Sam Knight is prepared for a saddle bronc ride at the Bendy Rodeo this weekend. Photo: Robert Chappel 070213RCB01
RODEO action will light up at Bendemeer this weekend and 26-year-old Sam Knight is one of the many regional cowboys who would “never miss one”.
Sam is a member of the well-known Knight family that is linked with both campdrafting and breeding the Australian stock horse – their most dominant sires probably being Romeo and Omega.
But while parents Lindsay and Jan Knight are content to continue their family’s campdraft and stock horse breeding name, Sam has stepped outside that circle to join the sport of roughriding.
This weekend he’ll take on rivals in the feature Peter Jenner Memorial Saddlebronc under lights at Bendemeer, an event which he took out a couple of years ago.
“I love the sport, probably spurred on by the fact that a lot of my friends are doing it,” Knight said.
“And my dad and uncles rode too, so a lot of that probably rubbed off.”
Knight, who manages a family property at Wee Waa, ventured into the roughriding arena over a decade ago as a thrill-seeking teenaged poddy calf rider.
“I did the usual pony clubbing as a little tacker, and drafting too, but my love is the roughriding,” he said.
“I spent a few years in the States – I went over there to ride and ended up doing a welding course at college as well.”
Knight’s focus though this weekend will be solely saddlebronc.
“I still like to draft but won’t be this weekend – I haven’t really had time to prepare the horses because of the big week we’ve had at last week’s Landmark Sale.”
Two days of campdraft action will kick off this weekend from 7am in the outside arena while rodeo will be showcased in the main arena from 10am with the principal event to get underway from 6pm under lights.
