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“I want to be the first person to win the Quick Shears on the Saturday at the St George Show and then win one of my rodeo events on the Sunday of the show.

“I expect a lot of hometown support in my shearing and riding at St George.”

He is now shearing an average of 130 sheep a day.

“Shearing is good fitness for my rodeo riding, my boss wants me to go in the Quick Shears,” he said.

He had his last win on the APRA circuit when he won the open saddle bronc ride on Gill Brothers horse Cajun Man at the Wangaratta Rodeo in Victoria in February, 2020.

Southern competes in two events on the circuit, the bull ride and saddle bronc.

“I prefer the bull ride but people tell me I am better at saddle bronc,” he said.

Gill Brothers are the contractors for the St George Show Rodeo, and Southern is hoping to draw Cajun Man in the saddle bronc.”

At times, Southern travels with the Gill Brothers contracting team and helps set up the arenas and works with the stock.

But at this stage, he plans to stick to shearing as his main income.

He made the APRA finals in the bull ride in 2019 and is aiming to make the finals in both saddle bronc and bull rides this year.

The top-15 in all APRA events will make the national finals rodeo in late October in Warwick.

Southern is currently sitting second in rookie saddle bronc standings behind Hughenden rider Gavin Fry.

He rode time on his bull for a minor placing on Good Friday at Roma.

Southern is home in St George most nights while he is shearing but when the team heads as far west at Quilpie, they camp in the shearers quarters.

His brother Matt also competed on the circuit but has now retired from rodeo.

Last weekend, many of the riders nominated for St George competed at the Moree Show Rodeo.

There were 25 nominations for saddle bronc at Moree with Queensland rider Jack McKenzie and New South Wales cowboy Josh Barnett splitting first with scores of 78.

Queensland rider Matthew Makinson has made his comeback to the sport this year and won the bareback bronc ride at Moree. Earlier in the year, he scored 85 in the bareback to win at Roma at Easter.

A past APRA national title winner, Makinson is aiming to win another title in October this year.

The bull ride at Moree was won by Braidwood (NSW) rider Michael Johnson with the only score in the event, 74.

There are 24 nominations for the open saddle bronc at St George and 13 in the novice saddle bronc.

APRA program:

May 2: St George Show Rodeo (Qld)

May 15: Callide Valley, Biloela, Rodeo (Qld)

May 22: Nebo Rodeo (Qld)

Standings leaders

All Around Cowboy and Team Roping Header – Terry Evison (Victoria)

Saddle Bronc – Greg Hamilton (Qld)

Bull Ride – Lawson Nobbs (Qld)

Bareback – Cody Tyrrell (Victoria)