Emerald Rodeo event to be a cracking time
CHARTERS Towers rider Darcy Kersh will be one of the favourites for the Junior National Finals Rodeo at the Emerald Showgrounds on Friday and Saturday.
The Junior National Finals Series in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association puts the top 10 in each event head to head over three rounds.
Kersh is on top of the standings in breakaway roping, rope and tie and team roping header standings and is a strong chance to win the buckle for Junior All-Around Champion.
Riverslea (Victoria) rider Dylan Richardson is the leader going into the finals in the junior steer ride.
Ellie Gard (Lavington, NSW) heads the barrel racing standings and Kobe Miller (Warwick, Queensland) is the leader in team roping heeler standings.
The Junior National Finals rounds are at the Emerald Showgrounds at 7pm Friday and 5pm and 7pm Saturday and will be held in conjunction with an open rodeo on Saturday from 6pm.
Springsure rider Allan Powell will start favourite for the open saddle bronc after winning two rounds at last year’s Warwick Rodeo National Finals.
Powell won the average at the finals in Warwick with a score of 299 in the four rounds. He is currently ninth in this season’s standings.
The Emerald Rodeo on Saturday is the first of six on the Northern Run in the APRA which ends at Mt Isa on August 11–13.
Four of the best timed event stars in the nation will be in action in open events at the Emerald Rodeo on Saturday.
Emerald rider Shane Kenny will start favourite in the roping at Emerald but won’t get it all his own way, with young gun Campbell Hodson from Townsville set to provide some of the toughest opposition.
Current APRA All Around Champion Shane Iker will compete, along with Hughenden cowboy Clancy Middleton. There are 232 nominations for the rodeo.