EMERALD KICKS OFF NORTHERN RUN

 Photo of Ellie Gard by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Photo of Wendy Caban by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

ELLIE Gard is the one New South Wales rider at the top of the standings going into the Junior National Finals Rodeo at the Emerald Showgrounds in Queensland on Friday and Saturday. (July 7-8).

Gard, who hails from the Albury area, is on top of the Junior Barrel Racing standings and favourite to win the title.

The Junior National Finals Series in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association puts the top 10 in each event head to head over three rounds.

Charters Towers cowboy Darcy Kersh is on top of the standings in Breakaway Roping, Rope and Tie and Team Roping Header standings and is a strong chance to win the buckle for Junior All-Around Champion.

Riverslea (Vic) rider Dylan Richardson is the leader going into the Finals in the Junior Steer Ride.

Kobe Miller (Warwick, Qld) is the leader in Team Roping Heeler standings.

The Junior National Finals rounds are at the Emerald Showgrounds at 7pm Friday and 5pm and 7pm Saturday and will be held in conjunction with an open rodeo on Saturday from 6pm.

Springsure rider Allan Powell will start favourite for the open Saddle Bronc after winning two rounds at last year’s The Warwick Rodeo National Finals.

Powell won the Average at the finals in Warwick with a score of 299 in the four rounds.

He is currently ninth in this season’s standings. The Emerald Rodeo on Saturday is the first of six on the Northern Run in the APRA which ends at Mt Isa on August 11-13.

Moree rider to compete

MOREE cowgirl Wendy Caban is in a field of 29 in the Barrel Race and will be one of the favourites for the Emerald Rodeo on Saturday.

Caban is one of the most successful cowgirls in APRA history.

Four of the best timed event stars in the nation will be in action in open events at Emerald.

Emerald rider Shane Kenny will start favourite in the roping at Emerald but won’t get it all his own way with young gun Campbell Hodson from Townsville set to provide some of the toughest opposition.

Current APRA All Around Champion Shane Iker will compete along with Hughenden cowboy Clancy Middleton. There are 232 nominations for the Emerald Rodeo.

Program

July 7-8: Emerald Junior National Finals Series

July 8: Emerald Rodeo

July 22: Taroom Rodeo

July 29: Richmond Rodeo

July 30: Flinders River Hughenden Timed Events Rodeo

August 3: Cloncurry Merry Muster Xtreme Bulls Rodeo

August 4-6: Cloncurry Merry Muster Rodeo

August 11-13: Mt Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo

More information or requests for photos to APRA on 07 4661 8183