BENALLA cowboy Gavin Walker is one of the Victorians with the best chance to win a title at the Australian Professional Rodeo Association National Finals Rodeo at Caboolture on May 1-4.
Walker won the pro tour title in steer wrestling for most money won in the season which ended on Easter Monday.
He is one of three Victorian open pro tour winners.
Aaron Bookluck was a runaway winner of the team roping heeler title and Willung cowgirl Leslie Moore was the most successful in the barrel race.
Terry Evison, of Willung, was runner up behind winner Shane Kenny in the all around pro tour and is a strong chance of winning titles in the three timed events he is contesting.
Beaudesert and former New Zealand rider Fraser Babbington won the pro tour title for most money won in the bull ride for the season and showed he is in top form with a win at the Roma Rodeo on Good Friday.
Babbington holds the record of 93 out of 100 in the bull ride, the highest score in any of the three rough stock events.
One of his toughest opponents could be Victorian ironman Toby Collins who has qualified for all three rough stock events.
Collins is set to challenge for the all around title after winning seven events in four Victorian rodeos at Easter.
Four timed event stars Terry Evison (Willung, Vic), all around pro tour winner Shane Kenny (Emerald, Qld), Alton Downs (Qld) star Shane Iker and Lee Kimber, of Lockington (Vic) and formerly of Kalbar (Qld) have qualified in three events.
Nichole Fitzpatrick, of Willow Tree, NSW, won her first pro tour all around title this year after three wins in Victoria at Easter and will be tough to beat in the barrel race and breakaway roping.
Event favourites
Saddle bronc: Wandoan (Qld) rider and pro tour winner Cameron Webster led the standings most of the season and is now out due to a broken leg sustained competing in Sydney. New favourite is Maldon (Vic) rider Toby Collins who won the saddle bronc at the four Victorian rodeos at Easter. Augathalla and former Millmerran rider Peter Moffatt has been a whisker from winning the saddle bronc title and this could be his year. South Australian star Glen Kent is a past title winner and one to watch.
Bull ride: Beaudesert (Qld) rider Fraser Babbington is clear favourite for the event and won’t need a record score to win. In an event where only one or two cowboys make time at some rodeos, the key will be staying on their bulls in all four rounds.
Wantabadgery (NSW) rider Rhys Angland is a past winner but one to watch is young Wagga Wagga cowboy Sean Lynch who is in his first season in the big time.
Bareback bronc: A successful rider on the North American circuit, pro tour winner David Worsfold, of Wandoan (Qld) is favourite for the bareback at the finals at Caboolture. He will face tough opposition from Peachester (Qld) and former NSW star Matthew Makinson who has won the past two titles. Miles (Qld) rider Clint Burton was close to victory last year and could win his first title in the first finals rodeo at the Queensland State Equestrian Centre.
Rope and tie: With 12 rope and tie titles to his credit, it would be a game tipster who would go against Emerald (Qld) star Shane Kenny. The cowboy from Emerald also won the pro tour so has history and form on the board. His toughest opposition will be from Victorian star Terry Evison who is ranked second. Despite his 11th spot on the standings, Taroom (Qld) rider Stuart Maguire-Spalding could surprise.
Steer wrestling: Gavin Walker from Benalla (Vic) won the pro tour title in the season which ended on Easter Monday and will face his toughest opposition from pro tour runner up Shane Iker, of Alton Downs (Qld) and hometown hero Lachlan O’Neill, of Caboolture who was third in the pro tour standings. One to watch will be early season leader Kacey Kenny, of Emerald (Qld) who recently competed in America.
Team roping header: Gunnedah (NSW) rider Casey Lillyman won the pro tour in the header category. He is originally from North Queensland as is pro tour runner up Clancy Middleton who will be seeking his first title after being a regular at finals in recent years. Middleton now lives at Emerald. Shane Iker and Shane Kenny are third and fourth in the rankings and two to watch.
Team roping heeler: Aaron Bookluck was a runaway winner of the pro tour and is a past title winner at the finals in combination with Terry Evison. Bookluck is from Nilma North in Victoria. Emerald (Qld) rider Brody Moss is second in the standings. One of watch is Pelleubla, Victoria, junior Sally Malay who moved from Western Australia to pursue a rodeo career in rough stock and timed events.
Barrel race: Formerly from New South Wales, Leslie Moore now calls Willung, Victoria, home and won the pro tour for the season. She will face some of her toughest opposition from all around cowgirl pro tour winner Nichole Fitzpatrick, of Willow Tree, NSW, and defending titleholder Wendy Caban, of Moree (NSW) who has won six titles in the past five years in cowgirl events.
Breakaway roping: Jorja Watkins from Alton Downs in Queensland narrowly won the pro tour title after a close contest with Mt Tarampa (Qld) cowgirl Cheyenne Whitwell. Still a junior, Whitwell will contest junior and open finals at Caboolture this week.
Three others to watch are last year’s winner Stephanie Gard, of Tabletop (NSW), last year’s runner up Rachelle Carlo, of Delaneys Creek near Caboolture, and Tamworth star Phillipa Leys.
