Photo by Dave Ethell www.dephotos.com.au

TUMBARUMBA cowboy Ben Hall will be one to watch when the Australian Professional Rodeo Association heads to Rosewood in New South Wales for a rodeo on December 5.

Hall is 12^th in all around cowboy standings in the APRA and is one of only a handful of cowboys to compete in more than one rough stock event.

He is currently 7^th in bareback bronc ride standings and also competes in the bull ride where he sits 12th in the standings.

The top all around cowboys from New South Wales are Heath Nichols from Scone who is 5^th and Moree rider Troy Caban who is 9^th.

The Rosewood rodeo is the only one in the APRA in the premier state before the start of the Christmas Run on Boxing Day when there are two New South Wales rodeos in a fortnight.

There is a rodeo at Tumbarumba on New Year’s Day and at Finley on January 8.

The final rodeo in January in New South Wales will be at Wagga Wagga on January 30.

While Nichols is the best of the New South Wales cowboys in all around standings in the APRA going into the rodeo at Rosewood on December 5, there are two riders in the top five in cowgirl ranks, leader Wendy Caban from Moree and fifth-placed and reigning champion Stephanie Gard from Table Top near Albury.

Nichols and Caban boosted their spots in the standings this year by winning the all around buckles at the richest rodeo in the nation at Mt Isa.

It is expected large nominations will be received for the Christmas Run of seven rodeos as competitors chase prize money and points in the battle for top-15 spots and qualification for next year’s Australian championships in the APRA.

APRA Program: December 5 – Rosewood (NSW); December 26 – Myrtleford (Vic) Golden Spurs Rodeo; December 27 – Carrieton (SA); December 31-January 1 – Alton Downs (Qld) Double Dip; January 1 ­– Tumbarumba (NSW) 71^st Rodeo; January 2 – Yarrawonga (Vic); January 8 – Finley (NSW); January 9 – Beechworth (Vic), Carrick (Tas) Bull Ride and Rodeo Spectacular.

More information APRA 07 4661 8183