PAST Australian Professional Rodeo Association bull ride champion Jason O’Hearn is the early leader in standings this season.
O’Hearn hails from Rothbury, NSW and has almost three times the prize money of the second-placed rider Jake Whalan, who works the rodeo circuit out of Queensland. Former Warwick Rodeo bull ride champion Troy Wilkinson is third in the standings.
This weekend’ s only rodeo is at Ulverstone in Tasmania on Saturday.
Riders from Tasmania have done much better in the APRA this season than in the past.
All competitors are aiming to finish in the top 15 and qualify for the nationals finals that are likely to be in October.
The new season started on October 1 and after four months of the season, Springsure rider Cody Angland is the standings leader in saddle bronc. Angland leads two NSW riders Tim Hammond and Tom Kerr with Wandoan rider Cameron Webster fourth.
Queensland rider Deon Lane leads the bareback bronc ride standings from the toughest man in rodeo Tom Willoughby. Rarely does a competitor go in more than three events but Willoughby works five events, two rough stock and three in the timed events.
He goes in steer wrestling, the rope and tie and team roping as well as two rough stock events, the bull ride and bareback bronc ride.
With five events, Willoughby has the potential to win the all around cowboy pro tour buckle for most money won in the season. He is currently in fourth place and in range of all around leader Clay Bush from Yass in New South Wales.
There are five Tasmanians in the top-20 in all around cowboy standings, Dylan Clark in 12th spot, Try King in 14th spot. Ty’s father Gary King is in 18th spot, one behind fellow Tasmanian Luke Hamilton.
Nicholas Newman and all Tasmanian riders have the chance at Ulverstone this Saturday to improve his APRA all around cowboy standing from 20th spot.
Top 20 in APRA all around standings
Clay Bush NSW
Shane Kenny Qld
Campbell Hodson Qld
Tom Willoughby SA
Cody Angland Qld
Darcy Kersh Qld
Terry Evison Vic
Lee Kimber Vic
Mitch Eastwell Qld
Cody Tyrrell Vic
Jace Land Qld
Dylan Clark Tas
Daniel Pearson SA
Ty King Tas
Corey Heath NSW
Peter Allen SA
Luke Hamilton Tas
Gary King Tas
Heath Nichols NSW
Nicholas Newman Tas
Rodeo program
February 2 – Ulverstone Twilight Rodeo, Tasmania
February 9 – Ballarat Rodeo, Victoria
February 9 – Xtreme Bulls Rodeo at K Ranch, Mt Hunter, NSW
February 9 – Wagga Wagga Rodeo, NSW
February 16 – Lillico Rodeo, Tasmania
Februart 23 – Narrandera Rodeo, NSW
February 23 – Whittlesea Rodeo, Victoria