National Finals Rodeo Results

Nail-biting close contests and some surprisingly unexpected wins featured at the national finals rodeo last Saturday (March 9) as the best of the best cowboys competed to claim the national championship titles.

The Te Mania Angus National Finals Rodeo, hosted by the Canterbury Rodeo Club at the Mandeville Sports Grounds near Rangiora, was the culmination of the rodeo season, deciding the champions in each of the eight events, as well as the best All-Round Champion with the highest standing overall.

The conditions were ideal and a large number of spectators enjoyed the top class competition as the top eight cowboys in each event competed in two go-rounds. The competition was intense with the lead for the best all-round cowboy changing twice during the day, but in the end roping specialist Patrick McCarthy, of Wanaka, won the tight battle and title from defending champion Corey Church of Rotorua.

Patrick almost blew his lead going into the Finals when he failed to make his first catch count in the first go-round for the Rope and Tie event. He didn’t make the same mistake twice though and after a successful second go-round he claimed the championship for that event.

Teaming up with Andrew Jamison (Taupo) in the Team Roping event gave him his second open championship and clinched his win as the overall All Round Champion for the 2018-19 season.

The titles for several of the eight events went right down to the wire though and there was a dramatic outcome in the Steer Wrestling where Dan McCready (Bay of Islands) had a brilliant Finals winning both go-rounds, leaping up the standings from fifth position going into the Finals to take home the championship title.

“It’s been a good rodeo season reflected in the top class competition seen at this Finals Rodeo”, said Lyal Cocks, President of the NZ Rodeo Cowboys Association.

“Although we only saw the top contestants at the Finals, there are a large number of future champions competing at the junior and 2nd Division level, several of whom have won Junior and Rookie Championship titles this season, including 11-year-old Sky Sanders (Alexandra) who won the Junior Barrel Race title and 16-year-old Darryl McPherson (Putararu), the All Round Rookie Champion”, Lyal said.

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