Rodeo riding Torenbeek's interest in Australian rodeos came from watching rodeo riders as a child at events in
Mount Morgan and
Rockhampton. From the age of 14, he competed in rodeos as a full-time roughrider, winning the New South Wales state championship at the age of 18. He continued his success, becoming national champion by the time he was 21 years old, leading to Torenbeek becoming quite well known throughout the 1950s particularly in
Regional Australia where
rodeo was a popular competitive sport. Although Torenbeek preferred rodeo riding, he said he was physically unable to partake in the sport once he reached the age of 30, and instead moved into endurance riding. Aside from a 20-year break while he was working as a drover in the
Gulf Country He decided to write his life story after consistent coaxing from his family. Torenbeek returned to "Myella", the cattle property where he grew up near the former town of Kokotungo in the Baralaba district to write his memoirs. When he finished, he submitted his hand written notes to
R.M. Williams Outback journalist David Gilchrist who is credited with co-authoring the book with Torenbeek. During publicity for the book, it was revealed that during his career Torenbeek had formed friendships with Australian bushman R.M. Williams and Aboriginal elder and fellow horseman Wally Mailman. ==Death==