CADE FERGUSON – the young cowboy who’s clocked more miles than an Outback road train
There ain’t a mantelpiece wide enough for Cloncurry cowboy Cade Ferguson
At just 18, this third-generation rider from Outback Queensland has already taken on the world - and won.
In the last month alone been crowned Saddle Bronc Riding Champion AND Bull Riding Champion at the Professional Youth Rodeo Association World Finals and took out the Rural and Remote Sportstar of the Year at the North Queensland Sports Foundation Awards.
For his two world champion titles, he won two $7000 Scholarships at the Murray State College in the USA, which he kindly gifted to two other Australian team members, and seven buckles to add to that sagging mantlepiece.
Born into a family of arena champions, Cade was raised on red dirt and rodeo dreams. His grandfather won a buckle at the Mount Isa Rodeo back in the 1970s, his dad Colin is a seasoned Team Roper, and his mum Kylee is a fiercely competitive Barrel Racer and Breakaway Roper. His sister Brandee also rides, and his older brother was a talented roughstock cowboy.
Cade’s own journey began at just 10 years old, when he claimed his first buckle for the Poddy Ride at Mount Isa in 2017. Since then, the wins have kept coming, so many, in fact, that the toughest call for this young cowboy has been deciding what not to compete in.
Now 18, Cade is channelling his energy into bronc riding, and we reckon cowboys in every other event, not to mention his overcrowded mantelpiece, are breathing a sigh of relief.
He’s already made his mark on both the national and world stages. Over the past 12 months alone, Cade’s record reads like a rodeo road map: wins, titles and podium finishes from Queensland to Texas, Mexico to Utah, and back again.
In the past year, he has:
- Competed across five countries – Australia, USA, Mexico, Indonesia, and across multiple U.S. states.
- Flown over 45,000 km internationally and 12,000 km within Australia.
- Driven an estimated 30,000–35,000 km between rodeos across rural Australia; from Cloncurry to Tenterfield, Stanthorpe to Normanton.
- That’s nearly 90,000 kilometres in a single year - the equivalent of circling the globe more than twice.
His wins include multiple World Champion Saddle Bronc and Junior Bull Riding titles, National All Round Cowboy honours, and countless buckle wins from the U.S. to the bush.
"I’ve been chasing the rodeo dream since I could hold a rope, and every ride, every buckle, every arena has pushed me to be better. It’s what I love, and I wouldn’t change a second of it," he said.
"Flying the Australian flag in the U.S. and around the world is something I’m really proud of. Every time I step into an arena, I’m riding not just for me, but for my family, my town, and my country."
"Rodeo’s in my blood. I’ve grown up watching my family ride, and to now be carrying that legacy forward is an amazing feeling. "It’s been a whirlwind, from Texas to Mexico to back home in Queensland. I’ve ridden some incredible stock, met amazing people, and learned more than I ever imagined. It’s a privilege to do what I love and see the world doing it."
"Every ride is just eight seconds, but those eight seconds make all the training, all the travel, all the long days worth it. That’s what makes rodeo special."
With that kind of drive, literally and figuratively, it’s no wonder he’s earned the respect of legends twice his age and fans across the globe.
From the red dirt of Cloncurry to the bright lights of Las Vegas, Cade Ferguson is proof the future of Australian rodeo is in mighty good hands, and spurred boots.
Cade’s past 12 months – a summary in buckles!
World & International Titles
- Saddle Bronc Riding Champion AND Bull Riding Champion at the Professional Youth Rodeo Association World Finals
- Rural and Remote Sportstar of the Year at the North Queensland Sports Foundation
- World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider – Professional Youth Roughstock Association, Texas, USA (2024)
- World Champion Junior Bull Rider – PYRA, Texas, USA (2024)
- Reserve World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider – World Championship Junior Rodeo, Oklahoma, USA (2025)
- Top 10 Finalist – Junior World Finals, Las Vegas (2024)
- Top 10 & Top 20 Finishes – National High School World Finals, Wyoming, USA (2025)
- Winner – Santa Rita Fair, Chihuahua, Mexico (2025)
Australian Championships
- National High School Rodeo Saddle Bronc Champion (2025)
- National Junior All Round Cowboy Champion (twice – 2024 & 2025)
- National Junior Saddle Bronc Champion (twice – 2024 & 2025)
- National Junior Barrel Race Champion (2024)
- National Junior Team Roping Champion (2024)
Major Australian Wins
- Mount Isa Rodeo 2025 – 1st Local Bullock Ride, 2nd Division Saddle Bronc (2nd), Open Saddle Bronc (3rd), and All Round Local Cowboy Winner
- Stanthorpe Rodeo 2025 – Open Saddle Bronc Winner
- Normanton Rodeo 2025 – Winner in both rounds + overall
- Goombungee Rodeo 2025 – Multiple wins including Junior Bull, Novice Bull, and Novice Saddle Bronc
- Dajarra, Burke & Wills, Burketown Rodeos 2024 – Multiple event winner
Special Recognition
- Rural and Remote Sportstar Award – Mount Isa, twice (2023 & 2024)
- Team Australia – International Youth Challenge Tri-Nations Event: Team World Champions
For media information, contact Kath Rose on 0416 291 493 or email [email protected]
Contact details:
Kath Rose on 0416 291 493 or email [email protected]