By TANIA PHILLIPS
WARWICK cowboy Mark Collins has got his National Rodeo Association season off to a flying start with a sensational performance on the Tweed last week.
Collins tamed the wild broncs at the annual Cudgen Leagues Club Bull and Bronc Spectacular by the sea at Kingscliff on 4 January to collect some valuable National Rodeo Association points and take the Saddle Bronc prize money.
However there is still a long way to go before he can claim an NRA title – the event was just the fourth round with another 70 events to be held across the East Coast before the finals in December.
But Collins was just happy to get the points on the board.
“It is only my second ride of the season so it was good to get a win,” he said.
Recording one of the first (and only) eight second rides of the night Collins secured the Saddle Bronc title at the Coastal event a with an 81-point ride, ahead of Brisbane’s Jack Capwell on 70.5.
It was also a big night for fellow Warwick rider Matthew Young, who finished with prize money in two of the other major events of the night.
Young was second behind Toowoomba cowboy Matt Boland in the open bull ride after Boland finished with 76 points and Young later recorded a 73-point ride to claim fourth spot behind equal second Michael Nieman and Justin Sims on 75. He then backed it up with two thrilling eight-second rides Novice Bull to pull off second place. The event was won by Kyogle’s Jackson Felton with two successful outings to finish with 140 points just ahead of Young, who backed up from his third place in the Open Bull Ride, to finish with 136 points and the second-place money.
The cowboys flew and the more than 2500-strong crowd cheered as the country came to the coast for the fourth annual Cudgen Leagues Club Bull and Bronc Spectacular on Ned Byrne Oval rugby league ground.
Australia’s top cowboys took on the best bulls and broncs in what was round four of this year’s National Rodeo Association Competition (NRA).
NRA executive director Jason Hall, MC for the night, said with only a few clear rides in each division the crowd was treated to plenty of thrills, spills and action.
“It was an excellent crowd and a great atmosphere,” he said.
“We had 79 cowboys in action from Northern Queensland right through to Grafton.”
