Just two Queensland boys who like riding bulls! Sixty years difference, same eight seconds matter to these bucking Bronco wranglers.
There are sixty years between them, yet these two Queensland cowboys speak the same language, and that’s bull riding!
Warwick is their favourite arena. The place where Daryl Kong, 77, is rodeo royalty. Known as the King of the Australian Saddle Bronc Riders, the Brisbane-born cowboy carved his name into history as the first Australian to ride at the PRCA National Finals in 1972. He was also the first Australian to claim victory at the famed Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming, where he conquered the broncs on the biggest outdoor rodeo stage in the world. Add in wins at the Calgary Stampede and a run at Madison Square Garden in New York, and you have a Hall of Fame career that has inspired generations. As one of the most successful Asian Australian cowboys, Kong’s story is one of talent, trailblazing, and tenacity. And in 2025, he’s a fixture at the famous Warwick Rodeo and Gold Cup Campdraft at the end of October.
Lucas Taylor, 17, is just beginning his journey. The Rosewood rider is already making waves, his trophy shelf buckling under the weight of titles: 2024 NRA Open Bull Riding Champion, NRA Rookie Bull Riding Champion, Elite Bull Riders Australia Novice Champion, Elite Bull Riders Australia Junior Champion, and Wrangler Youth Bull Riders World Finals Reserve Champion. In 2024, he claimed the Junior Bull buckle at the famous Warwick Rodeo and this year, he steps up to ride with the open ranks – he’s a teenager with fire in his belly and the future at his feet.
Together, Kong and Taylor embody the spirit of rodeo – one man who has done it all, and another who dreams of doing the same. Sixty years apart, yet linked by courage, competition, and the dust of the arena.
You can see them both at Warwick Rodeo and Gold Cup Campdraft at the end of October.
Ariat Warwick Rodeo and Pryde’s EasiFeed Gold Cup Campdraft
Monday 20 to Sunday 26 October
Known as the ‘Melbourne Cup’ of campdrafting, the Warwick Gold Cup celebrates a sport born from Australia’s legendary stockmen and women, making it the nation’s most prestigious event of its kind, and drawing more riders and prize money than any other. With a $370,000 prize pool, bespoke saddles, gleaming trophies, and an array of awards, it’s long been regarded as the Australian Championship Campdraft, where the best of the best go head-to-head with the finest stock in the country. Then add a world class rodeo!! The Warwick Gold Cup runs alongside the legendary Warwick Rodeo, where the nation’s top cowboys take on champion broncs and bucking bulls. Today, this combined celebration of skill, grit, and heritage draws more than 30,000 spectators, with competitors and horses travelling from every mainland state to be part of the action.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW, with organisers urging fans to buy theirs, and organise accommodation as the week is set to fill this year as all things country takes over!
Robert is the founder of AustralianSenior.com.
He studied Journalism and Marketing at USC and TV Presentation at NIDA. He is passionate about advocating for seniors and presenting non-biased, fact-based news to enable those over 50 to thrive in an increasingly complicated digital world. He covers all areas of life and style, from pop culture to the economy and travel to events. If it's worth reading, it's worth writing about.
He loves to travel the globe and is a recently diagnosed, late-in-life Type One Diabetic.