| NEXT RODEO: |
| VICTORIAN BULL RIDING TITLES | DECEMBER 15 | ENTRY DATES: December 6/7 |
| BAROSSA TIMED EVENT RODEO, SA | DECEMBER 16 | ENTRY DATES: December 6/7 |
| MYRTLEFORD RODEO | DECEMBER 26 | ENTRY DATES: December 6/7 |
| BUNDALONG TAVERN RODEO CANCELLED | DECEMBER 29 | ENTRY DATES: |
| CARRIETON RODEO, SA | DECEMBER 31 | ENTRY DATES: December 13/14 |
| TUMBARUMBA NEW YEARS DAY RODEO, NSW | JANUARY 01 | ENTRY DATES: December 13/14 |
| KATAMATITE LIONS RODEO, VIC | JANUARY 06 | ENTRY DATES: December 13/14 |
| ALEXANDRA RODEO, VIC | JANUARY 13 | ENTRY DATES: January 20/21 |
| PETERBOROUGH RODEO | JANUARY 13 | ENTRY DATES: December 20/21 |
| CARRICK BULL RIDE, TAS | JANUARY 13 | ENTRY DATES: December 20/21 |
SEVEN riders from New South Wales are in the top-20 in Australian Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing standings with five months of the season to go.
All competitors have the chance to improve their position in the standings by competing in the seven Christmas Run rodeos in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia starting Boxing Day at Myrtleford (Vic).
New South Wales rodeos are on at Tumbarumba on January 1, Finley on January 2 and Deniliquin on January 3.
The top New South Wales rider in barrel racing is Wendy Caban from Moree who is currently second, Nichole Fitzpatrick, of Willow Tree is 9th and Teneille Little, of Boggabri 20th.
All three have won barrel racing titles in the APRA.
Fitzpatrick is the defending champion after winning the all around and barrel racing titles at this year’s National Finals Rodeo at Caboolture in Queensland.
Other New South Wales riders in the top-20 are Coonamble rider Bianca Hertel (8th), Stephanie Gard (11th), Liz Cook (14th) and Hayley Hill (19th). Gard has won the past two breakaway roping titles in the APRA but is yet to win the barrel racing at the National Finals Rodeo.
The current leader in the barrel racing standings is Gracemere (Qld) rider Jill Lyons.
Caban is on top of the all around cowgirl standings with Jane Fay (Warra, Qld) the runaway leader in the breakaway roping.
Hill and Little will both need to win some prize money on the Christmas Run to move into the top-15 as only the best 15 will qualify for next year’s National Finals Rodeo.
In the cowboy event, all around runner-up Shane Iker (Alton Downs, Qld) won the steer wrestling, finished second in the rope and tie and fourth in team roping in combination with Brody Moss at the Bundaberg Rodeo in late November.
Iker hails from Alton Downs and will need to be a regular winner in the final five months of the season if he is going to catch runaway all around standings leader Shane Kenny, of Emerald.
Kenny and Iker are the only two cowboys currently on the circuit to win multiple all around titles in the APRA.
APRA Program: December 20 Grong Grong (NSW); December 26 Myrtleford (Vic); December 27 Carrieton (SA); December 30 Yarrawonga (Vic); January 1 Tumbarumba (NSW), January 2 Finley (NSW); January 3 Beechworth (Vic) and Deniliquin (NSW).
More information or requests for more photos to APRA office 07 4661 8183.
