QUEENSLAND competitors are expected to support the New Year's Eve Rodeo at Mitchell in large numbers.
The rodeo is for championship points in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association and will be held at the Mitchell RSL and Combined Sports Club grounds.
It is the first rodeo in Queensland in the new APRA season which started on October 1.
Queensland riders will be aiming for early placings as they start their quest for championship points to finish in the top 15 and qualify for the national finals on the last weekend in October next year in Warwick.
Bucking stock will be provided for the Mitchell Rodeo on December 31 by Upper Horton (NSW) contractors Malcolm and Eddie Gill.
Shane and Leanne Kenny, from Destiny Cattle Company at Emerald, are contractors for the timed event stock.
Mitchell cowboy Greg Hamilton will be one of the riders to watch in the saddle bronc.
He qualified for this year's Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals and was fourth in round 3.
Some of his toughest opposition at his hometown rodeo will come from Wandoan cowboy Cameron Webster.
Webster won the aggregate at this year's national finals.
The bull ride is always one of the most popular events in rodeo and Roma rider Lane Howlett will be one of the favourites at Mitchell.
The next rodeo in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association is the Myrtleford Golden Spurs Rodeo on December 26 in north east Victoria.
John P. Gill from The Rock near Wagga Wagga (NSW) is the stock contractor at Myrtleford.
The Myrtleford Rodeo is the first of nine in Victoria, NSW and SA in 17 days as part of the Christmas Run, the biggest run in the APRA.
Former Queensland and now Lockington (Vic) cowboy Lee Kimber is likely to go in most of the Christmas Run Rodeos.
He was fourth in round 2 of the steer wrestling in this year's Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals.
There are two rodeos in Tasmania during the Christmas/New Year period, the Smithton Rodeo and Stockmans Challenge on December 30-31 and the Carrick Bull Ride and Rodeo Spectacular on January 11.
Program:
December 26: Myrtleford Golden Spurs Rodeo (V ic)
December 27: Yarrawonga Rodeo (Vic)
December 28: Carrieton Rodeo (SA)
December 30-31: Smithton Rodeo and Stockmans Challenge (Tas)
December 31: Tallangatta Rodeo (Vic)
December 31: Mitchell New Year's Eve Rodeo (Qld)
January 1: Tumbarumba Rodeo (NSW)
January 3: Finley (NSW)
January 4: Wangaratta Wrangler Rodeo Series Round 1 (Vic)
January 5: K Ranch Rodeo (NSW)
January 11: Alexandra Pro Rodeo (Victoria)
January 11: Carrick Bull Ride and Rodeo Spectacular (Tas)
