2026 Order of Events

The 2026 Mareeba Rodeo Festival Queen Competition is open to residents of the Mareeba Shire. The competition is a great way for entrants to meet new people, grow in confidence, have fun & learn many new things.

We invite businesses and clubs to sponsor an entrant to enhance the success of the Rodeo Festival. The competition is open to unmarried females, aged 16-21 years by judging day - Sunday, 5th July 2026.

The amount of support (money or other) provided by a sponsor to their entrant, is at the discretion of the sponsor. There is a limit of one sponsor per entrant. It is a requirement that the sponsor or a representative attend the Rodeo Ball that will be held on Saturday, 4th July 2026.

Entrants will be judged on qualities needed to be a good Mareeba Rodeo ambassador. Judging will take place at an interview on Sunday, 5th July and prior to this via observation at public engagements including the Rodeo Ball.  At the interview, judges will determine each entrant’s knowledge regarding the Mareeba Rodeo and Mareeba region, their conversation skills and how they present themselves.

At the public events, judges will observe how each entrant conducts themselves through interactions with others, their public speaking skills and their appearance and manners.

The announcement of the Rodeo Queen and Princess is made after the Downtown Parade and is a widely anticipated part of the rodeo festivities.

Together, Mareeba Rodeo and Mareeba Mazda invite you to take part in the 2026 Downtown Parade to held on Friday, 10th July, commencing at 7:45pm

Showcasing local businesses and community groups, the parade will do 2 laps of Byrnes St. After the parade the official ceremony and crowning of the 2026 Mareeba Rodeo Queen and Rodeo Princess will take place on the stage across from the cenotaph.

CATEGORY A: Motorised (Prize money - Winner $150 / Runner-up $75)

Best Rodeo Queen Entrant's Float

Best Display by a Group, Organisation or Trade

Best Float with a Sporting Theme

Best Float with a Western Theme

CATEGORY B: Non-Motorised  (Prize money - Winner $100 / Runner-up $50)

Best Turned Out Male Rider

Best Turned Out Female Rider

Best Dressed Riding Group

Best Dressed Bicycle

ENTRIES CLOSE MONDAY 6TH JULY 5PM

NO ENTRIES TAKEN ON THE NIGHT

Mareeba District Rodeo Association Inc. invites you to take part in  this year’s Mareeba Festival & Rodeo by decorating your premises and  having staff dressed in a western theme. To further enhance  festivities, we ask if staff could be dressed in western dress for the  week prior to the Rodeo.

Everyone should endeavour to wear western dress on the judging day- Monday 6th and the parade day- Friday, 10th July.

The judge's decision is final  and no correspondence will be entered into. The judges have the right to not award a prize if they do not wish to do so for any reason whatsoever. 

Judges are not rodeo members and volunteers.

The 4 judging categories are as follows:

Best Western Style Dress By Staff
Best Decorated Foyer 
Best Decorated Shop Window

Best Overall

Prize Money

Categories 1 to 3 - Winner $200 plus $500 advertising package courtesy of The Express Newspaper

Categories 1 to 3 - Runner Up $100 

Best Overall - $300 plus $500 advertising package courtesy of The Express Newspaper

Entries close Tuesday 30th June, 5pm.

Judging  will take place from Monday, 6th July.