JUNIOR NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

Riders from three states win junior titles

RIDERS from three states won titles in the Junior National Finals Rodeo in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

The finals were held over three rounds at the Beaudesert Showgrounds on Saturday in conjunction with the annual Beaudesert Rodeo.

The major winner on the day was Lavington, Victoria, cowgirl Stephanie Gard who won the all around and junior barrel race title.

Gard was a deserving winner of the all around title after she recorded five out of a possible six placings.

She was first, second and fourth in the three rounds of the barrel race to win overall.

In breakaway roping, she was second in round 2 and fourth in round 3 to finish fourth overall.

The junior steer ride title was won by Taroom cowboy Stuart McGuire-Spalding who was first in round 2 with a score of 62 and second in rounds 1 and 3 with scores of 58 and 63.

He won the title narrowly from Lane Pendergast, of Book Book, New South Wales, who recorded two seconds and a fourth.

Quirindi, New South Wales, rider Justin Scoggin, was victorious in the battle for the junior breakaway roping title.

He recorded three seconds for a combined time of 9.5 seconds to win from St Arnaud (Vic) rider Luke Flanagan.

Flanagan made a valiant effort to win with the fastest time of the final, 2.45 seconds, in the third round.

Scoggin and Flanagan pushed one of the best open ropers in the business, Cheyenne Whitwell, of Mt Tarampa (Qld) into third place.

Tickets are now on sale from Ticketek for the Jeep National Finals Rodeo at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on June 13-16.