Game Notes – Mackay

MAKING THE MOST OF MACKAY – This weekend PBR Australia will travel to Mackay, Queensland, and BB Print Stadium for the ninth consecutive season. As the 24^th event of the 2022 season, the PBR Mackay Invitational, presented by Kent Hire, will buck into BB Print Stadium on Saturday, October 15 at 7:00 p.m. AEDT. Following the event in Mackay, just three events will remain before the 2022 PBR Australia Grand Finals on Nov. 25-26 in Townsville, Queensland at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.

RELATED: Click here for the complete Mackay Game Notes.

THIS WEEKEND’S FORMAT – The PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour’s Mackay Invitational at BB Print Stadium will feature three rounds of bull riding. All competing bull riders will attempt one bull each in both Round 1 and Round 2. Following the second round, the Top 6 riders on combined aggregate score will advance to the championship round to attempt one final bull. The event champion will be determined by the rider with the highest total score from their three draws. One rider has the chance to win a maximum 105 national points in Mackay.

KLEIER LOGS SEVENTH STRAIGHT WIN – When the elite PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour last bucked in Mount Hunter, New South Wales, for the K-Ranch Invitational, four-time and reigning Australian Champion Aaron Kleier logged his seventh consecutive event win. The victory allowed Kleier to further his stronghold on the No. 1 rank in the race to be crowned the 2022 PBR Australia Champion, surging to an increased 320.5 points ahead of the No. 2 contender. After tying David Kennedy for most Australian national titles won by one rider in history in 2021, each now with four, should Kleier win his unprecedented fifth consecutive national title at season’s end, he would become the winningest bull rider in PBR Australia competition. In Mount Hunter, Kleier first struck in Round 1 when he conquered Shotgun Willy for 84 points to surge to an early lead in the event. As Round 2 got underway, the stoic Queensland rider ready to square off with Mr. Buckmore in a rubber match. After Kleier covered the bull for 87 points during their first meeting in 2018 during the Touring Pro Division stop in Blackall, Queensland, the bovine athlete got the better of him in their most recent meeting in 2019 during the developmental event in Sydney, New South Wales, sending Kleier to the ground in a hard-fought 7.37 seconds. At K-Ranch, Kleier emerged the more dominant athlete, dominating Mr. Buckmore for an event-best 86 points to clinch the victory. Kleier’s latest win earned him 80 national points. In addition to winning seven straight events, Kleier concluded the tour stop amid an 11-out ride streak, last bucking off in mid-July. His winning ways, however, came to a halt at the most recent Touring Pro Division event held in Kilkivan, Queensland, shutout in going 0-for-2. After he was bucked off by Slink E Malinki in 3.5 seconds in Round 1, he was upended by Ranga in 2.1 seconds in the second round. Eager to reclaiming his winning-form, Kleier will travel to this weekend’s event in Mackay not only keen to defend his event championship, but also 288.5 points out front of No. 2 Cody Heffernan. Kleier will attempt POA Reload in Round 1, before facing a familiar opponent in Rambo in Round 2.  

HEFFERNAN REMAINS IN THE HUNT – 2016 PBR Australia Champion Cody Heffernan kept his hopes of a second national title alive by winning the most recent PBR event on Australian soil, a Touring Pro Division stop in Kilkivan, Queensland. Heffernan quickly captured the lead in Round 1 when he covered Pirate Patch for 85 points. In Round 2, the New South Wales man next went head-to-head with On Bail. Matching the bull jump-for-jump, Heffernan reached the requisite 8 for an event-best 85.5 points to cement the win. For his efforts, Heffernan earned a critical 32 national points. He remained No. 2 in the battle to be crowned the 2022 PBR Australia Champion but climbed within 288.5 points of No. 1 Aaron Kleier. In Mackay, Heffernan has drawn Hawkeye in Round 1 and Bang Ya Drum in Round 2.  

FAMILIAR WATERS – As competition gets underway for the PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour event in Mackay, Queensland, two riders will face familiar opponents in Round 1. Those rematches are:

• Kelsey Pavlou has drawn Code Blue for the second time in his career. The two first met at the Monster Energy Tour event in 2020 in Bundaberg, Queensland, with Pavlou bucked off in a heart-breaking 7.89 seconds.
• Wyatt Milgate will look to reverse his fortunes aboard Hair Trigger. The powerful animal athlete bested Milgate in 5.59 seconds earlier this season in Carins, Queensland.

Round 2 of the PBR Mackay Invitational, presented by Kent Hire, will feature three renewed rivalries. Those match-ups are:

• Aaron Kleier is locked in a rubber match with Rambo. After Kleier was bested by the bull in a quick 2.05 seconds at the Touring Pro Division event in Julia Creek, Queensland, the Clermont rider covered Rambo for 86.5 points this season at the Monster Energy Tour event in Rockhampton, Queensland.
• Jake Curr will attempt to remain perfect against Super Natural. Curr rode the bull for a commanding 89 points earlier this season at the Touring Pro Division event in Mount Isa, Queensland.
• Kelsey Pavlou will attempt his second rematch in Round 2 when he climbs atop Roam Aviation High Risk. In 2021, the bull sent Pavlou airborne in 5.42 seconds during the second stop of the PBR Origin tournament in Cairns, Queensland.

PAST MACKAY EVENT WINNERS –When PBR last traveled to Mackay, Queensland, in October 2021, backed by a dominant, Round 1-winning ride, Aaron Kleier won the PBR Mackay Invitational, presented by Kent Hire, furthering his stronghold on the No. 1 ranking in the race for the 2021 PBR Australia Championship. Kleier surged to the golden-finish in his home state after covering Meet Ya Maker for an event-best 84.5 points in the opening round of competition. The qualified ride was the second of Kleier’s career aboard the powerful bovine athlete. The duo first went head-to-head in May during the Touring Pro Division held in tandem with the North Queensland Elite Junior Rodeo. Kleier finished second in Round 1 of the event after covering Meet Ya Maker for 86 points en route to a third-place overall finish at the tour stop. As the event continued, Kleier was unable to accept his re-ride after Red Flash fell, sustaining an injury during the out which relegated him to the sidelines. Kleier’s opening round score, however, was enough to clinch the Clermont-native his PBR-leading third event win of the year. For his efforts Kleier earned a critical 65 Australian points, allowing him to extend his lead atop the national standings, surging 136.33 points ahead of No. 2 Kurt Shephard. Kleier concluded the season with his fourth straight title, and will again travel to Mackay this season seeking history. Again ranked No. 1 in Australia, should Kleier be crowned then 2022 PBR Australia Champion he would become the first-ever five-time title holder and first to accomplish the feat in consecutive seasons.

The complete list is past Mackay event winners includes:

Aaron Kleier (2021)
Kurt Shephard (2020)
Lane Mellers (2020)
Brady Fielder (2019)
Ryan Storey (2018)
Fraser Babbington (2018)
Guy Ford (2017)
Cody Heffernan (2016)
Fraser Babbington (2015)
Ben Seeds (2014)
Aaron Sutton (2006)

BULL PEN – During the opening round of the PBR Mackay Invitational, presented by Kent Hire, five bovine athletes hailing from Dunne Bulls, Diamond J Rodeo Co. and Blackhall Livestock/Evoke Maintenance Services will make their PBR debut. Those animal athletes are: Some Gave All (vs. Qynn Andersen); Chuckles (vs. Braith Nock); Back in Black (vs. Jake Curr); Bomb Diggity (vs. Sam Woodall); and Sideswipe (vs. Luke Smith). As competition continues in Round 2, Fred Kleier’s 13 will also make his debut with the organization, drawn by Sam Woodall.

Several animal athletes will also begin the event having never been ridden. Those bulls are:

• Round 1: POA Crack The Latch (19-0) vs. Toby Hale; West Point (1-0) vs. Beau Willis; Hawkeye (2-0) vs. Cody Heffernan; and Red Tin (3-0) vs. Taran Chrigwin.
• Round 2: Alcatraz (7-0) vs. Dan Ruhland; Cowboy Train (1-0) vs. Jay Borghero; Hollywood (4-0) vs. Jackson Gray; and It’s A Disco (2-0) vs. Trefor Sproule.

 

PROVIDING PROTECTION – This weekend’s protection athletes are Shane Simpson, Kerry Whitehouse & Harley Schofield.  

NEXT UP – The 2022 PBR Australia season will continue Saturday, October 29 for the Monster Energy Tour’s PBR Rockhampton Invitational in Rockhampton, Queensland. Action at the Great Western Hotel will get underway at 7:00 p.m. AEDT.

 

MACKAY COMPETITORS BY COUNTRY

Australia (19) – Qynn Andersen, Jay Borghero, Taran Chirgwin, Jono Couling, Jake Curr, Jackson Gray, Toby Hale, Cody Heffernan, Aaron Kleier, Wyatt Milgate, Ben Moran, Braith Nock, Kelsey Pavlou, Dan Ruhland, Luke Smith, Tyson Smith, Trefor Sproule, Beau Willis, Sam Woodall.

BREAKDOWN BY STATE –

New South Wales – Jono Couling, Cody Heffernan, Braith Nock, Tyson Smith, Trefor Sproule; Queensland – Qynn Andersen, Jay Borghero, Taran Chirgwin, Jake Curr, Jackson Gray, Toby Hale, Aaron Kleier, Wyatt Milgate, Ben Moran, Dan Ruhland, Luke Smith, Beau Willis; Victoria – Kelsey Pavlou, Sam Woodall.