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Currently the Northern Territory is alive with Pro Rodeo. Australian Professional Rodeo Association bandwagon will move to Tamworth for the September 20 Pro Rodeo.

Tamworth has becomefor many rodeo competitors down the years, including New Zealand bull riding star and APRA record holder Fraser Babbington who lived in the New England before moving to South Queensland.

There will be plenty of competition in the eight championship events at Tamworth.

While the cowboys will compete in three rough stock events and three timed events, the cowgirls will have two events to concentrate on.

Willow Tree rider Nichole Fitzpatrick and Moree star Wendy Caban will be the favourites in cowgirl events at Tamworth.

Fitzpatrick won round 1of the barrel race and finished second in the next three rounds at the National Finals Rodeo at Caboolture and won round 4 of breakaway roping to win the all around and barrel racing titles.

Caban won the barrel race at the richest rodeo in the nation at Mt Isa earlier this month from Rachel Little, of Wandoan (Qld) and Fitzpatrick.

Tamworth rider Phillipa Leys finished in the top 15 in barrel racing last year as Northern New South Wales riders mixed it with the best.

This weekend, plenty of Queensland riders are heading to Darwin for a Saturday rodeo, including Hughenden couple Clancy and Tenielle Middleton.

After living at Emerald in Queensland for five years, the Middleton’s have just moved north to Hughenden and the family cattle property.

While Emerald was well positioned for the pair to compete on the rodeo circuit, Clancy is happy to be back in the north.

It is a new experience for Tenielle but she is happy to leave children Heidi 4, and Beau, 2, with Clancy’s parents for a short time to enable her to spend more time working young horses on the family property.

“There are so many community events up here,” she said.

There is a fair bit of training to do as they have five horses on the trip to Darwin, three for Clancy to ride in the timed events and two for Tenielle in cowgirl events.

After competing at Richmond on the last weekend in July, they have competed at Cloncurry and Mt Isa rodeos in north-west Queensland and last weekend at Katherine in the Northern Territory.

“I haven’t had a bad start to this season,” he said.

At the weekend, he was second in steer wrestling at Katherine after combining with Brody Moss to win team roping round 2 and aggregate at Mt Isa and coming fourth in the rope and tie. Tenielle was third in round 1 of the barrel racing at Mt Isa.

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