JUNIOR PRO TOUR WINNERS

Junior High Point Cowboy: Stuart McGuire-Spalding
From Taroom, Queensland continuing on in the McGuire tradition Stuart won the Junior High Point Cowboy from Sally Malay and Jackson Gill and will qualify in the Rope and Tie at the NFR in fourth place with winnings of $9479. He was also in the top thirty as a heel roper.
Just to give an insight into his capability in the arena at Emerald, QLD rodeo which is always very supportive of the youngsters Stuart was third in the Steer Riding, first in the Rope and Tie and then partnered Jordan Austin-Iker, won second in the Team Roping.
His undoubted best win in 2012 was at the Warwick Rodeo in the open Rope and Tie contest against a very formidable field of highly experienced ropers. Placing second in both rounds this was to be his sixth win in this division. In the McGuire pattern last year at Darwin he was second in the open Rope and Tie and 2nd to Megan Pohlman in the Junior Breakaway Roping and finished taking the bonus in the Rope and Tie money at Lang Lang.

Junior High Point Cowgirl: Stephanie Gard
From Tabletop, NSW Stephanie Gard had an intense rivalry for Junior Highpoint honours with Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent who led for the opening months of the season. She was finally overtaken by Stephanie Gard when the October official standings were released but both girls stayed close until the final months this year.
They were both at Darwin Championship Rodeo winning money then having been all over the Southern Circuit. First in the open contest then again in the Junior or winning one and placing in the other.
The 2012 Great Western Rodeo was typical of Stephanie’s ability. She was second to Leslie Moore in the open barrel race, split fourth in the breakaway then came first in the junior barrel race. Her winnings amounted to over $1500.
Both girls will be undoubted favourites at the Junior Finals this month and then you can be assured that at the Gold Coast National Finals they will give it their very best.

Junior Steer Riding Champion: Jackson Gill
The Gill name has been connected with the sport of rodeo through its entire life time and young Jackson Gill has added more prestige since becoming the Junior Steer Riding Champion.
Travelling far and wide to rodeos is an every day occurrence where he competed in second division bull and junior bull rides as well as on the steers. He took over the lead in the Junior Steer Riding in November last year and was never headed although hard pressed at times all the way through until the April closure by Ben Gard, Sally Malay, George Chong, Lane Pendergast and the new Junior High Point Cowboy Stuart McGuire-Spalding.
His consistency, besides his nine wins, in placing carried him through for a well deserved win.

Junior Barrel Racing Champion: Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent
Taking over the lead from Stephanie Gard in the February 2012 standings Shianne was never threatened although in the early months it was a tight enough contest. She finally broke away and more or less coasted home after an impressive 17 wins.
At Finley Rodeo last year she won the open barrel race with a time of 16.185 and the Junior contest in 15.832 for a prize money cheque of $1520 and it was this combined success of open and junior in both divisions.
She has the Junior Finals this month at Beaudesert, QLD and of course the ultimate goal, the National Finals for Australian Rodeo in the arena at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from the 13th to the 16th of June. She will ride into the arena in third place.

Junior Breakaway Roping Champion: Jordan Austin-Iker
From Alton Downs, QLD Jordan was in the right atmosphere to start swinging a loop, not after his Dad’s excellent performances in the time events on both the annual tour and at the Finals.
He joined the Association in 2009 and really got it all together for the past championship series. His first win came at the Easter Rodeo at Emerald last year when his 3.10 started him off on a bid for the junior title. His second was at Comet when he won the junior rope and tie with a 13.05 ahead of Stuart McGuire-Spalding and Ty Pokarier. He was also second to Wade Marshall in the breakaway with a 3.45. He finished in the seventh spot in the Junior High Point standings, no doubt by his efforts at Emerald’s September Rodeo. He was both first and second in the team roping, second in the barrel racing and first in the breakaway. He should be tough at the Junior Finals this month.