Women battle it out for all around cowgirl
THERE are four rodeos in Victoria and four in Queensland on the Easter long weekend, as two cowgirls battle for the lead in Australian Professional Rodeo Association all around standings.
New South Wales has one Easter Rodeo at Deniliquin on April 15.
At the start of March, Bunyip (Victoria) rider Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent led the all around cowgirl standings from Emerald (Qld) rider Leanne Caban.
O’Donoghue-Kent is the current APRA all around champion and has a solid lead in pro tour standings.
Unless she decides to head north at Easter, O’Donoghue-Kent will have four rodeos in Victoria to contest in quest of championship points.
She also leads the barrel racing standings from Murrurundi (NSW) rider Jo Caldwell.
Caban leads the breakaway roping standings and is second behind O’Donoghue-Kent in all around cowgirl standings.
She will have hometown advantage at two rodeos, the Emerald Destiny Downs Timed Event Fiesta on Good Friday and the Emerald Easter Sunflower Festival Rodeo on Easter Saturday.
Caban is also expected to compete in the Roma Rodeo on Easter Sunday.
Lockington rider Cherie O’Donoghue is a past multiple all around cowgirl title winner and is third on the standings just in front of Caldwell.
The Queensland Easter action starts with the Roma Xtreme Bulls at Bassett Park on Good Friday.
Rough stock riders will compete at Emerald on the Saturday and Roma on the Sunday.
All riders in action at Easter will be aiming to secure championship points in the battle for top 15 spots and qualification for the Warwick Rodeo National Finals on October 26–29.