RODEOS LEFT FOR THIS SEASON

Photo of Heath Nichols by Cherie Ryan – www.purplefairy.net.au

Photo of Lee Kimber by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Photo of Greg Hamilton by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Rodeos to go this season at Corryong, Warwick, Gavial Creek, Moree, Narrabri and Albury (Written for next week, post Easter)

AUSTRALIAN Professional Rodeo Association members have one month of competition and six rodeos to go to qualify for The Warwick Rodeo National Finals this year.

The national finals will be held in Warwick on the last weekend in October for a second successive year after the APRA and Warwick Show and Rodeo Society signed a three-year deal for the finals to  be at the Warwick Showgrounds.

For APRA members, all that matters in the next month is finishing in the top-15 at the end of April and qualifying for the finals.

Any riders in the top 10 after the 10 Easter rodeos could pack their bags for Warwick but it is likely up to 10 riders could be vying for the final five spots in some events.

Many riders from interstate have travelled twice to Victoria in less than a month for the three March long weekend rodeos and then four at Easter. Queensland hosted four Easter rodeos and there were two in New South Wales.

On the March long weekend, Scone (NSW) rider Heath Nichols was one of the best from interstate at Merrijig in Victoria when he won the team roping along with Michael Stanley and finished equal second in the rope and tie with Lockington (Victoria) rider Lee Kimber. There was more success for Kimber at Kyabram where he finished third in the rope and tie.

Stanley was the rope and tie winner at Merrijig.

The winner of the saddle bronc and bull rides at Merrijig each scored more than 80 points on bucking stock from the Garry McPhee string from Lurg in Victoria.

Clayton Braden won the saddle bronc with 83 on Corryong Kid and Ben Thorp rode Toro to 84 to win the bull ride.

There were two winning scores over 80 in bucking events at Kyabram, Mitchell (Qld) rider Greg Hamilton scored 84 on Cajoun Lady to win saddle bronc while New South Wales star Cody Angland won the bareback with a score of 82.

Reigning champions have continued their good form in cowgirls events with Cherie O’Donoghue (Lockington, Vic) winning the breakaway roping at Merrijig and Stephanie Gard (Table Top, NSW) best in barrel race at Kyabram. Gard won the all around cowgirl title last year at the Warwick Rodeo after previously winning two breakaway roping titles.

APRA RODEO PROGRAM: April 2 Corryong (Vic); April 15 Warwick Concreters Bull Ride (QLD); April 16 Gavial Creek Charity Rodeo (QLD); April 22 Moree Show Rodeo (NSW); April 24 Ettamogah Pub, Albury (NSW); April 29 Narrabri Show Rodeo (NSW).

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 (NSW), all around cowgirl Cherie O’Donoghue (Lockington, Vic), Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent (Bunyip, Vic), Elley Hulls (Leongatha, Vic)

More information APRA 07 4661 8183