Rodeo: Ty Parkinson and Brady Smith crowned APRA national champions

"I didn't see it coming but had a great finals," Parkinson admitted.

'Great' could almost be construed as an understatement.

The Moonbi cowboy only just snuck into the finals, which wrapped up on the weekend after two weekends of competition, qualifying in 22^nd.

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But he pulled out his skills when it counted, placing in all four rounds

He won the first, was second in both the second and third rounds and third in the fourth to secure the average title, which was enough to vault him to the top of the rankings.

Settling back into the Aussie circuit after returning from six years in America last January, Parkinson said the goal going into the finals was just to catch his four calves and tie them down.

He also partnered Brady Smith in the team roping, helping the former Bendemeer, now Singleton-based cowboy, win the team roping header title.

Parkinson is himself a former team roping champion, winning the APRA rookie heeler buckle in 2011. He is also a multiple Australian Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) champion and while in the states was crowned the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) world champion heeler and world all-round champion (the first Australian to do so).

Reflecting on his six years over there, the 30-year old said it was "a great time".

"It was a great experience, there's a lot of new things going on over there and I got a little bit more education about roping," he said.

For Smith winning the title was the realisation of a long-held dream.

"It's pretty unbelievable," he said.

"I'm still a bit lost for words."

"It was really good to finally get there."

He recounted "plenty of times" where he had gone into finals in the running but had just "never had that luck to get there".

The pressure was on with the 27-year old ranked No.1 in the header standings going into the finals, but only about $1000 in front, which with the money on offer left little room for error.

Fortunately he "didn't have too bad a finals".

He missed his second steer, waved it off, which he thought could have "potentially lost it (the title)" but places in the final two rounds was enough for he and Parkinson to place in the average and enough for Smith to hold onto top spot.

They were part of a strong contingent of local cowboys and cowgirls that competed at the finals.

Parkinson has stayed down there and is going to do the Victorian run.

"After this weekend there's one (rodeo) every weekend," he said.

He is also instructing at a few roping schools down there.

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