ONE of the young guns in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association will be the cowgirl to watch at the Ballarat Rodeo this Saturday.
Bunyip rider Shianne O’Donoghue-Kent wasn’t in the top-20 in APRA all around cowgirl standings at Christmas and has now moved into fourth after success on the Christmas Run in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.
She moved from ninth to second in barrel racing standings to secure a spot in the nationals finals at the Warwick Australian Championships Rodeo on October 22-25.
O’Donoghue-Kent won’t get it all her own way at Ballarat as fellow Victorian Leslie Moore is one of the best in the business in the barrel race.
At the rough stock end of the arena, Maldon rider Tody Collins has nominated for the bull, saddle bronc and bareback bronc rides. He is the only rider to regularly compete in all three rough stock events in the APRA.
His toughest opposition in saddle bronc will come from Heyfield (Vic) rider Lee Bowker, a former Queensland rider who is a title winner in the APRA.
The Ballarat Rodeo will be held on February 14, 6.30pm at the Ballarat Polocrosse Grounds.