50^th rodeo at Wilmington on Saturday

COMMEMORATIVE 50^th rodeo buckles will be presented to all the winners at the Wilmington Rodeo in South Australia on Saturday. (January 30)

Wilmington is one of the most famous rodeos in Australia and there will be action on Saturday in all eight Australian Professional Rodeo Association events as well as a ladies steer ride.

The Stacey Brothers, Leslie and David, will be two of the favourites for the saddle bronc ride.

In this season’s APRA standings, Leslie is 9^th and David 14^th and both only have to maintain their form to the end of the season on April 30 to make it to the top-15 and qualification for the Australian championships.

David was third in saddle bronc last year at Wilmington.

In 2015, many of the winners travelled from Victoria and it will once again be a battle between the best from Victoria and the best from South Australia for a coveted 50^th anniversary buckles at Wilmington.

The feature event for the commemorative 50^th rodeo will be the $4000 bull ride.

Last year, Colac (Vic) cowboy Adam Hinkley scored 83 on Red Neck to win the bull ride with one of only two scores in the event on the Ron Woodall string of bulls.

Woodall will again contract the bucking stock. Last year, Battle Time was judged best bucking bull and Blue Jeans the best horse.

The Wilmington Rodeo and another at Petersborough on February 6 are a great chance for South Australian riders to win prize money and move up the standings.

Daniel Pearson from Kapunda is the highest-placed South Australian rider in any of the standings. He is 10^th in the rope and tie behind leader Shane Kenny, of Emerald, in Queensland.

Gary Tielen from Angaston is 15^th in team roping heeler standings.

One rider to watch at Wilmington will be Lewiston cowgirl Candy Michaelis who is 17^th in breakaway roping standings but set a new national record late last year with a time of 1.75 seconds in winning the Kapunda Rodeo in South Australia.

The Wilmington Rodeo starts at 6pm Saturday (January 30) at the Wilmington Rodeo Grounds.

PROGRAM: January 30 Ulverstone (Tas), Wilmington (SA), Wagga Wagga (NSW); February 6 Peterborough (SA), XXXX Gold Xtreme Bulls at Penrith (NSW); February 13 Ballarat (Vic), Ross (Tas); February 20 Hay Twilight Rodeo (NSW), Lillico (Tas), XXXX Gold Xtreme Bulls Dubbo (NSW); February 27 Millmerran Show Rodeo (Qld), Narrandera (NSW), Powranna Bull Ride and Rodeo (Tas), Whittlesea (Vic).

More information from APRA 4661 8183