As soon as Latteliah De Spirt saw her first rodeo event, the thrills of her local pony club no longer cut it.
The Bacchus Marsh resident and keen horse rider needed a bit more action so she sought out small rodeo events to sink her teeth into.
What started as intrigue soon turned to passion and as the wins started piling up, De Spirt knew she’d found the sport for her.
Now the 19-year-old has had enough of conquering Australia and is preparing to show the world what she can do.
By winning the breakaway title at the Australian high school rodeo championships in Tamworth last month, De Spirt qualified to represent the green and gold in America.
In the former Bacchus Marsh Grammar School student’s first competition overseas, she will take part in the world high school championships in Roxbury, Wyoming, later this month.
Her adventure began when she earned enough points in rodeos in Australia to qualify for the finals in Tamworth, in northern NSW.
There, the former Bacchus Marsh Grammar School student won her title to earn a spot in the team for the US.
De Spirt will be one of a 20-member Australian team and will compete in both the breakaway roping event and the bell racing event.
Before flying out to America, she will have one final chance for gold in Australia when she saddles up for the Top Gun championships in Brisbane this week.
After her previous success on home soil, De Spirt is confident the good results can keep coming.
“Obviously it [rodeo] is a lot bigger in America, but it’s the same thing,” she said. “We practise the same things, we can rope just as quickly as them.
“To win the world title would be the ultimate goal. I’ve won here. I just need to do it there now. I just want to go over there and be successful. That would really broaden my career.”
