VICTORIAN riders will be favourites in many events when an Australian Professional Rodeo Association event is held at Kapunda in South Australia on Saturday.

Lockington (Victoria) rider Cherie O’Donoghue never misses an opportunity to head across the border into South Australia in quest of championship points at APRA rodeos.

O’Donoghue is the most successful cowgirl in APRA history and showed she was in form with a first-round win in breakaway roping at the Warwick Rodeo in Queensland in late October. She is currently 9^th in all around cowgirl standings in the APRA and fellow Victorian Tammy Woodall is 10^th.

The Lockington rider headed to Marrabel  in South Australia on the first weekend in October to win the breakaway roping in one of the fastest times of the season, 2.25 seconds, from South Australian rider Renee Pearson who was timed at 2.7.

Beverfod (Vic) rider Heath Chalmers won the first round of the saddle bronc at Marrabel with 81 points, one of the highest scores of the season, and then was one of the protection clowns for the bull ride.

Chalmers scored 75 in the final to finish second in the aggregate at Marrabel. He is 10^th in APRA saddle bronc standings at the half-way mark of the season and a favourite for Kapunda

Bacchus Marsh (Vic) rider Glen Perkins won the rope and tie at Marrabel by almost two seconds and will be one of the riders to beat at Kapunda.

Perkins is currently 9^th in APRA standings and in a strong position to finish in the top-15 and qualify for next year’s National Finals Rodeo. He can almost secure a position for the finals with a win at Kapunda on Saturday.

Willung (Vic) rider Terry Evison is 7^th  in team roping header standings after winning at Marrabel in combination with Corey Heath and will make the trek to Kapunda.

Breakaway roping is the best event for Victorians so far this season with Anna McPhee 4^th in the standings, Casey-Lee Collins 9^th and O’Donoghue 13^th.

Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent won the barrel race at Marrabel and is 10^th in APRA standings.

Victorian riders are certain to move up the standings in the second half of the season when the Christmas Run starts and then in March where there are numerous rodeos on the Victorian long weekend.

APRA Program: November 15 Kapunda (SA); November 28 Bundaberg (Qld); December 6 Rosewood (NSW); December 20 Grong Grong (NSW); December 26 Myrtleford (Vic); December 27 Carrieton (SA); December 30 Yarrawonga (Vic); January 1 Wangaratta (Vic) and Tumbarumba (NSW), January 2 Finley (NSW); January 3 Beechworth (Vic) and Deniliquin  (NSW).

More information or requests for photos of individual riders to APRA office 07 4661 8183