MORE than 2000 riders in total have nominated for the 11 Australian Professional Rodeo Association rodeos at Easter.
The largest numbers are in the two full championship points rodeo in Queensland at Emerald on Easter Saturday and Roma on Easter Sunday.
For the first time, there are five rodeos and timed event competitions in Queensland at Easter.
Shane Iker is a past all around title winner in the APRA and will face some of his toughest opposition from another all around champion Campbell Hodson.
Iker is based at Alton Downs in Queensland and Hodson calls Emerald home after moving from Townsville where he first rose to prominence as a timed event star.
Most competitors in the APRA have chosen to either compete in Queensland or compete in rodeos in both NSW and Victoria.
Bunyip (Vic) cowgirl Shianne O'Donoghue Kent is a past all around title winner in the APRA and will take some beating on a weekend there are four rodeos in Victoria and two in New South Wales.
She will face some of her toughest opposition from NSW and former Roma rider Teneille Angland, a past barrel racing champion in the APRA.
There are more than 20 cowgirls in each event at most of the six Victoria and NSW rodeos at Easter.
In the saddle bronc ride, Teneille's husband Cody Angland will start favourite in the southern rodeos.
His toughest opposition could come from Wandoan cowboy Cameron Webster, the current champion in the APRA. Webster is one of a small number of Queensland riders trying their luck down south at Easter.
Last year, Cody won the first round of the national finals in Warwick and split third in another round.
SA cowboy Tom Willoughby and Victorian star Terry Evison will go head-to-head in the steer wrestling and rope and tie on the Easter Run.
Willoughby has also nominated for the bareback bronc ride, his best event to date this season.
He doesn't often nominate for all his five events at one rodeo but is the only cowboy to regularly ride in more than three events on the circuit.
As well as his three events at Great Western Rodeo in Victoria on Easter Saturday, Willoughby competes in the bull ride and team roping.
Easter Program:
April 19: Destiny Downs Timed Event Fiesta, Qld
April 19: Xtreme Bulls, Roma, Qld
April 19: Great Western Rodeo, Victoria
April 20: Emerald Easter Rodeo, Qld
April 20: Deniliquin Rodeo, N SW
April 20: Omeo Rodeo, Victoria
April 21: Buchan Rodeo,Victoria
April 21: Barooga Rodeo, NSW
April 21: Roma Rodeo, Qld
April 22: Lang Lang Rodeo, Victoria
April 22: Ayers Timed Event Rodeo, Roma, Qld
