EASTER RODEOS IN NSW AT DENI & TOC

Photo of Bryden Atkins by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Photo of Sean Lynch by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Easter rodeos in New South Wales at Deniliquin and Tocumwal

ALL roads will lead to 10 rodeos in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland over the Easter long weekend.

The 10 rodeos have attracted a total of 1800 nominations in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

The most nominations in an individual event in New South Wales at Easter are 32 in the team roping at Tocumwal.

There are 6 nominations for the bull ride at  Deniliquin Rodeo and Wagga Wagga cowboy Sean Lynch  will be one of the favourites but will expect strong competition from Bryden Atkins of Docher (VIC).

APRA competitors have the chance to win prize money in New South Wales at Easter in the Deniliquin Under the Stars Rodeo on Easter Saturday and a rodeo at Tocumwal on Easter Sunday.

Most of the competitors in the APRA will compete in between two and four rodeos at Easter as they try to win prize money and more importantly boost their chances of qualification for The Warwick Rodeo National Finals in late October.

The top 15 in all eight APRA championship events to April 30 will compete in the national finals and after the Easter weekend, there will be only four rodeos left in the season.

Distance never stops a keen APRA member and it is expected some will travel from state to state in quest of the most possible prize money at Easter. The top 15 is determined by money won during the season.

Some New South Wales competitors are likely to head to Victoria or Queensland on Good Friday and Easter Monday before and after competing in the two rodeos in their own state.

Nine of the top riders competing across the nation this weekend will be the current APRA standings leaders. The major prize in the APRA each year is a title buckle at the national finals and the current standings leaders can boost their title chances even further with placings over the long weekend.

The more prize money earnt in the season, the more carryover points each rider takes into the national finals.

Deniliquin Rodeo will start at 6:00pm on Easter Saturday at Racecourse Arena on racecourse Road.

Tocumwal rodeo action will commence from 6:00pm at Tocumwal Recreation Reserve on Easter Sunday.

STANDINGS LEADERS: All around cowboy Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld), saddle bronc John McNamee (Millmerran, Qld), bull ride Darcy McBean (Katherine, NT), bareback Ben Hall (Tumbarumba, NSW), rope and tie Shane Kenny (Emerald, Qld), steer wrestling Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld), team roping header Clancy Middleton (Hughenden, Qld), team roping heeler Aaron Bookluck (Nilma North, VIC), all around cowgirl Cherie O’Donoghue (Lockington, Vic), Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent (Bunyip, Vic), Elley Hulls (Leongatha, Vic)

APRA RODEO PROGRAM: March 25 Destiny Downs Good Friday Fiesta at Emerald (Qld), Roma Easter in the Country Bullride (Qld), Great Western (Vic); March 26 Emerald Easter Sunflower Festival Rodeo (Qld), Omeo (Vic), Deniliquin Under The Stars Rodeo (NSW); March 27 Roma (Qld), Buchan (Vic), Tocumwal (NSW); March 28 Lang Lang (Vic); April 2 Corryong (Vic); April 22 Moree Show Rodeo (NSW); April 24 Ettamogah Pub, Albury (NSW); April 29 Narrabri Show Rodeo (NSW).

More information APRA 07 4661 8183