MILLMERRAN (Qld) rider John McNamee will head to Marrabel in South Australia this Sunday (October 4) to come up against  the Stacey brothers, two of the best in the business.

David and Leslie Stacey come from Strathalbyn in South Australia and have plenty of successes on the board in South Australian rodeos in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

In August, Leslie Stacey won the saddle bronc at the Darwin Rodeo with a score of 74 on Overlander. He has also nominated for the second-division bull ride at Marrabel.

McNamee finished third in the 2015 season standings to qualify for the Warwick Rodeo Australian Championships on October 22-25 and already this season has finished second at the Mt Isa Rotary Rodeo on 153 points, one behind winner Michael Maher from Warwick.

McNamee was third in round 1 at Mt Isa and then split first in the final with Maher and will be the cowboy to beat at Marrabel.

In steer wrestling, South Australian pair Rodney Reynolds and Kevin Reynolds Jnr will hold many of the hopes for a home state victory. Daniel Pearson and Allen Heath were the best performed in rope and tie last season from South Australia and both have nominated for Marrabel.

Their biggest opposition will come from APRA executive chairman Lee Kimber from Lockington in Victoria who finished last season at the top of the standings and new season standings leader Errol Frain from Yeppoon in Queensland.

Many of the competitors will use Marrabel as part of their preparations for the Australian championships three weeks later.

There are 192 nominations in the eight APRA points championship events which will be contested at the Marrabel Rodeo.

The rodeo starts at 11am on Sunday 4th October at the Marrabel Rodeo Grounds.

APRA Program: October 4 Marrabel (SA); October 21 Hobart Show Bulls and Barrels (Tas); October 22-25 Warwick Rodeo Australian Championships (Qld).