RIDERS from Proserpine in Queensland and Bunyip in Victoria have won the rookie of the year buckles in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

The winners were determined by prize money in the season to April 30.

Proserpine rider Roy Dunn was a runaway leader in the battle for APRA Rookie Cowboy of the Year buckle after an outstanding season in the bull ride.

He was the major winner at the richest rodeo in the nation at Mt Isa which gave him the runaway lead in open and rookie bull ride standings.

Dunn was never headed in the open or rookie bull ride standings for the rest of the season.

Finishing the season at the top of open bull ride standings was an outstanding effort in a rookie year.

Dunn comes from a family famous for rodeo success at home and overseas and will go into the Warwick Rodeo Australian Championships on October 22-25 as the favourite for the bull ride.

He will have the chance to compete in the closest APRA rodeo to his hometown at Nebo on May 23.

In cowgirl standings, Victorian young gun Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent has won the rookie cowgirl of the year and rookie barrel racing titles in the APRA this season.

She was a clear leader in the battle for both rookie buckles after an outstanding season highlighted by great success on the Christmas Run in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and in Victorian rodeos early this year.

O’Donoghue-Kent also finished the season with the lead in open barrel racing which gives her the inside running at the Australian Championships in Warwick in October.

She also took the lead late in the season in open all around cowgirl standings.

Her aunt Cherie O’Donoghue, an eight times title winner in the APRA, will also compete in the championshjps rodeo in breakaway roping. Riders receive one point for each dollar won during the season at the start of the championships in Warwick which gives O’Donoghue-Kent early favouritism in the four-round finals in the barrel race.

Queensland will host the first 10 rodeos of the season and then APRA members will head to the Northern Territory for three rodeos in August.

APRA RODEO PROGRAM: May 23 Nebo; May 29 Bundaberg Show Rodeo; June 6-7 Bowen River; July 10 Emerald Bull Ride; July 10-11 Junior National Finals Rodeo at Emerald; July 11 Emerald Rodeo; July 18 Taroom; July 25 Richmond; July 31-August 1 Cloncurry Merry Muster Rodeo; August 7-9 Mt Isa Rotary Rodeo; August 15 Katherine, August 22 Darwin; August 29 Longreach.

More information from APRA on 07 4661 8183