AFTER winning the all around and rope and tie titles in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association National Finals Rodeo early this month, Queensland cowboy Shane Iker has the chance to continue his fine form in eight rodeos in Queensland in the next three months.
Iker hails from Alton Downs near Rockhampton and doesn’t let distance stand in the way of competing in the sport he loves.
This weekend, APRA action moves to Bundaberg and Maleny. (May 30-31)
The first rodeo of the weekend is on Friday night at Bundaberg and many of the stars of the sport from Central Queensland are set to travel south in quest of early season points. There are 100 nominations at Bundaberg including 16 in the open bull ride.
The 2014 pro tour ended at Easter just before the finals with the top 15 in each event competing at Caboolture.
Some of the best bull riders in the nation will be at Maleny on Saturday for a night bull ride.
The APRA has introduced a new system for determining placings at the National Finals Rodeo next year with riders given some carryover points for pro tour success going into the finals.
Previous finals were sudden death with each of the 15 qualifiers starting on zero points at the finals. At the end of the 2015 season, riders will take some points into the finals but the points system is designed to give the 15th placed qualifier a chance to win the title with an outstanding finals series.
After this weekend, rodeo action will head north to Bowen River on June 7-8 and then APRA competitors have a break to July 19 when the Northern Run starts at Taroom.
APRA Rodeo Program: May 24 Nebo; May 30 Bundaberg; May 31 Maleny Bull Ride; June 7-8 Bowen River; July 19 Taroom; July 26 Longreach; July 27 Richmond; August 1-3 Cloncurry; August 8-10 Mt Isa; August 15 Daly Waters (NT); August 16 Katherine (NT); August 23 Darwin (NT).