NT dominates in APRA bull ride

TWO Northern Territory riders sit at the top of bull ride standings in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

After three-quarters of the season, Katherine cowboy Darcy McBean is first in the standings from Mark Lamberth who calls Humpty Doo home.

Both are assured of qualification for the APRA National Finals later this year when the best-15 in each APRA event go head-to-head.

Lamberth scored 84 in round 1 of the richest rodeo in the nation at Mt Isa in August to win the round and aggregate.

The two Northern Territory riders will go into the championships with plenty of carry over points from their performances during the season.

Yeppoon (Qld) rider Errol Frain has taken a narrow lead in APRA all around cowboy standings.

Frain leads the steer wrestling standings and is eighth in team roping heeler standings.

After a short break from the sport, Frain is again seriously following the APRA circuit and has won more than twice as much money in his pet event, steer wrestling, as the next best, Alton Downs cowboy Shane Iker.

Frain travelled south to the Christmas Run in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and also enjoyed success  on the New Year’s weekend at Alton Downs.

Emerald rider Shane Kenny is second and Iker third in the all around.

In cowgirls standings, Victorian star Cherie O’Donoghue is the leader from her niece Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent, Moree rider Wendy Caban and Queensland cowgirl Suzie Fearon.

This month, the APRA has up to four rodeos a weekend across Australia.

There are 229 nominations for the Ballarat Rodeo on Saturday (Feb 13) and 98 on the same day at Ross in Tasmania

EVENT LEADERS: All around cowboy – Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld)

Saddle bronc – Michael Maher (Warwick, Qld)

Bull ride – Darcy McBean (Katherine, NT)

Bareback – Jack Kidd (Croydon, Qld)

Rope and Tie – Shane Kenny (Emerald, Qld)

Steer Wrestling – Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld)

Team Roping Header – Clancy Middleton (Hughenden, Qld)

Team Roping Heeler – Aaron Bookluck (Nilma North, Vic)

All around cowgirl – Cherie O’Donoghue (Lockington, Vic)

Barrel racing – Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent (Bunyip Vic)

Breakaway Roping – Kelly Westlake (Scone, NSW)

RODEO PROGRAM: 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).