The Hall family is getting ready to take on another ride on the wild side at the Beenleigh Show this Saturday, where they will compete and host some of the best bull riders in the country.
The rodeo, which is from 6pm at Beenleigh Showgrounds, is this year’s headlining attraction at the Show and will hold five different divisions catering to kids through to seniors.
“We will have some of the top 10 in the national standings there,” Jason Hall, proprietor of Hall Family Rodeo and chairman of the National Rodeo Association, said.
“This year we’ll be having both bull riding and barrel racing; so the males in the bull riding and the females in the barrel racing, so a couple of different demographics.
“We’ll have Novice Bull Riding, Under 18 Junior Bull Riding and for the first time ever at Beenleigh, we’ve got the Mini Bulls; so the under 15 and under 12 division.
“Then we have the junior barrel races as well,” he said.
Mr Hall was born into the sport of rodeo with his father Kerry starting off as a successful competitor over 55 years ago, and soon after became the owner of the contracting business, Hall Rodeo.
A successful competitor himself, winning the average national finals in 1999 in bareback riding, Mr Hall took over the business after his father retired over two years ago.
Now, a third generation of Halls have left their mark on the rodeo scene, with Mr Hall’s two youngest sons; Clay and Zane set to bring their experience to the Open Division at the Show.
“My two boys are both very successful competitors; both sit in the top 10 in the bull riding national standings.
“Clay spent a couple of years on a bull riding scholarship at college in the United States where rodeos are next level.
“It’s one of the biggest spectator sports in the US. It’s a massive industry over there.”
Clay said he hoped to bring his experience from overseas back to Beenleigh.
“I got a scholarship to ride on the rodeo college team and won the Northwest region the two years I was there, and I went to the national college finals,” he said.
“It was a good experience to bring back here, and then it’s always good to come back to ride with all your friends so that gives you a bit more motivation as well.”
Clay started riding bulls and poddy calves when he was just three-years-old and says while “growing up as a third-generation” comes with some pressure, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“You’ve got a lot of people that have been through it above you that you can always talk to or look up to,” he said.
Jason said despite decades of experience, the Halls are excited to be back on home soil at Beenleigh, where the atmosphere is special.
“The last few years have been cancelled because of Covid and wet weather and whatnot, so it’s great to get back out there,” he said.
“Beenleigh has traditionally been a great venue and we’ve always got a great crowd.”
