A record crowd of 4000 attended 2025 Gilmac Mogumber New Year’s Eve Rodeo — the biggest and best event yet. It’s the Mogumber Outback Club’s (MOC) annual fundraising event, helping improve services and facilities in town.
With kinder weather than 2024, thousands of campers rolled into Mogumber to set up overnight. The rodeo and campground are held on farmland kindly provided by the Nixon Family, with more than six road trains of equipment freighted in by locals and silver level sponsor Smith’s Transport.
This year, even small two-wheel drives and large caravans accessed the campground thanks to a new access road built just three days earlier by volunteers. Special thanks go to the Forrester, Smith, Van Beek, Brownlie, Cocking, and Anspach Families for creating what is now affectionately known as the Forrester Highway. Volunteer gate attendants welcomed guests, who then browsed market stalls, enjoyed acoustic music from Taylor Cutts, and ice-cold drinks from the Swan Draught sponsored bar.
Junior events opened the program. In the Junior Steer Ride (11–U14), sponsored by Rumbold Ford, Robbson Lundy won with 59 points ahead of Kade Eames on 57. The Juvenile Steer Ride (14–U18), sponsored by Greenwind Renewables, was dominated by Bryce McLean with 65, with three riders tying for second on 60.
Young riders in the Junior Barrel Races showed speed and precision across the board. Lacey Mateljan took out the 11–U14 Junior Barrel in 18.871 secs, while Ariana Rhodes topped the 8–U11 Barrel Race with a smooth 19.347 run, narrowly ahead of Cobb Oversby.
In the Juvenile Barrel Race (14–U18), supported by Barnes Hydraulics, Ava de Villiers edged out Bindoon local Lucy Oversby, 18.198 seconds to 18.213. Lucy later claimed the AGFRI Junior Breakaway Roping on her horse Sunny.
Yarnie King won the Western Hay Novice Barrel Race on horse Presley in 18.4 seconds — a special birthday result for the young rider.
Before the evening events began, the arena fell silent for a minute’s silence in memory of Flynn McCullough, a talented and much-loved 22-year-old bull rider who died in a car accident on the Bindoon–Moora Road days before Christmas. The final bull Flynn rode was released into the arena as the cowboy’s prayer was recited. It was a powerful reminder of the close-knit nature of the rodeo community.
Local first responders involved in the accident, who were back on duty at the rodeo, stood with the MOC and the rodeo community to honour Flynn’s memory and show support for fellow protection athlete Clint Van Den Broeke, who was seriously injured in the same incident.
The Grand Opening Team entered the Mogumber Arena just before 7 pm, building anticipation for the open events. In the Bareback, sponsored by Vernice, Andrew Brown posted the only winning score with 62 points. The Saddle Bronc, sponsored by Kamarah Speckles, was won by Jack Collins with a standout 71-point ride. The Open Breakaway Roping, supported by Northern Valley News, was won by local Amanda Oversby in 3.67 seconds, completing a mother–daughter double after Lucy’s earlier win.
Rachel Oakes won the Ladies Steer Undecorating, sponsored by Barnes Hydraulics, in a blistering 2.61 seconds, with Xanthe Langridge Pedersen close behind on 2.8. In the Ladies Barrel Race, sponsored by Western Hay, Shelby Bowtell returned to winning form as a first-time mum with a time of 17.185.
With entries capped due to growing popularity, the Borrello Beef Novice Bull Ride was won by Koby Turnbull on 60 points, ahead of Reko Yeeda on 58.
Trey Gallacher impressed in the Anspach Ag–sponsored Rope & Tie riding Texas. Dylan Ruff won the Aqua Pax Steer Wrestling in 4.72 seconds ahead of Regan Langridge, while Ian Lehmann and Daniel Begg claimed the Moora Toyota Team Roping in 8.66 seconds.
The Mogumber Arena shone under lights thanks to JD’s Electrical, powered by sponsored diesel from Fuel Distributors. The surface was prepared with support from AFGRI’s John Deere tractor and the barrel bike and rake from Mys-tro Park Farms, while the bull chutes — sponsored by Halligan Rural Supplies, Caravel Minerals, The Farm Co and Modular WA — took centre stage. Bullsbrook Water Carriers supplied drinking water for campers and additional water to the Mogumber–Gillingarra Bush Fire Brigade, with WA Police and St John Ambulance crews also on hand throughout the night.
The Open Bull Ride, sponsored by The Nationals team of the Hon. Julie Freeman and Hon. Rob Horstman, closed the competition, though no rider secured an eight-second ride. The trophy buckle will instead be displayed at the Mogumber Hub, the community-owned tavern operated by the Mogumber Outback Club.
As the New Year approached, guests enjoyed live music from Honky Tonk Heroes, with boot scooting and crowd sing-alongs adding to the atmosphere.
Merchandise sales were strong, with some items selling out by 3 pm. Thanks were extended to TD Custom Designs, Topp Dogg Moora and Concept Signs, along with Copper and Program-level sponsors Freo Tiling, James Squire Ginger Beer and Lemon Squash, Boekeman Machinery, Summit Fertilizer, Horseland Midland and Gibson Country Jerky. We also thank Anspach Ag for sponsoring the InsTRUCKta which educates current and future road users how to share the road safely with trucks and heavy vehicles. The team at Total Toilets made a big contribution to the event. Ensuring the number toilets suit the size of the event and are constantly serviced, is still one of the best biggest yet best financial decisions the MOC Committee has made to ensure a quality experience.
More than 100 volunteers contributed on the day, including 40 external helpers, with several staying on for more than a week. Their efforts were especially valued as Mogumber recovered from a 7,000-hectare bushfire that threatened the town days earlier. Pack-down remained the toughest task, particularly as temperatures climbed into the 40s, with the 2026 volunteer campaign set to focus on boosting numbers for this phase.
The 2025 Mogumber NYE Rodeo delivered a night of top-class competition and strong community spirit. The Mogumber Outback Club thanks everyone who attended and supported the event and looks ahead to an even bigger show in 2026
