CHARTERS TOWERS COWBOY RYLEY GIBB

 CHARTERS Towers cowboy Ryley Gibb will be one of the favourites for Steer Wrestling on the Northern Run in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

The run started at Emerald late last month and will resume this weekend with Rodeos at Taroom, Richmond and Hughenden.

Gibb is currently in the lead in Steer Wrestling in the APRA. He in in front of past champion Shane Kenny, of Emerald.

Two Victorians, Lee Kimber and Terry Evison, are third and fourth in the standings and could challenge for a win during the rest of the Northern Run in Queensland.

Yass (NSW) rider Clay Bush is second in the All Around Cowboy and Rope and Tie standings  in the APRA, fifth in Steer Wrestling and on top of the standings in Team Roping Heeler.

Last year’s APRA All Around Cowboy Champion Campbell Hodson, of Emerald (Qld) is third in the All Around and Rope and Tie, 14^th in Steer Wrestling and third in Team Roping Header standings.

Hodson needs some prize money in Steer Wrestling to make sure he qualifies in all three timed events for cowboys.

The top-15 in each event will compete in the Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals on October 24-28 at the Warwick Showgrounds.

While a cowboy can compete in two events and win the title, it is easier to secure the All Around title at the national finals by qualifying in three events.

The Taroom and Golden Run Rural Richmond Rodeos are on Saturday (July 28) and both are for championship points.

Timed event riders from both Rodeos are set to travel to the Hughenden Flinders River Roping Timed Events Rodeo on Sunday (July 29) at the Hann Highway complex at Hughenden.

After this weekend, action will move to the Cloncurry Merry Muster Rodeo on August 3-4 at the Cloncurry Equestrian Centre. There will also be a Cloncurry Xtreme Bulls rodeo on the Friday night at the Cloncurry Showgrounds and a junior rodeo on the Friday at the Cloncurry Equestrian Centre.

All roads will then lead to Mt Isa for the Mt Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo on August 9-12 which has the most prizemoney in the APRA.

The Gulf Frontier Days Festival Rodeo is at Gregory Downs Racecourse on August 17-19 and the Darwin Rodeo at the Robbie Robbins Reserve on August 18.

There are rodeos in three states on August 18, Darwin (NT), the North Queensland Elite Rodeo at Townsville and the K Ranch Xtreme Bulls event in New South Wales.

More information 07 4661 8183

Photos by Dave Ethell Photos