IT was South Australia winning on points from Victoria in the saddle bronc ride in the Adelaide Hills Rodeo on Saturday.
Murray Bridge rider Leslie Stacey kept the major prize money in South Australia with a score of 71 to win by one point from Strathalbyn cowboy Glen Kent.
Beverfod (Victoria) rider Heath Chalmers is in third position on Australian Professional Rodeo Association standings and was third in Adelaide with a score of 69.
Another Victorian, Maldon rider Toby Collins, was fourth on 67 points.
The top-15 at the end of the season qualify for the National Finals Rodeo at the Gold Coast in June.
Kent won the 2010 title at the Gold Coast so only has to qualify to be a strong chance for a second victory.
The bulls were victorious in the Adelaide Hills with only one cowboy, Ian Molan, riding time to score 77 for first place. None of the junior bull riders made time.
Molan hails from Lyons in Victoria and is currently in fourth place in the APRA standings.
The best score in the APRA last weekend was 80 by Young rider Ben Thorp in winning the open bull ride at Coolamon in the Riverina area of New South Wales.
Tumbarumba rider Ben Hall won the bareback with 76 and Rosewood (NSW) cowboy Tim Hammond was first in saddle bronc with a score of 71.
Hall is in ninth place on APRA standings and can improve his position with a strong performance in the Christmas Run of seven rodeos starting with Myrtleford on Boxing Day and ending at Wangaratta on January 5.
WINNERS:
Adelaide Hills: Open events - Saddle bronc Leslie Stacey 71, bull ride Ian Molan 77, roping Kenny Flanagan 3.25 seconds, team roping Cassie Heuritsch and Clem Heath 8.9, barrel race Tammy Woodall. Second division saddle bronc John Daly.
Coolamon: Open events - Saddle bronc Tim Hammond 71, bull ride Ben Thorp 80, bareback Ben Hall 76, barrel race Trish Johnston 15.4. Second-division events – Saddle bronc Jason Collins 66, bull ride Matthew Sheather 73, junior barrel race Joe Plum 15.72.
