When Dianne Luppi won her first rodeo event as an 11-year-old she was shocked when the judges refused to give her the prize because she was a girl.
"I was tall, skinny and gangly and everyone thought I was a boy, so when they called out my number after the race, they were surprised to learn I was a girl," she says.
"They didn't want to give me the prize — an 18-inch embossed western saddle on a stand — but some of the top cowboys sitting on top of the chute said I did the best ride and I deserved the trophy, so they eventually gave it to me."
That first poddy calf race at Peaceful Valley Rodeo, just north of Perth, ignited a lifelong passion for her.
Ms Luppi was a trailblazer in the male-dominated rodeo scene, although as a teenager she had to pretend to be a male on the circuit to compete.
At the age of 16, Dianne registered with the Australian Rough Riders Association (ARRA) under the false name of Deat Lucas.
"I thought they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a boy and a girl with a name like Deat and everyone just thought I was a young ringer," she says.
"I only got away with it for a few rodeos though because I got caught out when I was busting for a pee."
After squatting behind a truck, one of the stockmen caught her and dobbed her in, which stopped her from competing.
This only made her more determined. She started up a women's rough riders association, but it didn't take off as she couldn't find other women interested in bull riding.
Back in the saddle
Ms Luppi took a break from the rodeo circuit but after two marriages and two children, she moved to Far North Queensland and rediscovered the scene.
Rodeo had changed since the Sex Discrimination Act was passed in 1984 and women could no longer be excluded from the sport.
"When I found out I could ride at the Mareeba Rodeo, I looked around for a cowboy about my height and size and asked him if I could borrow his jeans and his boots," she says.
"He asked me why and I told him I really wanted to ride one of the bulls and he said, 'Well, I've got to see this' and he took off his boots and lent me a pair of jeans.'"
She stayed on that bull for about seven seconds and went on to ride in many rodeos, including the Mount Garnet Rodeo, which earned her a spot in the Women's Museum of Australia as the first woman to compete against men in open bull riding in 1984.
Former bull rider and rodeo star Graham Heffernan said he only competed against Dianne once, at a rodeo in Townsville in the mid '80s, but it was the start of a lifelong friendship.
"I remember she got on a really tough bull that would have bucked anyone off and the other cowboys were hoping she wouldn't get hurt, but she almost made time," he says.
"She didn't quite make it to eight seconds but she had grit and determination and I think the blokes really admired her for what she was doing."
In his 15 years as a professional bull rider, Ms Luppi was the only female bull rider he ever came across.
Mr Heffernan says Dianne was known as being a real character who everyone loved and was always good fun to be around.
A female rodeo league
General manager of Professional Bull Riders Australia Glen Young said it was a pleasant surprise to see so many females getting into the sport.
"There are now many young female athletes in our junior academy program who are competing against boys at the same level," he says.
"There is even a female league in the sport, just like AFL, NRL and soccer has."
But why did it take so long for female bull riders to be able to compete against men?
"Before the anti-discrimination laws, I think women weren't able to compete because they thought women didn't have the strength or the body make-up that men had to do a sport like this," Ms Luppi says.
She was lucky to never sustain any serious injuries during her bull riding days, but it did take a toll on her body.
Ms Luppi rode her last bull the day after her 34th birthday at the Rockhampton Bicentennial Caves Rodeo in 1988, with her two kids in the crowd cheering her on.
"I knew before the ride that it had to be my last because sooner or later my body wouldn't cope anymore," she says.
Ms Luppi loved every minute of her rodeo days including the adrenaline rush it gave her and being able to prove to everyone that she was just as good as the guys.
"If someone told me I couldn't do something, I had to prove to them I could, that's just part of my nature I guess."
Her bull riding adventures feature in a new novel titled Eight Seconds by author Frances Dall'Alba.
