Rodeo at Paddock Valley outstation

Rona Panangka Ratara has depicted her home, Paddock Valley. While born in Mparntwe/Alice Springs, Ratara grew up in her uncle Norman Ratara's home. Ratara's first job was working at Tjwunpa Outstation Resource Centre Aboriginal Corporation, but at age 20, she began to make pottery. She joined the Hermannsburg Potters in 1998, and has since established herself as one of the most prominent senior artists of the group.

'Rodeo at Paddock Vallery outstation' includes the following people from her family:
Dawson Rubuntja, on the lid of the pot, drinking a cup of tea, accompanied by 'Fatso' the dog. Directly below sits Voight Ratara, who holds a slingshot, and below him is Conrad Ratara, wearing blue. Below, tackling the horse for branding, is Bruce Ratara (left), Micky Inkamala (centre), and Robert Rubuntja, the artist's cousin, holding the branding 'NRT' poker stick. Sitting on the fence in a green shirt with yellow spots is Byron Ratara, the artist's husband, then Johnny Pareroultja, and Grant Mulkatara, drinking a can of coca-cola. Below, Maxie Mulkatara is saddling a horse. The artist, in a green shirt, is depicted as a child, hanging upside down on the fencing. Above her, are three small figures riding a horse in the background. This is again the artist as a young person, centre position on the back of the horse, with her cousin Amelia Inkamala at front, and Karen Inkamala behind her. There are children even further behind the three on horse, who are up on the mountain, climbing to collect bush tobacco. The artist's aunt, Rosemary Ratara, can be seen in the pen, trying to saddle up a horse. Another aunt, Susan Low, is at the bottom of the pot, bringing grasses for the horse to eat. Standing at the fence wearing their Akubra hats are the artist's uncles and father, including Bruno Ragget, Norman Ratara, and depicted again is her father, Dawson, and the sheepdog, Fatso.

Art centre documentation for this work states:
“This is Paddock Valley Outstation, very close to Palm Valley. This pot tells the story about the rodeo!

My father is drinking tea, watching the fellas mustering the horses in the stock yard.

I was about ten years old. My families and friends are there, all the cousins, sisters and brothers. We would all go to Paddock Valley to watch the rodeo and the mustering.

It was a lot of fun!”
Rona Panangka Rubuntja 2022