THEY’RE two of the toughest events on the rodeo program but Walcha’s Carl Green has proven himself the best amateur bullrider and saddlebronc rider in the country.
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He’s also the top allround cowboy.
The 24-year-old had a memorable year on the ABCRA circuit last year and was on Sunday crowned the All Round Cowboy and bullride and saddlbronc national champion for the year.
They are his first national titles, although he was the all round rookie cowboy in 2009.
Now he’s “the” all round cowboy.
“I always thought I’d like to win it but I never thought I would,” he said.
He carried a pretty good lead into the finals but could have been overtaken.
But he would have had to have been “very unlucky”.
The bullride and saddlebronc he already had sewn up.
“I’ve been very lucky on both,” he said.
“I’ve had about eight or nine bull ride wins and won 15 bronc rides for the year.”
Unfortunately he wasn’t able to ride on all four nights of the finals, which ruled him out of average contention.
He withdrew from the final round after suffering a bruised lung and ribs during the bull ride on the Thursday night.
“I rode Friday but couldn’t do it again,” he said.
This years finals was Green’s fourth and he’s started the campaign off for a fifth in pretty good fashion.
“I’ve already had a win,” he said.
“I won the bronc at Wingham and won the bull ride at Camden Haven the next day.”
He is looking to this year try his luck overseas.
“I’m planning to go to Canada in May,” Green said.
While he was the most successful cowboy, Willow Tree’s Nichole Fitzpatrick dominated the women’s events.
She won the All Round national title and national finals (title), and the steer undecorating and breakaway roping titles.
Heath Nichols was another multiple title winner.
He made it back to back rope and tie titles, and also topped the standings in the steer wrestling.
He was also the finals rope and tie champion.
It was the perfect birthday present, with Nichols turning 21 on the final night of the finals.
He celebrated by winning the steer wrestling round.
The ABCRA was thrilled with how the week went off.
“It was awesome,” ABCRA general manager Di Hallam said.
“The slight change to the campdraft worked well.”
“We ran three events under lights.”
They did that on the Friday night.
“The feedback from the campdrafters has been very positive,” she said.
It worked out well for spectators too.
“What happened was people were taking in a bit of rodeo and a bit of draft,” Hallam said.
She said it really showcased what they are about.
The junior finals got things underway on Monday.
Then from Wednesday to Saturday it was the senior finals, with the campdraft on Friday and Saturday.
