If you’ve grown up surrounded by high-rises and multi-lane freeways, the chances you’d ever find yourself on the back of a real-life bucking steer and calling yourself a cowboy are slim to none. The stockyards are a world away from the city’s humdrum, but that’s where Perth-born and raised cowboy, Isaac Leclair, feels most at home.

One of the featured rodeo riders at The Muster on May 13th — a rodeo and country music extravaganza right here in the city — Leclair has come a long way in his career. In his youth, many weekends were spent at his aunt and uncle’s farm in Bindoon, an hour northeast of Perth. It’s here that he got his first taste of cowboy life. “I would’ve been 12 when I got on my first steer,” says Leclair, who had a rather unorthodox introduction to the sport of rodeo. “I was at my uncle’s farm, and he [put me on] and said, ‘yeah, go on. You’ll be right’.” 

True to his uncle’s word, Leclair came out unscathed. The confidence boost that came with conquering that first ride on a steer propelled his hobby of rodeo riding, which quickly became a passion as he became more involved in the sport. “We got the ball rolling, and then I started taking it a bit more seriously in the last few years.” Now, he’s travelling Australia, meeting others in the sport, and excelling in competitions. So much so he currently holds three titles and has sponsorship agreements with both Wrangler and Twisted X.

It takes a lot to be successful in the sport, but without grit and determination, success is impossible. “With these animals — bulls, horses, whatever it is — they honestly just don’t care about you at all; they just go do their own thing,” says Leclair. “You need that determination. A cowboy has just got to keep up and get their job done.” And then, of course, there’s the balance, core strength, and fast reaction times required to actually wrangle the animal.

“For an eight-second event, there’s a lot to process. It comes with time — the more you do it, the better you are [at] slowing everything down mentally. It’s quite a rush, and [it] all [gets] congested in your head, thinking, ‘what the heck is going on?’,” says Leclair. “The more you do it, the more tuned in you become to what you’re doing. Then, you’re able to slow it down a little and work out what you need to do to improve”. 

Though competing in a rodeo necessitates having a specific set of skills, there’s no set way to train; it’s not like learning to play football or cricket. “I have a good friend, Courtney, at All Bush Cattle Co, and they have a training day every month or so,” says Leclair. “We pretty much just rock up and hop on as many bulls as we like, just to get practising. F45 in South Perth has just taken me on recently, too, so I’ve been going there a couple of times a week just to get my overall fitness up with strength and conditioning.”

Now, Leclair is in full-swing preparation mode for his next competitive ride at The Muster. It’s the first time the event is hitting Perth, an exciting prospect for a cowboy who splits his time between city and country. “I mean, how often do you get to see someone hop on the back of a bucking bull?” he says. “It’s such a different vibe and atmosphere altogether.”

More About The Muster

The inaugural Muster at Claremont Showground promises to be an eye-opening, adrenaline-charged spectacle for both newcomers to the sport and long-time rodeo lovers. Over 150 competitors will compete in qualifying events over the course of the day, battling it out toward a final heat taking place as the sun sets. While the cowboys and girls in the ring will be the main event, there’s plenty happening on the peripheries, too. 

On the main stage, you can catch sets by some of country music’s biggest names. Lee Kernaghan and Kasey Chambers lead a stellar lineup of contemporary Australian country music, including Aria-award winner Casey Barnes, Amy Sheppard, and Melbourne stars Kingswood. Elsewhere, try your hand at rodeo on the mechanical bucking bulls. Kids — and big kids — can get their thrills on the carnival rides and end the day with a fireworks display.

Book Tickets Now

Tickets for The Muster on May 13th are now on sale at www.themuster.com.au. Buy singularly or in multiples for you and your friends.

If you’ve got little ones, treat the kids to an experience they mightn’t ever have had before and pick up a Family Pass. While online, consider pre-purchasing drink tokens, parking, and merchandise, as there won’t be any ATMs available when you arrive at The Muster. 

The admission price includes public transport to and from the event.

*This article was sponsored by Royal Agricultural Society of WA*

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