You don't expect to arrange an interview with a seasoned rodeo rider at a hair salon but that's exactly where the Tribune met with Elle Hamilton to talk about the upcoming Yass Rodeo.
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Twenty-year-old Hamilton will be competing in the barrel racing next Saturday but during the week as a hair stylist, she could not be further from the mud and manure.
"Yeah it's two different worlds," Hamilton agreed.
It's also the reason we'll be able to see her compete in the Yass Rodeo.
"I moved here about three years ago for work and I've been competing locally ever since."
Prior to that, the girl from Corryong (Man from Snowy River territory) would travel as far north as Scone, because of her and her family's love of the sport.
"My whole family does rodeos, I was riding horses before I could walk and from there I started competing in local gymkhanas," she said.
Hamilton is now a regular on the local rodeo circuit and has even been granted the honour of being flag bearer at the Murrumbateman Rodeo but she can see a greater opportunity overseas.
"There isn't enough money in the sport here, so I wanted to get a trade to fall back on and then look at becoming professional over in the States."
She credits local horseman and mentor Wayne Slater with getting her to this point.
"I've got so much to thank him for; he has been such a great teacher since I moved here. He doesn't have to let me ride his horses but he does and now he and April Hanby have set up a scholarship opportunity for me with world champion barrel racer Kelly Kaminski."
"I'd love to go straight to the States but I'm in the third year of my apprenticeship and then you usually have to do another 12 months before you get signed off, so I plan on taking up the scholarship after that."
This will be her sixth Yass Rodeo and she is primed for a good showing on new horse 'Angelato' (pictured).
"Yeah I'll be riding Angelato for just the second time in competition but she's a great horse and we went well at Bungendore on Sunday. Either way it'll be a lot of fun, Deb and Garry Scanes always put on a show, it's great that they give up so much time to run it."
Then on Monday after the dust has settled Hamilton will return to her other world to glamourise clients at 'Scissors With Style'.
The Yass Rodeo takes place on Saturday November 9, for more information contact the Yass Show Society on 6226 1615 or visit www.yassshow.org.au.
