Rodeo coordinator Wayne Oakenfull said the riders have progressed through the local equestrian and pony club scene and found their niche in the sport that often trades bruises, breaks and adrenaline for a few seconds of glory.

“Depending on final numbers we’ll have around 30 bull riders,” Oakenfull said this week.

“At least six of the riders are local boys. It’s the biggest number of locals we’ve had for years.”

Standing between cowboys and fame is feature five-year-old bull Hells Bells, headlining a rough and tough contingent of rodeo stock from regional contractors across the state.

“They’re good bulls, they look alright,” local rider Mark Gatt said.

Hells Bells has a career total of 30 rodeo appearances and is yet to be ridden, but local riders were feeling confident ahead of the feature draw to be held before the novice camp draft final tonight.

“It would be awesome to see one of the local boys draw him,” Oakenfull said.

He said the local circuit is where many up and coming rodeo competitors make a name for themselves and go on to chase a career in the ring.

“It’s a stepping stone,” he said.

“If they are going to go on and be good riders, their home town is a good place to start.”

The event will feature bull and bucking horse rides from local cowboys and visitors travelling from as far as Queensland to compete, while in the camp draft ring Darren Keate will be leading a draft team in a battle of the sexes.

Draft teams will be selected from the top two competitors in each age group throughout the day’s events, with team captains promising healthy competition for the finals.

“It’s basically a battle of the sexes,” coordinator Ron Berkley said.

“There’s a fair bit of banter. Usually it comes down to the wire at the end and it’s up to the captains to put one around, so they’re under a fair bit of pressure.”

Ladies captain Kathy de Jong will be returning to claim the win that slipped past her team in last year’s competition, with Keate’s team promising to bring tough competition.

The bull and bronc rides will commence at the Inverell Showground from 5pm with the juniors, and 7pm for the open rides on tomorrow night.