AFTER wins in the Stony Creek Rodeo in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association, Gippsland pair Terry Evison and Aaron Bookluck will be two of the favourites in timed events in the Peter Evison Memorial Rodeo at Warragul from 6pm Saturday.
Terry Evison won the rope and tie at Stony Creek on January 18, the last APRA rodeo in Victoria before Warragul.
He pushed Taroom, Queensland, rider Stuart McGuire-Spalding into second place at Stony Creek to further boost his position in APRA standings.
Aaron Bookluck, of Nilma North, joined with Gunnedah (NSW) rider Casey Lillyman to win the team roping at Stony Creek and will be one of the best Victorian chances of victory at Warragul.
Bookluck is a runaway leader in APRA team roping heeler standings from Emerald (Qld) rider Brody Moss. The rider from Nilma North has shared APRA team roping championship success with Terry Evison.
Benalla rider Gavin Walker won the steer wrestling at Stony Creek and Anna McPhee, of Lurg, was victorious in breakaway roping. Both are strong chances of success at Warragul.
A large number of Gippsland riders will be competing at Warragul, including Bunyip competitor Ruth O’Donoghue, her daughters Shianne and Montana, and her sister Cherie O’Donoghue who will travel from Lockington.
The rodeo is in memory of the late Peter Evison, a successful roper in the APRA and regular finalist.
His wife Angela is on the rodeo committee and recalls many budding riders from the Gippsland area, including son Terry, learning to rope on the family rodeo arena.
“We had some big fund-raising days at our place to raise money for breast cancer research and other charities. Peter recalled a Warragul Rodeo that was held years earlier and said he would love to have a permanent rodeo at Warragul,” she said.
After his death in 2008, Angela and their daughter Barb Walker formed a committee with Noel and Marg Marriott and started an annual pro rodeo in Warragul in 2010.
“All the rodeos have been a success, we have a lot of help from volunteers at the rodeos,” she said.
“Proceeds this year go to the Warragul Hospital, Helimed One and Riding for the Disabled.
“It will be a great night for families with the rodeo starting at 6pm and normally finishing by 9.30pm.”
All eight championship events will be contested including bull, saddle bronc and bareback bronc rides for the cowboys, barrel racing and breakaway roping for cowgirls, rope and tie, and steer wrestling for the cowboys, and team roping which men and women contest for the Peter Evison Memorial Trophy. There will be junior events as well as a local barrel race and bike versus horse race around the barrels.
The Warragul Rodeo is one of the most popular in the nation and many competitors will travel from interstate in quest of championship points.
With just three months to go to the end of the APRA season, riders are keen to win prize money to boost their chances of finishing in the top 15 and qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo at the Queensland State Equestrian Centre at Caboolture on May 1-4.
Some of the interstate competitors in Victoria for Warragul will stay on for the February 8 Rodeo at Glengarry in the South Gippsland.
