When Canadian woman Kyla Dolen first met cowboy Fred Osman, she admits she fell in love instantly.
“I had moved on a backpacker visa and got a job helping out at his father’s station,” he said.
“After working with him, I was very twitter and I was in love with him.”
That was 12 years ago.
Now, she has married the man of her dreams.
Thousands of people attended the final day of the largest rodeo in the southern hemisphere. (ABC North West Queensland: Larissa Waterson)
The couple tied the knot on Sunday, paying tribute to Fred’s ranching roots as they said “I do” in front of a crowd at the red dirt arena at the Mount Isa Rodeo, the largest event of its kind in the ‘southern hemisphere
In true fashion, just an hour after his votes, Mr Osman, 36, won the trip by a hair’s breadth, defending his title as 2021 champion.
“I don’t know what I was more nervous about, getting married or winning my fourth buckle here,” he said.
The two said their vows in the arena right before Fred won the bareback competition. (Supplied: Mount Isa Rodeo)
A long road to rodeo romance
A year ago, Mr Osman popped the question to Ms Dolen while on a trip to Canada, just before returning to Australia.
“It was iffy how. I didn’t have a ring or anything at the time, so I just cut off one of his other rings and did it with that,” he said.
“But I just wanted to make sure, because we were flying a lot between countries, that she knew what my intentions were.”
The couple met 12 years ago and have been together for the past three years. (Supplied: Mount Isa Rodeo)
After COVID-19 lockdowns forced the couple into a 10-month long-distance engagement, Ms Dolen had had enough.
“My dream wedding was always to get married in Canada in the mountains,” she said.
“But after COVID and everything, I didn’t know when we were going back to Canada. And I’m lazy and I don’t like to plan things. And I didn’t want to plan a wedding. So I was like, why don’t we get married in Mount Isa?
“He was already going to be here riding in the rodeo and his family was coming to watch him ride, so it was so easy.
“And I wanted him to be excited about it, too, and to have a place that he was excited about.”
Kyla tossed her bouquet into the crowd where a lucky single girl caught it. (ABC North West Qld: Larissa Waterson)
At lunchtime on Sunday, Ms Dolen entered the Mount Isa Rodeo arena in a bright white two-piece dress and cowgirl boots, her family watched live from Canada.
Kyla enters the Mount Isa Rodeo arena from the chutes in true cowgirl fashion. (ABC North West Qld: Larissa Waterson)
“It’s been amazing. When you really love someone, it’s really hard to pick out the little things you like about them – you’re just attracted to the whole entity of that person,” she said.
“He’s my best friend and I can’t imagine life without him.”
A cowboy honor guard was held for newlyweds Fred Osman and Kyla Dolen. (Supplied: Mount Isa Rodeo)