RODEO
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AUSTRALIA’S best 90 cowboys and cowgirls battled it out last night at the Junior National Rodeo Finals at the AELEC.
The juniors compete over two days and three events as a curtain raiser to the ABCRA’s biggest weekend of the year, the National Finals.
All year the young athletes travel around the circuit accruing points in steer riding, barrel racing and breakaway roping.
The top 15 cowboys and cowgirls in each of the two age groups are invited to Tamworth to battle it out to become National Champion.
While the points carry through to an overall champion for the year, round winners and National Finals winners are also awarded.
Amazingly after a night of intense competition on Tuesday the national rankings stayed exactly the same going into last night’s finals.
The Tamworth region is well represented in all three events and age groups.
Breakaway roper Jackson Denning is going into the final ranked number one with a lead of 40 points to second place Brent Parkinson.
Nick Penrose is another local with one hand on the trophy leading the steer riding rankings by over 28 points.
Penrose has big dreams of riding big bulls on the big circuit and a win or place in the junior finals will take him a big step closer to realising that dream.
Attunga’s Jessie Glass was also looking for a big ride to top off a big week, after helping to organise and then ride in Jordan Lane Robb’s charity rodeo and auction.
Glass is best mates with the fallen star, and was riding for his injured mate last night.
Bendemeer’s Riley Reid and Tamworth’s Colby Edgar, Daniel Rogan and Braith Nock will also be looking for a big ride to take the steer-riding title.
Moonbi brother and sister duo Bianca and Matt Canham are both in with a good shot as well with Bianca 34 points clear at the top of the barrel racing rankings.
Tamworth’s Polly Gardner, Annah Sullivan and Taylor McAlister will be hoping to unseat Canham, while Blake Christie and Shaelynn Hernando are in with a shot at the 11-14 year old barrel race title.
Matt is going into the 11-14 year old barrel race ranked third, although will have to aim to win the finals with Sophie Crawley having the overall title essentially wrapped up with a huge lead.
The event is the biggest on the junior and senior circuits, with both drawing big crowds to the AELEC over the week.
The junior titles will finish with a Pony Buck Jump, with kids as young as six holding on to the ponys as they are let loose around the arena for charity.
The event has already raised over $5000 for Camp Quality with that figure expected to rise overnight and through the senior finals.