The annual Opotiki Rodeo, which has been tossing around cowboys for more than 50 years, lived up to its reputation of being the best in the business yesterday.
This year's event remembered the late Dion Church, a rodeo champion who died suddenly of a heart attack in September.
Mr Church's brother, Daryl, competed at yesterday's rodeo and did his best to hang on as an angry bull tried to throw him off during the Open Bull Ride competition.
The rodeo was promoted as one of the best events on the national circuit which usually attracts around 200 competitors from New Zealand and Australia. Each year more than 4000 spectators turn up and last year crowds grew so large gazebos were banned from the St John St grounds because they obstructed people's views.
The Opotiki Rodeo Association held its first rodeo in 1960.
