09 September, 2014
FATHER AND SON RIDING HIGH
A father-and-son team from Alton Downs in Central Queensland could qualify in six events between them for next year’s National Finals Rodeo in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.
Shane Iker won his second all around title in the APRA earlier this year and is already in the top-15 in his three events in the new season.
Son Jordan Austin-Iker led in team roping earlier in the season and is now fourth in header standings, three spots in front of his father.
Shane is 2nd in the rope and tie and Jordan 15th while Shane is 8th in steer wrestling and Jordan 14th.
In all around standings, Shane is second and Jordan 10th.
The top-15 in each event qualify for the finals and Shane is odds on to make it in three events.
Jordan is almost assured of qualification in team roping but needs more prize money in the final eight months of the season to make it in the rope and tie and steer wrestling.
Next year, Jordan’s first chance to win a title will come in junior events.
He currently leads the high point cowboy and breakaway roping standings in the juniors.
The performances by Shane and Jordan this year prove yet again the family aspects of rodeo with generation after generation enjoying success on the circuit.
Most of the action in the next three months will be in Queensland before APRA action hots up even more with the Christmas Run in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
The next APRA rodeo is the invitational R.M. Williams Longreach Muster on September 13-14, one of only a handful of rodeos over two or more days in the APRA.
Two of the most famous rodeos in the APRA, Marrabel in South Australia, and Warwick in Queensland are in October.
The Warwick Rodeo is the only four days rodeo on the circuit other than the finals and is expected to attract more than 500 nominations as APRA members chase prize money which can boost their position in the standings by five or six spots.
Rodeo action will move to the Wide Bay and Central Queensland areas in late November with rodeos on successive days at Bundaberg and Gladstone.
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