RIDERS from Yass and Tullakool won doubles as the Australian Professional Rodeo Association held its National Finals in conjunction with the Warwick Rodeo.

Yass farrier Clay Bush and Tullakool hay farmer Rebecca Van Houten both won their first APRA titles at the weekend and backed up to win the average at the finals in their events.

Bush won the first two rounds of steer wrestling and was second in round 3 and only had to snare his steer in round 4 to make sure of a title and the finals average.

He had a time of more than 15 seconds in round 4 and was unplaced but had done enough to win his first title in the APRA.

Both Bush and Van Houten went into the finals ranked 14th on the standings to prove riders can win titles from low down in the standings.

In team roping, Bush and Scone rider Heath Nichols split second in round 1, a performance which helped Bush win the finals average among the cowboys in Warwick.

Rebecca Van Houten went into her sixth National Finals low in the standings but roped three calves in an average five seconds to win the title.

She narrowly won the title from standings leader and Victorian dairy farmer Elley Hulls.

Van Houten had a second and two thirds in the rounds to win the title.

New South Wales bull riders won three of the rounds at the National Finals but were beaten for the title by Katherine (NSW) rider Darcy McBean who was the only rider to record a score on three bulls in the four finals rounds.

Defending champion Troy Wilkinson from Upper Horton won two rounds and Tamworth star Jason O'Hearn one. Wilkinson had the highest score of the finals in any rough stock event, 87, to win round 1.

Other round winners from New South Wales included Moree rider Troy Caban and Luke Taylor, of Stonehenge, in team roping.

Adele Edwards from Gundagai won round 4 of barrel racing. One of the stars from New South Wales was Ellie Gard who had a third and fourth in the barrel racing rounds and third in the average at age 13.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONS

All Around Cowboy Title - Shane Iker (Alton Downs, Qld)

All Around Cowgirl - Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent (Bunyip, Vic)

Saddle Bronc - Title winner John McNamee (Millmerran, Qld); top average in finals over four rounds Allan Powell (Springsure, Qld) 299 points

Bull Ride - Title winner Darcy McBean (Katherine, NT); top average in finals

Darcy McBean (Katherine, NT) 232 points

Bareback Bronc - Title winner David Worsfold (Wandoan, Qld); top average in finals David Worsfold (Wandoan, Qld) 304 points

Rope & Tie - Title winner Mark Knox (Ebenezer, Qld); top average in finals

Mark Knox (Ebenezer, Qld) 48.5 seconds

Steer Wrestling - Title winner Clay Bush (Yass, NSW); top average in finals

Clay Bush (Yass, NSW) 36.35

Team Roping Header - Title winner Shane Iker (Alton Downs, Qld)

Team Roping Heeler - Title winner Aaron Bookluck (Nilma North, Vic)

Team Roping Top finals average - Heath Litchfield (Griffith, NSW) and Aaron Bookluck (Nilma North, Vic) 47.25

Barrel Race - Title winner Shianne O'Donoghue-Kent (Bunyip, Vic); top average in finals Shianne O'Donoghue-Kent 72.361

Breakaway Roping - Title winner Rebecca Van Houten (Tullakool, NSW); top average in finals Rebecca Van Houten (Tullakool, NSW) 15 seconds on three head

National Finals Rodeo Average All Around Cowgirl - Cherie O'Donoghue (Lockington, Vic)

NFR Average All Around Cowboy - Clay Bush (Yass, NSW)