CONTINUATION OF THE 2012 SEASON

With the proposal to stage the National Finals Rodeo in Mid-year the qualifying money will be counted through the popular Christmas break and will officially terminate on the 30th of April 2013.

Most consistent performer in the roughstock events was all around leader Brad Pierce who had wins in the saddle bronc riding at Myrtleford, Victoria on the 26th December, Deniliquin, NSW on the 29th and then at another traditional one at Tumbarumba on New Year Day.

At Myrtleford he split with Peter Moffatt with 83 apiece both on Peter Gill outlaws Master Jack and Bush Ranger. At Deniliquin he was on a Jack O’Connell draw for a 76 over Cameron Webster/Cody Angland with a pair of 74’s and then at Tumbarumba on the 1st Slippery Gypsy of John P. Gill’s gave him the hat trick over Cameron Webster 2nd and Glen Kent 3rd.

He made it the double at Deniliquin winning the bull riding on 904 of Garry McPhee’s with an 82 from judges Steve Atkins and Bruce O’Dell with Ben Thorp 2nd, Rhys Angland 3rd and Cody Teece 4th.

Over at Carrieton, SA, the Stacey brothers won a round on the Woodall broncs with Leslie’s 80 points to win the opener on 508 Wizard taking him to first over David with Brad Williams 3rd and James Sclanders 4th. David had an 80 split of the 2nd round with Fred Osman, the latter going on to win the bareback riding with David second and Tasmanian Brock Weber 3rd.

In the three time events there was only one repeat winner and this was in the team roping. Lee Kimber, always a strong roping head or heels had Lee Shegog on the head to take out the Myrtleford contest. At Tumbarumba, NSW, Glen Perkins was his partner who already had a win at this centre when he won the rope and tie contest with a time of 10.50 over Adam Purse’s 10.70. The Lee/Perkins duo won with a time of 6.55 over Jacob Gaffey and Corey Heath with a 7.70.

Most consistent of the lady barrel racers was Adele Edwards current leading All-Around Champion who won at the Myrtleford contest over Leslie Moore. She was then fourth at Deniliquin to Leslie Moore and Stephanie Gard and at Tumbarumba she was runner up to Maree Oddy. Over at Carrieton Candy Michaelis sped the fastest over a tight contest with Rebecca Weston, Julie Breed and Kylie Kemp filling the places.

At Carrieton neither second division or open riders were victors over the Woodall bovines and only Will Purcell got the judges George Fruin and Barry Jones marking the score sheet on New Years Day at Tumba’. Early days as of now but the win on John Gill’s III Alabama Slammer at Tumbarumba could have earned him a berth at the Gold Coast in 2013. Kurt Shepard on another Jack Gill draw, 104 Black Dog with an 81 won the Myrtleford contest from Warwick winner Fraser Babbington and Ben Hall (NSW).

Closest margin in the steer wrestling came at Deniliquin when Michael Stanley dropped the flag at 4.55 seconds for first. Terry Evison was runner up with a 4.65 then Jordan O’Neill was next with a 4.70. In the 4th spot was Jesse Townsend with a 4.75 while fifth was Matt Hedlund with a 4.85. A point 30 spacing over five runs, now that’s keeping it close together.

In the breakaway roping its getting to be a case of two seconds plus to be thinking moneywise and the speediest time being made at Deniliquin when Kym Ash has the time set at 2.20 seconds. A bit of a gap but them Stephanie Gard with 2.80, Zoe Swain with a 2.90, Megan Pohlman with a 2.95 had really laid the pressure on.

The first four at Tumbarumba were in the 2 point range with event leader going into the new season, Kerry Turner being the quickest with 2.60 Stephanie Gard and Megan Pohlman were next with a 2.85 each with Anna McPhee fourth with a 2.90. Myrtleford set the two plus outcome with a Kym Ash time of 2.35 over Amber West on 2.70. Third was Teneille Middleton with a 2.90 ahead of Melissa Wilburn on 2.95.

Best contestants in the second division contests have been Lachlan Marshall in the saddle bronc. He was third at Myrtleford to Lindsay Pate and Trevor Wilson. At Deniliquin he was second to Jack Bredhauer and then won the Tumbarumba contest from Scott Waterson and Jason Collins.

On the bareback broncs Hayden Tyrrell had a consistent showing. Placing third to Matt Turner and Thomas Willemsen who spliced the win he then shared first with Peter Price at Deniliquin to finish the trip with a first at Tumbarumba. On the ever unreliable bovines Kurt Shepard was the only one to double up placing second at Myrtleford to Will Purcell and then fourth at Tumbarumba.

In the junior barrel racing which was the only contest staged at each of the rodeos in this particular group the most successful participant was Tammy Woodall. She was second to Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent at Myrtleford then won both the other two with times of 17.709 and 17.593.

Finley Rodeo results came in. Staged on the 4th of January so I was able to include these as an attachment. The prompt return is most appreciated by everyone at the Head Office, including the writer. There was only one repeat win in the open time events and this was by Terry Evison who was the rope and tie winner at Myrtleford at then again at Finley with a 11.65 to Glen Perkins on 11.75 and Fred Osman bareback bronc winner at Carrieton at then an 84 point win at Finley over a tied Wade Clifford and Mat Turner.

Past many time champion Vicki Schiller had a successful day with 40 entrants in the barrel racing she was a close second to Amanda Tielen and then against a field of 36 she won the breakaway roping in a time of 2.85 seconds.

Jason Crawford snared the saddle bronc riding over the very consistent Cameron Webster and it was Corey Waterson and Brad Pierce who survived the onslaught from the McPhee bucking bull herd.

Terry Evison on the head and Brendan Kenny on the heels set the slickest time for the season, a 5.85 with runner ups being Garry McPhee/Andrew McQualter-Whyte. It was close in the steer wrestling with Gavin Walker 1st with a 4.85 over Chris Savas with a 4.9 and the Tumbarumba winner John Day with a 5.05.

NEWSFLASH USA. Initial posting of the PRCA 2013 Riders Standings has Warwick saddle bronc rider Michael Maher in the 14th spot. Keep in mind his first trip to the NFR at the Gold Coast gave him a split win of the aggregate with Glen Kent.

Peter N. Poole

Photos Courtesy of :
David Ethell Rodeo Photos