VIC RIDERS TOP CHANCES FOR RODEO TITLES

Photo of Terry Evison by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Photo of Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Photo of Elley Hulls by Dave Ethell – www.dephotos.com.au

Victorian riders from Pine Grove, Nilma North, Lockington, Bunyip and Leongatha top chances for rodeo titles

PINE Grove cowboy Terry Evison has the chance to win his first Australian Professional Rodeo Association All Around Cowboy title in the October 27-30 Nationals Finals at the Warwick Showgrounds.

The top 15 in all eight APRA events will do battle over four rounds in The Carlton Dry Warwick Rodeo National Finals.

Evison finished on top of the APRA All Around standings in the 2015-2016 season. He was first in Team Roping header standings, second in Steer Wrestling and third in the Rope and Tie.

He has won two Team Roping titles, one as a header with Nilma North (Vic) cowboy Aaron Bookluck and one as a heeler in 2014 with Calvert (Qld) cowboy Jesse Townsend.

Bookluck has won two national titles in Team Roping and will combine this year with Griffith (NSW) rider Heath Litchfield, a three-times title winner.

APRA executive chairman Lee Kimber (Lockington, Vic) is ranked second in the Rope and Tie, fifth in Steer Wrestling and sixth in Team Roping heeler standings and has a good chance to add to his two National Finals title wins.

Victorian riders are set to challenge for titles in cowgirl events.

Going into the finals, Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent from Bunyip is ranked first in Barrel Racing while Elley Hulls, of Leongatha, is on top of the standings in Breakaway Roping.

Some of the toughest opposition for both leaders could come from Lockington (Vic) rider Cherie O’Donoghue who is ranked second in Breakaway Roping and sixth in the Barrel Race.

O’Donoghue has won nine titles in the APRA, six All Around Cowgirl titles and three in Breakaway Roping. She is the defending titleholder in Breakaway Roping.

The National Finals rounds in Warwick will be held on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights of the Warwick Rodeo and the Sunday afternoon. Second-division and junior events will also be held in Warwick at the October 27-30 rodeo.

Top three for finals: Saddle bronc: 1 John McNamee (Millmerran, Qld), 2 Greg Hamilton (Mitchell, Qld), 3 Peter Moffatt (Millmerran, Qld)

Bull ride: 1 Jason O’Hearn (Tamworth, NSW), 2 Ben Thorp (Young, NSW), 3 Mitchell Paton (Nebo, Qld)

Bareback: 1 Ben Hall (Tumbarumba, NSW), 2 Parrish May (Mitchell, Qld), 3 Cody Tyrrell (Tongala, Vic)

Rope and Tie: 1 Shane Kenny (Emerald, Qld), 2 Lee Kimber (Lockington, Vic), 3 Terry Evison (Pine Grove, Vic)

Steer Wrestling: 1 Errol Frain (Yeppoon, Qld), 2 Terry Evison (Pine Grove, Vic), 3 Shane Iker (Alton Downs, Qld)

Team Roping Header: 1 Terry Evison (Pine Grove, Vic), 2 Clancy Middleton (Hughenden, Qld), 3 Heath Litchfield (Griffith, NSW)

Team Roping Heeler: 1 Aaron Bookluck (Nilma North, Vic), 2  Corey Heath (Tabbita, NSW), 3 Cameron Milner (Rockhampton, Qld)

Barrel Racing: 1 Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent (Bunyip, Vic), 2 Stephanie Gard (Albury, NSW), 3 Adele Edwards (Nangus, NSW)

Breakaway Roping: 1 Elley Hulls (Leongatha, Vic), 2 Cherie O’Donoghue (Lockington, Vic), 3 Stephanie Gard (Albury, NSW)

For more information or photos, please call APRA office on 07 4661 8183