Our People
25 January, 2026
Stawell teenager saddles up for Rodeo Queen Quest
STAWELL teenager Chelsea Walker has been named a 2026 Australian Rodeo Queen Quest finalist after a successful application late last year.
The Australian Rodeo Queen Quest is an opportunity for young rural women to represent the sport of rodeo both nationally and internationally, gaining lifelong skills, forging new connections and becoming ambassadors for the rodeo way of life.
For more than two decades, women from across Australia have travelled to the Gold Coast to take part in the Quest.
During this week, an independent panel of judges, which includes civic leaders, rodeo professionals and business people, assesses each contestant across a range of criteria.
Participants are judged on personality, appearance, and horsemanship, with scoring based on a variety of scheduled activities including public speaking, interviews, modelling and presentation, horsemanship patterns and written examinations.
At the end of the week, scores are tallied, and the highest-scoring entrant is crowned Ms Rodeo Queen of Australia, with the winner receiving a prize of a 21-day overseas trip and transport to key international rodeo events such as the Calgary Stampede in Canada, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Cheyenne Frontier Days and Los Angeles.
Ms Walker explained how she found out about the competition.
“I met the 2026 Ms Rodeo Queen of Australia, Mateja Martinovic, at a rodeo at Mt Gambier, and she gave me all the information about the Australian Queen Quest,” she said.
“Later that night, I signed up for it, and the following Monday, I got a phone call saying that I got in. It was an excellent feeling.”
Ms Walker said they need to raise $5,000 a month to help with travel and accommodation.
“The money raised will be our payment for traveling around Australia as we go as far as Western Australia,” she said.
“If we don’t raise the $5,000, then anything we raise will still go into the account for everyone.
“I am still thinking of ways I can fundraise.”
Ms Walker said stepping out of her comfort zone was the main reason for entering.
“I am excited to see places I haven’t been to, such as Surfers Paradise,” she said.
“But mainly, it’s also about stepping out of my comfort zone and learning new skills.”
Ms Walker, who has been around horses her whole life, became a cowgirl after being interested in rodeos.
“I have been going to rodeos my whole life, and the whole history interests me, especially the cowgirl situation as well,” she said.
“I have been a spectator but will be participating for the first time in Dartmoor on February 7 in the Grand Entry.”
Ms Walker is interested in barrel racing, an exciting, fast-paced rodeo event where a horse and rider race against the clock to complete a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, emphasising speed, agility, and horsemanship to achieve the fastest time without knocking over any barrels, which will incur a five-second penalty.
“I would like to become a barrel racer, but that is something that is a couple of years away," she said.
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