MILLMERRAN saddle bronc rider John McNamee has fine tuned his form for the Warwick Rodeo Australian Championships with a narrow win at the Marrabel Rodeo in South Australia.

McNamee won the first round with 72 and split second in the second round with another 72 to win the aggregate by one point from South Australian rider David Stacey.

The win by McNamee sets up a classic championships with the Millmerran rider one of the championship favourites along with Warwick pair Michael Maher and Mark Collins who led the standings at the end of the 2015 pro tour.

McNamee was the only Queensland open winner at Marrabel.

The only dual winner was Glen Perkins from Bacchus Marsh in Victoria who won the rope and tie and joined with Lee Kimber from Lockington (Vic) to win team roping.

In the bull ride, only Northern Territory rider Darcy McBean made time so was a winner with 79 points.

Table Top (NSW) rider Stephanie Gard won the barrel race at Marrabel and is in the form which could win her the all around title in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

Gard had an outstanding second half of the season to lead the all around standings and could add an open all around title in Warwick to her title wins as a junior.

Her brother Benjamin won the second-division bull ride at Marrabel and will be one of the favourites for the event at the Warwick Rodeo on October 22-25.

There will be four rounds of Warwick Rodeo Australian Championships action between the top 15 riders in each of eight events. One round will be held on each day.

The championships will be determined by results in the four rounds and carryover points from 2015 season success which riders will take into the finals.

As well as the championship action, there will be second-division and junior events at the Warwick Showgrounds.

The second-division saddle bronc and bull ride at Warwick will bring together many of the most promising riders in the nation. 
Marrabel open winners

Saddle bronc – John McNamee 144

Bull ride – Darcy McBean 79

Bareback – Brock Mulhall 78

Rope and Tie – Glen Perkins 5.2

Steer Wrestling – Tony Azzopardi 6.1

Team roping – Glen Perkins and Lee Kimber 6.4

Barrel racing – Stephanie Gard 18.008

Breakaway roping – Cherie O’Donoghue 2.4