CHARTERS Towers cowboy Liam Davison has won two team roping heeler titles in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.
This season, he leads the heeler standings and is hoping to stay on top and win his first pro tour title.
Liam has teamed with Campbell Hodson for the past eight years and they have won the APRA titles for the past two years.
Last year, they won the team roping at the Mt Isa Rodeo.
An electrician with Charters Towers Regional Council, Liam competes in 30 rodeos a year.
For the past two years, he has flown to Victoria to compete in the Christmas Run in the southern states.
He first competed in team roping when his older brother Michael Davison brought some team ropes back from America after he was training cutting horses in the United States.
Liam is from a family of five children, three of whom have roped.
His older sister Bridie competes in ladies breakaway roping and team roping and has also dabbled in the barrel race.
"It was Michael who got us team roping," Liam said.
While Michael has retired from rodeo, Liam and Bridie often travel hundreds of kilometres to weekend rodeos.
Liam has won his two national titles riding his quarter horse Boss.
He will practise three times a week, even more when he is preparing for a major rodeo.
"I am really keen on winning my first pro tour title this year," he said.
In the sport of rodeo, competitors help each other out and that is definitely the case in team roping.
Liam mainly only competes in team roping but has dabbled in the rope and tie.
"I had a knee reconstruction four years ago and don't want to risk it too much in the rope and tie," he said.
While he is not travelling to Central Queensland for the Callide Valley Show Rodeo this weekend, Liam will be on the road to Nebo for a May 25 rodeo.
When riders are allowed to enter twice in team roping with different partners, Liam generally ropes with best mate Campbell Hodson and Alton Downs rider Shane Iker.
APRA program
May 18: Callide Valley Show Rodeo, Biloela (Qld)
May 25: Mackay Toyota Nebo Rodeo (Qld)
May 31: Bundaberg Show Rodeo (Qld)
June 1: Moranbah Rodeo (Qld)
June 7: Bowen River Second Division Timed Events Rodeo (Qld)
June 8: Bowen River Saturday Rodeo (Qld)
June 9: Bowen River Sunday Rodeo (Qld)
June 21-22: Junior National Finals Rodeo, Emerald (Qld)
June 22: Emerald Ag Grow Rodeo (Qld)
July 20: Taroom Rodeo
July 27: Richmond Rodeo
July 28: Hughenden Flinders River Timed Event Rodeo
