Standings leaders from Lockington, Bunyip, Nilma North and Leongatha.

TWO Victorians head the all around cowboy standings in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association leading in to this year’s national finals.

Lockington (Victoria) cowboy Terry Evison was a clear leader in all around standings at the end of the season but will have to withstand strong challenges at the national finals from fellow Victorian Lee Kimber and Queensland trio Errol Frain, Shane Iker and Shane Kenny.

Evison led the end of season standings in open team roping header and was second in steer wrestling and third in the rope and tie.

He has enjoyed plenty of success in the battle for pro tour titles but so far the all around title buckle has eluded him.

Kimber grew up in Queensland but is now based in Lockington (Victoria) and was in the top six in each of his three events at the end of the season.

Yeppoon (Qld) rider Errol Frain is third in all around standings after winning more than twice as much money in the season in steer wrestling as any other rider.

Frain is yet to win an all around title and will have to win it with performances in only two events at the national finals, steer wrestling and team roping heeler.

Iker and Kenny are both from Central Queensland and past all around title winners. Iker was third in steer wrestling and fifth in rope and tie, and team roping header standings at the end of the season.

Despite finishing the season fifth in all around standings and only qualifying for the finals in the rope and tie, and team roping, Kenny will be all around favourite after winning four titles in 2015. He has already won 35 APRA titles.

The top 15 in each event in the APRA has qualified for The Warwick Rodeo National Finals on October 27-30 at the Warwick Showgrounds.

In cowgirl ranks, Table Top (NSW) rider Stephanie Gard is on top of the standings after winning the all around cowgirl buckle at last year’s national finals in Warwick.

Past winners Cherie O’Donoghue (Lockington, Vic) is second in the standings after winning the breakaway roping last year.

Wendy Caban (Moree, NSW) has won the all around buckle in the past but has only qualified for one event so won’t come into calculations for the all around title.

With competitors being awarded points for each dollar won on the pro tour circuit, the leaders in individual events are among the favourites heading into The Warwick Rodeo National Finals.

Victorian leaders in the standings are Terry Evison (All Around, team roping header), Aaron Bookluck (team roping heeler), Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent (barrel race) and Elley Hulls (breakaway roping).

The national finals top-15 were determined by standings at the end of the season to April 30 and now competitors will build up standings points during the Northern Run in Queensland in July and August to go towards qualification for the 2017 national finals. The Northern Run is also a chance for riders to keep up their form leading in to this year’s national finals in Warwick in October.

Standings leaders at end of season

All around cowboy – Terry Evison (Lockington, Vic)

Saddle bronc – John McNamee (Millmerran, QLD)

Bull ride – Jason O’Hearn (Rothbury, NSW)

Bareback – Ben Hall (Tumbarumba, NSW)

Rope and Tie – Shane Kenny (Emerald, Qld)

Steer wrestling – Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld)

Open team roping header – Terry Evison (Lockington, Vic)

Open team roping heeler – Aaron Bookluck (Nilma North, Vic)

All around cowgirl – Stephanie Gard (Table Top, NSW)

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

Breakaway roping – Elley Hulls (Leongatha, Vic).

APRA Program July 8-9 – Junior National Finals Rodeo, Emerald, Qld; July 9 – Emerald Ag Grow Rodeo, Qld; July 30 – Taroom Rodeo, Qld; August 5-6 – Cloncurry Merry Muster Rodeo, Qld; August 12-14 – Mt Isa Rotary Rodeo, Qld; August 19 – Pine Creek Rodeo, NT; August 27 – Moura Xtreme Bulls, Qld

More information from APRA on 46618183