QLD PRO TOUR WINNERS

Photo of Shane Kenny By Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Photo of John McNamee by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Pro tour winners from Emerald, Yeppoon and Millmerran

TWO riders from Central Queensland and one Darling Downs rider will go into this year’s national finals in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association at the top of the standings in their respective events.

Emerald rider Shane Kenny has won 35 titles in the APRA and is a strong chance to add more titles at this year’s The Warwick Rodeo National Finals on October 27-30.

Last October, Kenny won the all around, rope and tie, steer wrestling and team roping header titles in Warwick.

He is top of pro tour standings in the rope and tie and sixth in team roping header but will have to win the all around title this year with strong performances in two events as he has missed the top 15 in steer wrestling and therefore the national finals in his third event.

Errol Frain from Yeppoon is odds on favourite to win the steer wrestling title, especially with last year’s winner Kenny not in the field. Frain won twice as much prizemoney as the next best in the season to April 30 so will have by far the most carryover points going in the finals in Warwick.

Millmerran (Qld) cowboy John McNamee has finished the season on top of the saddle bronc standings and will battle it out against a top three including Mitchell (Qld) rider Greg Hamilton and Victorian star Peter Moffatt.

While the top 15 in each APRA championship event have already been determined for the October national finals in Warwick, a lot of interest centres on the Northern Run, one of the two biggest runs in the APRA.

The Northern Run starts at Emerald with the junior nationals finals and an open rodeo on July 8-9 and will finish at the Mt Isa Rotary Rodeo on August 12-14. Competitors have the chance to win prize money in quest of qualification for the 2017 national finals in Warwick.

Standings leaders at end of season

All around cowboy – Terry Evison (Lockington, Vic)

Saddle bronc – John McNamee (Victoria)

Bull ride – Jason O’Hearn (Rothbury, NSW)

Bareback – Ben Hall (Tumbarumba, NSW)

Rope and Tie – Shane Kenny (Emerald, Qld)

Steer wrestling – Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld)

Open team roping header – Terry Evison (Lockington, Vic)

Open team roping heeler – Aaron Bookluck (Nilma North, Vic)

All around cowgirl – Stephanie Gard (Table Top, NSW)

Barrel race – Shianne O’Donoghue (Bunyip, Vic)

Breakaway roping – Elley Hulls (Leongatha, Vic).

APRA Program July 8-9 – Junior National Finals Rodeo, Emerald, Qld; July 9 – Emerald Ag Grow Rodeo, Qld; July 30 – Taroom Rodeo, Qld; August 5-6 – Cloncurry Merry Muster Rodeo, Qld; August 12-14 – Mt Isa Rotary Rodeo, Qld; August 19 – Pine Creek Rodeo, NT; August 27 – Moura Xtreme Bulls, Qld

More information from APRA on 46618183.