bushmen’s carnival

bushmen’s carnival, exhibition and contest of cattle herding and related skills, the Australian equivalent of the U.S. rodeo. Bushmen’s carnivals have been held in one form or another since the early days of cattle breeding in Australia, but they increased in popularity and took on a more American character during and after World War II, sometimes being called rodeos. Competition generally includes such standard rodeo events as buckjumping (bronc-riding), bullock (bull) riding, bulldogging (wrestling steers), and milking wild cows, as well as more indigenous contests, such as campdrafting, i.e., cutting out a chosen steer from a herd and leading it through a set course. Bushmen’s carnivals have been most successful in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia, and they are generally held under supervision of either the Australian Bushmen’s Carnival Association (for amateurs) or the Australian Rough-Riders Association (for professionals).