QUEENSLAND RIDERS WINS IN VICTORIA

 CHARTERS Towers rider Liam Davison has won the rope and tie at the Merrijig Rodeo in Victoria.

The rodeo was one of three on the long weekend in early March in Victoria.

Davison won the rope and tie with a time of 3.85 seconds.

He beat joint runners up Shane Iker and Terry Evison who were clocked at 3.95 seconds.

Iker hails from Alton Downs in Central Queensland and Evison is from Victoria.

Davison is currently eighth in Australian Professional Rodeo Association all around standings and 17^th in rope and tie standings.

He leads the team roping heeler standings from Victorian rider Kenny Organ and Clay Bush from Yass in New South Wales.

His team roping teammate Campbell Hodson from Townsville in Queensland is on top of the team roping header standings.

Davison and Hodson combined in the Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals in October to win the team roping title.

They recorded firsts in rounds 2 and 4, a second in round 1 and a fourth in round 3 to win both the title and the aggregate at the finals.

Such was the dominance of Davison and Hodson, they won the aggregate by 12 seconds in being one of the only two teams to secure a time in all four rounds at the finals.

Queensland rider Tom Webster recorded one of the best scores of the season, 89, to win the saddle bronc at Merrijig.

He finished in front of Tooma (NSW) rider Brad Pierce, a multiple title winner in the APRA, who scored 82.

South Australian rider Tom Willoughby increased his lead in the bareback bronc riding standings with a win at Merrijig.

The first Queensland action this year will be on March 29-30 at Clermont in Central Queensland.

The action at Clermont starts with the Indian Wells Pro Rodeo Timed Event Shootout on March 29 and then a rodeo with all eight championship events on March 30.

There will then be a three-week break in APRA action in Queensland in the lead up to the Easter long weekend when there are championship points rodeos at Emerald and Roma as well as a day of timed events at each centre.

The first Queensland rough stock action for the year will be the Roma Xtreme Bull Ride on April 19. Bucking stock for the bull ride at Roma are being provided by Upper Horton, NSW, contractors Gill Brothers.

APRA PROGRAM

March 23 Euroa Rodeo, Victoria

March 29: Indian Wells Pro Rodeo Timed Event Shoot Out, Clermont, Qld

March 30: Clermont Rodeo, Qld

April 5: Camden Xtreme Bulls, NSW

April 6: Corryong Man from Snowy River Rodeo, Victoria

More information from APRA head office, 4661 8183.

Photo of Liam Davison by Barry Richards - BR Action Photography