Bull riders ready for APRA finals action in early 2022

The top 15 in the APRA have qualified for the national finals in Victoria in late January.

There are three Queenslanders in the top-four in the standings - Kelsey Pavlou, Donovan Rutherford and Bailey Woodard.

Troy Wilkinson from Upper Horton in NSW splits the Queenslanders and is number three on the standings.

Woodard is fourth and is followed in the standings by three more Queenslanders, Cameron Southern. Lachlan Richardson and Michael Smith.

Mt Isa rider Rutherford and Wilkinson split first in the bull ride at the Warwick Rodeo in late October, one of the top three rodeos in the APRA.

Cooyar rider Jack McArthur is a past winner at the Warwick Rodeo and is 15th on the APRA standings in the bull ride.

Central Queensland rider Brady Fielder and North Queensland star Kurt Shephard are two class riders outside the top 15.

While some of the bull riders may head south for Christmas and new year rodeos, the majority will be at two open rodeos in Queensland in early January.

There is a rodeo on January 1 at the Fraser Coast Sports Recreation Precinct and then at the Maryborough Showground and Equestrian Park on January 8.

Both rodeos will be followed by junior rodeos at the same venues the next day.

The Upper Horton Xtreme Broncs will be a chance for saddle bronc riders to compete at a NSW rodeo on New Year's Eve.

It is likely the Queensland bull riders will head two ways on New Year's Day, January 1, at Tumbarumba in NSW or Hervey Bay in Queensland.

There will be extra action for bull riders in January with the Xtreme Bulls Rodeo at AELEC, Tamworth, on January 14-15. Both the Xtreme bulls and broncs action have revitalised interest in the two major buckjump events with riders chasing the extra prizemoney.