Help 14yr Rocky lad COOPER to the Bull Riding WORLD FINALS!

Mini-Bull Rider from Rockhampton QLD, Cooper McConnell, 14, has qualified to represent Australia at the 2024 IMBA WORLD FINALS in the USA in September.

But… with less than 4 weeks notice that he qualified, his Mother cannot get him there alone and needs our help! We are asking for donations to support this young man to change his life forever.

Talented yet humble, Cooper’s ambition in life is "To become an Australian & World Champion Bull Rider”.

His Mother, Jaime-Lee, a country girl from Jundah QLD, is a single mother to three beautiful children - Cooper 14, Montanah 12 & Maci 5. She sacrifices everything she can for her children, often going without. She has driven tens of thousands of kilometres across the country, sleepless nights in swags on the side of the road, rainy nights huddled in the car and countless flat tyres. Jaime-Lee has left no stone unturned to get Cooper to every rodeo possible.

Devastatingly, following the 2023 Sarina New Year’s Eve Rodeo, Jaime-Lee & Cooper were involved in a car accident on their way home. Thankfully they were unhurt, but their CX-7 was a write off. The family of 4 has struggled without a car since, relying on generous friends and family to get Cooper to rodeos.

In February 2024, Cooper flew to New Zealand with the Australian Trans Tasman High School Rodeo Team. The team won and Cooper carved up! He returned home with 4 wins & 4 places, across Junior Steer Rider, Mad Bull & Novice Steer Ride.

Diagnosed at 6 years old with ADHD, ODD and Dyslexia, Cooper has faced many adversities. Often bullied and picked on in school due to being neurodivergent & ‘different’. His mother has always encouraged education through school based hands on learning courses. However it wasn’t until he tried bull riding, finding his passion, natural talent and confidence, that Copper excelled.

2019 was Cooper’s FIRST year riding bulls. He threw himself into it and took home the ‘The Great Western Hotel Young Guns Youth Bull Riding World Finals Qualifier’. This was the beginning of something special.

Sadly, Cooper’s dream to represent Australia was broken twice due to coronavirus.

BUT…. In under 4 weeks time, September 2024, Cooper has another chance to represent his Australia at THE WORLD FINALS!!

This is a young man, with extreme talent, just lacking resources $$$. He doesn’t come from a privileged family or money. They are your average battling family, who rarely asks for help. Cooper often spends his rodeo winnings to buy small gifts for his Mum and two sisters. He’s a true young gentleman raised on old fashion values and morals.

From the bottom of our hearts, we would be sincerely grateful for any amount you could spare towards making a young man’s dream come true. Every dollar donated will be used to cover expenses to get Cooper to the World Finals!

If there’s any money left over, the young man needs a new rope and perhaps some new clothes. World class athletes should feel and look as good as they ride!

Your donation today will change his life forever! Thank you

***We understand that not everyone will be in a position to donate and that’s ok. There’s another way you could help… By just sharing this Go Fund Me to your social media, it will help reach more people to get his story & this page out there.

If you need any more convincing just how talented a bull rider this little champion is…

Cooper’s Bull Riding Achievements SO FAR:

Cooper, Jaime-Lee and her family are forever grateful for the generous donations from family, friends and complete strangers. You each are helping get this young cowboy to the WORLD FINALS!

We will post updates so you can follow Cooper’s journey.

Here are some pics of this talented young bull rider in action. COOPER MCCONNELL, the humble 14 year old from ROCKHAMPTON QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA .