It’s taken five years, but local whipcracking champion, Emiliqua East has done it again, winning the 2024 Australian Ladies Champion title at the EKKA, the Royal Queensland Show.
“When my name was read out, I was ecstatic,” Emi said.
“It was something I had worked so hard towards, and I achieved it.
“Knowing all the doubts, the late nights and the hours practicing were all worth it.”
It’s a rising from the ashes for Emiliqua, 25, who first won the title in 2019, then in 2021 came excruciatingly close, missing out on the championship title by a single point.
From that competition on, she suffered through carpal tunnel in her hand and had to overcome surgery last year.
“It’s been a struggle physically,” Emi said.
“There’s been a lot of practice, in sheds in low temperatures, particularly over winter to prepare, even practicing on holidays in Bali at the hotel!”
At Brisbane she also placed fourth in the open division of the World Bullock Whip title.
Emi began cracking whips at about age 6 and competing at age 9 at the Canberra Royal show, winning her first Australian title in 2016, the Australian Open Bullock Whip title.
“It was when I first went to the Melbourne show for the Victorian State titles that I realised whip cracking was super complicated,” Emi said.
“It’s taken years and years of practice to conquer the routines and get them down pat.
“It’s so much work to perfect them.”
She won the Australian Stockwhip challenge open category in 2016, 2018 and 2019 and says she was a member of the local High Country Whip Crackers club where she “learnt little bit by little bit”.
Emi names her original inspiration and greatest help as Kylie Smith, as well as Diana Hurley, Aleshia and Tahnee Sievers and Rose Faithfull.
“Those girls all cracked at the 2000 Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney,” Emi said.
“We’re very fortunate in this area to have such good female whipcrackers.”
But her greatest fan and longest supporter is her mother, Katie East, who Emi says has spent many, many years driving and flying her all around the country.
“It was very special to have mum there at Brisbane,” she said.
In 2019 Emi also competed at the World Whipcracking titles in Los Angeles, USA, winning a bronze medal for her efforts in the single whip category.
“They more commonly crack bull whips, think Indiana Jones with a lot more show, whip flipping and body movement,” she said.
“I would love to head back over to Los Angeles to have the chance to compete against the best in the world.”
Emi enjoys travelling to shows across Australia giving demonstrations.
In November she will be at the Bairnsdale Show, offering clinics for kids and giving demonstrations.
“It’s always free for kids,” she said.
“I supply the whips and the safety gear too.”
