FOUR EASTER RODEOS AT ROMA AND EMERALD

Photo of Allan Powell by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Photo of Mark Collins by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Four Easter rodeos at Roma and Emerald in APRA

ALL roads will lead to 10 rodeos in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales over the Easter long weekend.

The 10 rodeos have attracted a total of 1800 nominations in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

The most nominations in an individual event in Queensland at Easter are 45 in the team roping at Emerald Easter Sunflower Festival.

There are 16 nominations for the saddle bronc at  Roma Rodeo. Springsure rider Allan Powell will be one of the favourites but will expect strong competition from both Michael Maher and Mark Collins of Warwick.

Bull riders have three chances to win prize money in Queensland at Easter with the Roma Easter in the Country Bull Ride on Good Friday and then the Emerald Easter Sunflower Festival Rodeo on the Saturday and a full program at the Roma Rodeo on Easter Sunday. There are saddle bronc and bareback bronc rides at Emerald and Roma on the Saturday and Sunday.

Timed event competitors can start their weekend with the Destiny Downs Good Friday Fiesta at Emerald and then the Emerald Rodeo on Saturday and Roma on Sunday.

Most of the competitors in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association will compete in between two and four rodeos at Easter as they try to win prize money and more importantly boost their chances of qualification for The Warwick Rodeo National Finals in late October.

The top 15 in all eight APRA championship events to April 30 will compete in the national finals and after the Easter weekend, there will be only four rodeos left in the season.

Distance never stops a keen APRA member and it is expected some will travel from state to state in quest of the most possible prize money at Easter. The top 15 is determined by money won during the season.

After competing at Roma on Easter Sunday, some Queensland riders will be tempted to head to Lang Lang in Victoria on Easter Monday for their last chance to win prize money this month.

Nine of the top riders competing across the nation this weekend will be the current standings leaders. The major prize in the APRA each year is a title buckle at the national finals and the current standings leaders can boost their title chances even further with placings over the long weekend.

The more prize money earnt in the season, the more carryover points each rider takes into the national finals.

Destiny Downs Good Friday Fiesta will commence at 1:00pm on 25th March at Destiny Downs, 24812 Capricorn Hwy.

Roma Bull Ride starts at 6:00pm on 25th March at Bassett Park.

Emerald Easter Sunflower Festival Rodeo held on the 26th March at Emerald Showgrounds and will commence at 5:30pm.

Roma Rodeo will be on 27th March at Bassett park with rodeo action starting at 2:00pm

STANDINGS LEADERS: All around cowboy Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld), saddle bronc John McNamee (Millmerran, Qld), bull ride Darcy McBean (Katherine, NT), bareback Ben Hall (Tumbarumba, NSW), rope and tie Shane Kenny (Emerald, Qld), steer wrestling Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld), team roping header Clancy Middleton (Hughenden, Qld), team roping heeler Aaron Bookluck (Nilma North, VIC), all around cowgirl Cherie O’Donoghue (Lockington, Vic), Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent (Bunyip, Vic), Elley Hulls (Leongatha, Vic)

APRA RODEO PROGRAM: March 25 Destiny Downs Good Friday Fiesta at Emerald (Qld), Roma Easter in the Country Bullride (Qld), Great Western (Vic); March 26 Emerald Easter Sunflower Festival Rodeo (Qld), Omeo (Vic), Deniliquin Under The Stars Rodeo (NSW); March 27 Roma (Qld), Buchan (Vic), Tocumwal (NSW); March 28 Lang Lang (Vic); April 2 Corryong (Vic); April 22 Moree Show Rodeo (NSW); April 24 Ettamogah Pub, Albury (NSW); April 29 Narrabri Show Rodeo (NSW).

More information APRA 07 4661 8183