Dave Single jnr is currently enjoying a break from his fitter/machinist trade to do some station work for former rodeo champ Glenn Morgan.
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But of a weekend, the Moree-raised Single closes the Morgan gates and joins his bullriding mates to travel the rodeo circuit.
This weekend the 21-year-old and another seven of his Tamworth bullriding buddies will be part of the 35-strong field of cowboys to tackle Happy and Peter Gill’s meanest string in the Tamworth P & A Challenge of Champions Bullride at the indoor arena.
Single admits he’s won nothing major yet, but can boast victories at various smaller rodeos around the area.
His latest successes include the Gundagai Shoot Out Top 5 and the Guyra bullride but he couldn’t make it the hat-trick at the recent Armidale Rodeo. He was beaten into second spot by his younger brother, 17-year-old Adam Single.
“I was going good, thought I had it won, but Adam up and beat me,” Single said.
All 35 riders will face some of the meanest bulls currently on the circuit during tomorrow and Saturday’s rounds, and Saturday’s final.
Heading the list are Happy Gill’s Akubra Insanity and Peter Gill’s Earthquake, both titleholding bucking bulls in more than one rodeo association.
Like all the young cowboys who hope to stay the required eight seconds on the writhing T-Bones, Single loves the “adrenalin rush” of bullriding. And to get that rush, he likes to draw one of the better known bulls for security in earning points.
“Earthquake is the ultimate bull. He’s big and powerful but bucks like a smaller bull,” he said.
“I’d like to get on Low Voltage again. I won on him at Guyra. He’s got a real skipping motion, and double kicks in front, trying to tip the rider out over his head.”
Akubra Insanity is also a bull the riders love to draw.
“If you can ride him, you’ll win.”
Other Tamworth cowboys to pull on the boots in this weekend’s challenge are Wes Brooker, who travelled to America last year for the High Schools National Finals Rodeo, Leon Crosson, Riley Carter, Ty Dawson, Todd Brooker, former Western Australian Dallas Fielder, Justin Simmons and Quirindi’s Paul Rock.
Meanwhile, one cowboy keen for a good run tomorrow and Saturday will be Inverell teenager Brett Pagden, who will celebrate his 19th birthday next month.
The apprentice builder will use the challenge as a fine-tuner for next week’s bullride, part of the Australian Bushmen’s Campdraft & Rodeo Association’s Telstra National Finals Rodeo at the indoor.
Pagden will be fresh from an 82-pointer and second placing on Nail Ya at last weekend’s Gloucester Rodeo.
