PALMER WINS GOLD CUP
CAMPDRAFTING: Coolah rider Troy Palmer won a four-way run off to win the Warwick Gold Cup campdraft yesterday.
Regarded as the Melbourne Cup of campdrafting, Palmer rode Whos Devine to victory with a score of 87 in the run off.
The competition started with 926 combinations and there were 38 combinations left when the final started just after noon on Sunday. All finalists had a score of 174 and above in the first two rounds.
Allora rider Sam Campbell was second into the arena, scoring 88 on The Braes Windsong for a three-round score of 262 and the early lead.
Chinchilla horsewoman Shari Knudsen was next and went to the front with 266 on Donald.
She held the lead until Glen Innes rider Tom Williamson, who was 14th into the arena, scored 91 on One Moore Romance for a total of 267 and the lead.
Eight combinations later, he was joined by Capella rider Steve Comiskey on Delta with 267.
Scott Bandy from Tooma (NSW) was the second last of 38 and made it a four-way tie with 267 on Roc CD.
In the run off, Palmer scored 87 to secure a convincing win. Bandy scored 83, Comiskey 79 and Williamson 23 in the run off.
Two Allora riders made the final, Sam Campbell who finished with 262 and his wife Sarah Campbell who went into the final with 177 on Yugilbar Can Roc Again but didn’t get a course score in the final.
Other major winners
COOYAR bull rider Jack McArthur won his first national title in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.
Pro tour champion Brad Pierce from Tooma (NSW) won another saddle bronc title in the APRA after a starring performance this weekend in Warwick.
Former Gore ride Fred Osman who now calls Cameron’s Corner in south west Queensland home won three rounds of the bareback to win his second APRA title.
In timed events, Emerald cowboy Campbell Hodson combined with Liam Davison from Charters Towers to win team roping while Caboolture cowboy Lachlan O’Neill won the title in steer wrestling.
The biggest win on the final day of the Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals was 16-year-old Emerald rider Ellysa Kenny who won the barrel racing and all around titles. She is a current APRA junior champion and has now won open and junior titles in the same year.
Alton Downs rider Jorja Iker was first in breakaway roping.
Results from the four rounds of the finals in Warwick were added to results from the pro tour to determine title winners.