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IT'S BACK

04/08/2011

IT’S BACK

(Apr 8, 2011) – Julia Creek is going to rock to its foundations next Saturday night as forty of the nation’s toughest cowboys go head to head with forty tons of elite bucking bulls in the much anticipated Southern Cross Media Dirt n Dust Professional Bull Riders Challenger Series.

Goondiwindi bull rider Jim Rowell is currently number 1 going into the Julia Creek competition and he is in red-hot form, having placed in the top three at the last two PBR Challenger Series events. This hot streak has Rowsell leading the PBR Australia season standings by 199.5 points from second-placed Beau Willis (Bowen, Qld), with PBR veteran and Julia Creek crowd favourite, Jock Connolly (Charters Towers, Qld) a further 250.5 points behind.

33 year Connolly is full of confidence after pulling off a major victory, winning South Australia’s signature PBR event in Marrabel where he scored a massive 91 points aboard his bull to secure the win. Connolly loves nothing more than competing in the PBR Troy Dunn Invitational in Townsville and he needs another good performance in Julia Creek to guarantee him one of the limited invitational positions.

Joining Connolly will be a strong contingent of New South Wales bull riders who are making the pilgrimage north to Julia Creek and leading the southern invasion is 2010 PBR Australia runner up Chris Lowe (Uralla NSW), and Orange NSW bull rider Mick Ford who has been competing in the USA for the past month, but will return to Australia next week and is eager to win valuable points on offer at the Dirt n Dust event.

Julia Creek may only be round number 3 of the PBR Challenger Series, however it is the last opportunity for these pro bull riders to stake a claim for a spot in the lucrative $200 000 PBR Australian Cup Series, which will showcase our nation’s best bucking bulls and riders as they compete in Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville, Newcastle and conclude in Melbourne with the 2011 National Finals.

So the huge gathering of Dirt n Dust fans next weekend can be assured that this is going to be an event like in the ultimate showdown of Man vs. Beast.

Unique to Julia Creek and all other PBR events is that the prize money won will not only count toward qualification to PBR Australian Cup Events but also to the elite Built Ford Tough Series in the USA and the annual PBR World Finals in Las Vegas. 

There is only one thing that stands in the way of these riders and the winner’s check and that being they will have to overcome a pen of the rankest bulls Queensland can muster.

Former Australian Bull Riding Champion and now PBR Stock Contractor Darren Brandenburg from Richmond Qld will bring a truck load of bull power, including  PBR high point bull Arachnophobia which will feature in the Championship round along with Brandenburg’s newest edition Suicide Blonde, this is the first bull ever to appear on the PBR tour in Australia who is sired by the legendary three time PBR Bucking Bull of the World, Little Yellow Jacket. This four year old is un-ridden on the amateur circuits and comes to Julia Creek with a big reputation to live up to.  All eyes will be on this athletic bovine. 

The Town and Country Club gates open at 5.30pm, with bull riding from 7.00pm. Topping off the atmosphere of this PBR extravaganza is a pyrotechnic display and fire performers.  Tickets can be purchased from www.dirtndust.com  

With Australia’s rankest bulls, finest bull riders and the edge-of-your-seat excitement of a PBR show, the Southern Cross Media Dirt n Dust PBR Challenger Series is one bull ride not to be missed. This is not a rodeo – this is the one and only PBR!

For more information about the Southern Cross Media PBR Challenger Series, call Jackie Dunn at 07 4945 4450 or by email at jackie@pbraustralia.com


PBR Australia Season Standings:
1. Jim Rowsell    Goondiwindi, Qld    802.0 points
2. Beau Willis    Bowen, Qld    602.5 points
3. Jock Connolly    Charters Towers, Qld    552.0 points
4. Mick Ford    Orange, NSW    549.5 points
5. Sam Larsen    Mundubbera, Qld    503.0 points


Southern Cross Media Dirt n Dust PBR Challenger Series
Town & Country Club, Burke St, Julia Creek.
Saturday, April 16th 2011
Gates open from 5.30pm. Bull Riding action from 7.00pm
Large big screen and pyrotechnic display.
Live band ‘Mick Lindsay’ entertaining till late
Tickets available now at www.dirtndust.com.au or at the gate
Adults $30, concession $10, children 13-17 years $5, children under 13 free.