NORTHERN RUN STARTS IN EMERALD

 Photo of Teal Ayers by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com

Photo of Ellysa Kenny by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com 

THE Northern Run of rodeos in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association will start with two days of action at Emerald in early July.

The APRA has two major rodeo runs each year, the Christmas Run in late December and January in the southern states and the Northern Run in Queensland in July and August.

The Junior National Finals Rodeo will be held at the Emerald Showgrounds on July 7-8.

There will be one round of the Junior Finals at 7pm on the Friday and Saturday sessions at 5pm and 7pm.

The juniors will battle for title buckles in Junior All Around Cowboy/Cowgirl, Steer Ride, Rope and Tie, Barrel Race, Breakaway Roping and Team Roping Header and Heeler categories.

The highest-placed juniors at the end of the season on April 30 were Townsville cowboy Jordan Iker and Roma rider Teal Ayers.

One of the closest battles on the Pro Tour was between Queensland pair Teal Ayers and Ellysa Kenny (Emerald) and New South Wales rider Ellie Gard (Albury) for the High Point Cowgirl lead.

An open rodeo will be held from 6pm on the Saturday, July 8, at the Emerald Showgrounds which will feature all eight events in the APRA.

Action in the Northern Run will move to Taroom on July 22, Richmond on July 29 and then the Curry Merry Muster Xtreme Bulls, Curry Muster Junior Rodeo and Curry Muster Rodeo on August 3-5.

There will be non-stop action in the open rodeo from 6pm on the Friday and 10am on the Saturday at the Cloncurry Equestrian Centre.

The richest rodeo in the Nation will be at Mt Isa on August 11-13 with action from early morning on all three days.

Mt Isa is the last rodeo on the Northern Run and the last big chance for competitors to press their claims for a top-15 finish in APRA standings and qualification for The Warwick Rodeo National Finals on October 26-29.