LEADERS FROM ALTON DOWNS & TABLE TOP

Photo of Jordan Iker by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Photo of Ellie Gard by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

RIDERS from Alton Downs and Table Top are the leaders in junior standings going into the Australian Professional Rodeo Association Junior National Finals Rodeo at Emerald on July 8-9.

For the second year running the junior finals will be held at the Emerald Showgrounds.

It will be a bumper weekend of rodeo action as the Emerald Ag Grow Rodeo will be on July 9.

Jordan Iker from Alton Downs was a narrow winner in the battle for the junior high point cowboy award in the season which ended on April 30.

Iker competed strongly in breakaway roping and in the steer ride to win most money for the season while also starring at open level.

Ellie Gard hails from Table Top near Albury in southern New South Wales and almost won twice as much money as the next best in the junior barrel race.

She also competed in breakaway roping.

Both Iker and Gard have qualified for The Warwick Rodeo National Finals in open ranks in October.

Iker is in the rope and tie open final and was ranked 18^th in team roping header standings so won’t compete unless three qualifiers withdraw which is highly unlikely.

Gard is ranked fourth in the open barrel race in the APRA, two spots behind older sister Stephanie.

Competitors will have three rounds to build up points in the battle for title buckles at the junior finals in Emerald.

The first performance will be at 7pm on the Friday and then at 4pm and 7pm on the Saturday with open events in between.

The open rodeo at Emerald will be the first on the Northern Run with rodeos to follow on July 30 at Taroom, August 5-6 at Cloncurry and August 12-14 at the Mt Isa Rotary Rodeo.