While the home town rider competed for the top buckles and prizes in the ARB Bull Ride on Friday and Saturday, perhaps the biggest achievement may have been Jefferies’ journey to even ride at the Muster.
Now more than three years into his rodeo career, Jefferies has had his fair share of scrapes and falls, including a significant injury in 2024.
“I had a pretty big stack last year at Kyabram Rodeo,” he said.
“I jumped on there and broke ten ribs, collapsed lungs, flew to Melbourne and spent a bit of time in hospital.
“I had made my first cheque the weekend before at Hay Rodeo, and the next weekend I was in Melbourne Hospital.”
The setback had the potential to curtail Jefferies’ rodeo ambitions, however he has used it to spur him on into this year.
“That’s part of it.
“About four months after the injury, I was feeling pretty good. I got on a few praccy bulls and started the season just gone.
“I had quite a few good rides, and did pretty well.
“I’m back into a new season now and will have another crack.”
Overall, Jefferies said the resilience required is illustrative of the up and downs that are involved in rodeo and make it worthwhile.
“When I got busted up I lost my job and my apprenticeship, and went ‘you know what? I’m this far now, I’m starting to do all right so I’ll just keep going’.
“You’ve got to have a lot of resilience and a lot of grit.
“You’ll always have your bad days, but I tell you what, when you come out on top, it’s a good day.”
The Ute Muster is just one event on one of the rodeo circuits Jefferies competes in.
“The Ute Muster is another RSA (Rodeo Services Australia) event.
“There is just bull riding here in both open and novice. I get on two bulls both days, open bull and second division bull.
“I also do a lot of pro shows for APRA (Australian Professional Rodeo Association).
“With my girlfriend, we travel around rodeoing and went up to Queensland this year for four weeks. I had a crack up there and had a few good rides, and bucked off a couple - but that happens.
“I also went to a school earlier this year, Gary Leffew Bull Riding School, up in Tamworth.”
Jefferies said he has also learned a lot about rodeo through his passion for the sport.
“The interest kind of just came to me. Since I was a young fella, I always wanted to try it, always thought it was the coolest thing ever.
“I always looked up to cowboys, and as I got a bit older and I did it just to have a go, I really enjoyed it.
“I made some friends too. They taught me how to enter rodeos, and they lent me all my bull riding gear until I had enough money to buy my own.
“It just kind of kicked off from there, and I just kept going and kept trying.
“With rodeo, and especially rough stocking and bull riding, you’ve got to want it. You can’t just do it willy-nilly, or you’re just going to get hurt.
“You’ve got to give your life to it.”
The bull ride at the Deni Ute Muster includes the eight-second standard, but it’s also scored on skill.
“It’s an 8-second duration, you’ve got to ride your eight seconds to qualify and depending on how well the bull bucks and how well you ride it the judges will score your ride.
Jefferies finished fourth in the second division on Saturday, which may be just the start of things to come.
“It’s nice to be at a home town rodeo.
“I’m off to Cairns next week, and my overall aim is to get into the open bull division.”
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