WANDOAN rider Cameron Webster will start favourite for the saddle bronc ride at The Rock Rodeo in New South Wales on Saturday.
The Rock is a small community near Wagga Wagga and the rodeo has attracted a lot of bull riders from northern Victoria as well as some timed event stars from Queensland.
Webster leads the saddle bronc standings in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association after the first two months of the new season.
He won round 1 of the Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals in late October after scoring 82 on the bucking horse Arrow.
Emerald (Qld) rider Campbell Hodson won the 2017 all around title and will compete in team roping at The Rock.
Ellysa Kenny, Emerald (Qld), was one of the youngest all around cowgirl winners in history when she won at Warwick and will be one of the favourites in the barrel race.
After this weekend, the action will move to Myrtleford in north-east Victoria on Boxing Day for the start of the Christmas Run.
There are eight rodeos on the Christmas Run in NSW, Vic and SA.
The main action in Queensland will be a New Year’s Eve Rodeo at Mitchell with competition in saddle bronc, bareback bronc and bull rides and the ladies barrel race.
APRA rodeos
December 16: The Rock Pro Rodeo (NSW)
December 26: Myrtleford Golden Spurs Rodeo (Vic)
December 29: Yarrawonga Rodeo (Vic)
December 30: Carrieton Rodeo (SA)
December 30: Young Rodeo (NSW)
December 31: Smithton Rodeo (Tas)
December 31: Mitchell Rodeo (Qld)
January 1: Tumbarumba Rodeo (NSW)
January 3: Sweetwater Timed Event Rodeo, Tullakool (NSW)
January 5: Finley Rodeo (NSW)
January 6: K Ranch Rodeo, Mt Hunter (NSW).