TOOMA cowboy Brad Pierce will be one of the favourites for rough stock events at Finley and Wangaratta rodeos this weekend.
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The Finley Rodeo is on Friday and Wangaratta, the last on the Christmas Run in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association, is on Saturday.
Pierce started the Christmas Run with an equal first in saddle bronc at Myrtleford in Victoria on Boxing Day.
He scored 83, the same as Millmerran (Qld) rider Peter Moffatt.
Wantabadgery, cowboy Cody Angland was third after scoring 77 and Strathalbyn, South Australia, rider Glen Kent, fourth on 75.
Kent was returning to the saddle after breaking his arm in round three of the National Finals Rodeo at the Gold Coast in June.
Moffatt has drawn the Garry McPhee horse Roach and Pierce will be on Diana Doll at Finley on Friday.
The final rodeo on the APRA Christmas Run is at Wangaratta on Saturday and Moffatt will be on the John Gill horse Fiery Skies and Pierce on North Star.
At both rodeos, Moffatt and Pierce will face their toughest opposition from current APRA all around champion Rhys Angland, of Wantabadgery.
Kurt Shepherd, of Atherton, Queensland, was one of the riders to travel the furthest to Myrtleford and make it all worthwhile with a score of 81 on Black Dog in the open bull ride to win by four points from New Zealand rider Fraser Babbington.
Ben Hall, of Tumburumba, NSW, was third on a score of 76.
Upper Horton, NSW, rider Brock Mulhall won the bareback bronc ride at Myrtleford with a score of 79.
Other winners were Terry Evison (Nilma North, Vic) in the rope and tie with a time of 4.1 seconds, Wagga Wagga steer wrestler Todd Hensley with 3.95 seconds and the two Lee’s in team roping, Lee Kimber, of Lockington, Victoria, and Lee Shegog, of Guanaba, Queensland. Kym Ash, of Comet, Queensland, won the breakaway roping in 2.35 seconds.
It was a battle of two of the best in the sport in the barrel race with Adele Edwards, of Gundagai, first in 16.845 seconds from APRA standings leader Leslie Moore, of Denman, NSW.
Edwards and Moore will be head-to-head again at Finley on Friday in a field of 45.
In all around cowgirl standings in the APRA, Edwards leads narrowly from Charlwood (Qld) rider Kerry Turner and Victorian star Cherie O’Donoghue, of Lockington.
Strong fields have entered for the Wangaratta Rodeo on Saturday.
APRA PROGRAM: January 4 Finley (NSW); January 5 Wangaratta (Vic); January 19 Stony Creek (Vic), Ulverstone (Tas); January 26 Wilmington (SA), Harveydale (Tas).
More information APRA head office 07 4661 8183.