Final chance at titles
FOUR bull riders from Queensland will battle it out with cowboys from New South Wales and Victoria for the Australian Professional Rodeo Association title buckle later this month.
The best 15 competitors in eight events will contest the Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals on October 26–29 at the Warwick Showgrounds.
While all 15 have the chance to win the title buckle, the top six in the bull ride have won significantly more prizemoney.
A winner in the bull ride at Mt Isa, Stanwell (Qld) rider Jared Borghero won the pro tour bull ride title from New South Wales bull rider Ben Thorp from Young.
Cooyar (Qld) rider Jack McArthur is one of the biggest improvers in the APRA and is ranked third, just in front of Jake Whalan from Giru in north Queensland.
Sam Woodall from the Gippsland area in Victoria is ranked fifth going into the national finals, just ahead of Sally Malay who is originally from the Kimberleys in Western Australia but now calls Longreach in Queensland home.
Jay Borghero, a brother of Jared, has also placed at Mt Isa and goes into the national finals ranked 12th, while Sam Champ from Meldale just north of Brisbane is the last qualifier for the finals but will have to place in at least three rounds to have any chance to win the title.
Rarely does a bull rider make time on all his bulls in the national finals, so placings will largely come down to which riders can record a time in the most rounds at Warwick.
Rounds of the Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals start at 6pm Thursday, October 26, 6pm on Friday, 6pm Saturday and 2pm Sunday.
Tickets at the gate and online via www.warwickshow androdeo.com.au.