A RECORD crowd turned out for the ABCRA Junior Finals at the Australian Livestock and Events Centre (AELEC) on Wednesday night with a swag full of locals coming home with the goods after a fierce night and season of competition.
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There were 1080 tickets sold before eight o’clock, with near another 200 wandering in after that to see the final runs.
Caller Adam Hone said it is the biggest crowd he has ever seen at the junior finals and a great sign of things to come for the senior National Finals which kicked off last night and finishes tomorrow.
“It was a great night with some great riding,” Hone said.
The event is the last on the circuit, with both National Finals winners awarded for the two days of competition in Tamworth, as well as overall National Champions for the year in each event, and Overall Cowboy and Cowgirl for the best across all events.
Moonbi’s Bianca Canham took the All Round Cowgirl for both the finals and the year after an impressive season of barrel racing and breakaway roping.
Cassilis’s Thomas Nash did the same in the cowboys.
He also took out the 2014 8 to 11-year-old Steer Riding, with his brother Taine doing the same in the 11 to 14 year- olds.
After taking runner-up in last year’s 14-18-year-old steer riding, Hallsville cowboy Nick Penrose went one better, taking out the national championship for the year, although he was unable to beat an awesome 78-point ride on the night from Tamworth’s Daniel Rogan.
Bendemeer’s Riley Reid also nailed a 78-pointer to take out the 8-11-year-old final.
Another Tamworth winner was breakaway roper Anna Crisp, who roped her steers in a lightning 3.45 seconds on Tuesday night and then 3.89 seconds on Wednesday night to take out the average winner for the finals, although a lightning-quick 2.86 second rope from Coolah’s Jonty Raaen won the night, however it was Tamworth’s Jackson Dening who went home with the 2014 championship.
Jonty’s brother Linden Raaen took out the best finals average for the 8-11-year-old steer ride.
Hone believes the best ride of the night belonged to Tarcutta cowgirl Kylie Coates.
Coates took out both nights of the 14-18-year-old barrel racing finals with consistent times of 18.07 and then 18.02 seconds.
She was awarded the five time Australian champion Bianca Hertel Scholarship for her efforts, although couldn’t unseat Bianca Canham for the national title.
The great rides and great crowds will continue right through the weekend, with plenty of current and former Australian champions looking to get finals wins and the national title.
Walcha’s Carl Green was 2012 All Round Cowboy and has his eyes set on another title competing in the saddle bronc and bull ride.
Green is only $400 behind Western Australia leader Wade McCarthy and is tipped to get in front after recently winning in Wingham and in his home event.
“He is hotter than a bank robber’s pistol at the moment,” Hone said.
The caller is also looking forward to watching five-time Australian champion Dee Heineman go around in the bareback, as well as last season’s All Round Cowboy Heath Nicholls.
Willow Tree’s four-time national champion and local legend Nichole Fitzpatrick is a class above the pack in the ladies and is heavy favourite to take the title again.
Tickets are still available although a packed house is expected tomorrow night.
