so far has been representing New Zealand at this year's National High School Finals Rodeo in Wyoming.
Lylah and Riley Wood were part of the New Zealand team at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Wyoming in 2024 Photo: Supplied
Riley and Lylah Wood ready for practice on Bullet and Dice Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
Today, with Lylah on Dice and Riley on Bullet, they take turns galloping around the barrels and flinging a rope with ease.
They're practising at an arena belonging to friends, Ian and Katy Smith, who are also rodeo competitors.
Ian explained rodeo events developed from ranching in the United States.
"They've got big areas, big, big pastures, and so they don't have the yards handy, like what we do over here. So they have to go out there and rope the cattle that need to be doctored in the pasture.
"Calf roping stemmed from that, and then breakaway has stemmed from calf roping. Breakaway roping sort of caters for younger folk, girls and boys and upwards."
The rider must lasso a young cow as it is let out a gate.
The rope, in a slip knot, is secured to the saddle horn by a piece of twine which breaks when the rope extends, leaving the animal to run to the end of the arena, Ian said, ensuring the "beast" isn't harmed.
The girls' mother Shelley Wood said the girls are guided by the NZ Rodeo Cowboy Association's strict rules and regulations to ensure the animals are well looked after.
They are modest about their achievements and spend time encouraging each other and giving each other tips on the best way to handle the horse.
"I kind of taught myself muscle memory because, yeah, I haven't got the best aim," Lylah said, laughing.
Lylah was 2023 junior breakaway roping champ Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
Riley has represented New Zealand in team roping and barrel racing, a gallop around drums set up in a clover leaf pattern.
"You want straight lines, you want tight turns, but not too tight, because then you slip, you slip over, or you hit a drum," Katy Smith said.
In July 2024 Riley competed in barrel racing in the National High School Finals Rodeo in Wyoming Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
Shelley said her daughters spend countless hours training and doing slow work, to keep up with the "hot" competition where milliseconds make all the difference.
Tacking up Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
"The girls are really good at anything to do with the horses, they do it all themselves. They work and buy all their own gear, if they want something flash, they've got to buy it."
She said the family was drawn to rodeo by the people and the friendly atmosphere. The girls' father Julian does the driving, while she does the paperwork, cooking and washing. Competition takes the family far and wide and, for the girls, often means riding an unfamiliar horse.
Riley practicing breakaway roping Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
"You know, you gotta just jump on different horses. You get to probably warm them up a little bit, and then you gotta go out and make a fast run," Riley said.
So what makes a good rodeo rider?
"You need to be competitive, but you also need to be humble," Lylah said.
Riley said it's about striving hard and having the support of the rodeo community.
"It's more you're like competitive with yourself, rather than with another person. Everyone's friends and we're never really enemies as such. Yeah, we're pretty supportive of each other."
Lylah and Riley Wood in their signature belts Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
Learn more:
- Find out more about the code of welfare for rodeos here
