HEATH Chalmers and Bryden Atkins will be two of the main chances from Victoria in rough stock events at the Marrabel Rodeo in South Australia on Sunday. (Oct 4)

Rodeo doesn’t miss out on the biggest sporting weekend of the year and many Victorians are heading west for some Australian Professional Rodeo Association action at Marrabel, one of the most famous rodeos in the nation.

Chalmers hails from Beverfod in Victoria and is in a strong saddle bronc field including the Stacey brothers from South Australia and John McNamee from Millmerran in Queensland. Chalmers is often near the top of the saddle bronc standings in the APRA

David and Leslie Stacey come from Strathalbyn (SA) and have plenty of successes on the board in their home state in the APRA.

In August, Leslie Stacey won the saddle bronc at the Darwin Rodeo with a score of 74 on Overlander. He has also nominated for the second-division bull ride at Marrabel.

McNamee finished third in 2015 season standings to qualify for the Warwick Rodeo Australian Championships on October 22-25 and already this season has finished second at the Mt Isa Rotary Rodeo on 153 points, one behind winner Michael Maher from Warwick.

McNamee was third in round 1 at Mt Isa and then split first in the final with Maher.

In the bull ride, Docher rider Bryden Atkins is the favourite at Marrabel after finishing eighth in last season’s standings in the APRA.

In steer wrestling, South Australian pair Rodney Reynolds and Kevin Reynolds Jnr will hold many of the hopes for a home state victory. Daniel Pearson and Allen Heath were the best performed in rope and tie last season from South Australia and both have nominated for Marrabel.

Their biggest opposition in timed events will come from APRA executive chairman Lee Kimber from Lockington in Victoria who finished last season at the top of the standings and new season standings leader Errol Frain from Yeppoon in Queensland.

Bunyip (Vic) rider Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent was the best performed cowgirl in the APRA in the recently completed season and will be hard to beat in cowgirl events.

Many of the competitors will use Marrabel as part of their preparations for the Australian championships three weeks later.

There are 192 nominations in the eight APRA points championship events which will be contested at the Marrabel Rodeo.

APRA Program: October 4 Marrabel (SA); October 21 Hobart Show Bulls and Barrels (Tas); October 22-25 Warwick Rodeo Australian Championships (Qld)..