By The Numbers: 2024 Monster Energy Tour Scone Invitational
By: Sean Walsh Thursday, February 15, 2024 @ 10:00 AM
After a small taste of season 2024 last weekend at Marrabel's TPD event, the first Monster Energy Tour stop of the calendar year takes us to the Upper Hunter Shire for the 2024 Scone Invitational.
With 26 Cowboys ready to nod their head at the picturesque White Park arena across two nights, this shapes up to be a fantastic event with plenty of PBRA points on offer for both bovine and human athletes alike.
PBR Australia's Sean Walsh breaks down some intriguing battles and stats to keep an eye on across Friday and Saturday Night from Scone, NSW.
Matchups To Watch
Round 1:
Lachlan Richardson on Sniper (Lazy G Bucking Bulls)
This is a battle that on paper looks to be a highlight of Round One action- a PBR veteran with a point to prove facing up against one of the top up and coming bovine athletes on the tour.
Lachlan Richardson had a fantastic season in 2023, finishing 6th overall (20-from-46) and will be looking for another top 10 finish at season's end, continuing to add to the growing list of achievements the 31 year old is ticking off in his PBR riding career.
After going 0-from-3 in Marrabel's TPD event last weekend, Richardson's Round 1 draw is Lazy G's young stud Sniper, who is currently sitting on a 7-1 career record with a 4.23 second average BOT.
With the bovine's only black mark being fellow righty JC Davis and paired with the bulls typical trip around to the right, Richardson would fancy his chances to open his account in 2024 on Friday evening.
Eli Bee on After Party (MJ / Keliher Bucking Bulls)
Another fascinating matchup and a really good draw for both sides of the equation with Darwin cowboy Eli Bee making his first Monster Energy Tour event appearance since 2021 and drawing arguably one of the best bulls on the stacked MJ / Keliher Bucking Bulls roster After Party.
Bee has a career return of 2-from-14 currently, riding on the tour in 2020-2021 and after a few gap years returned to the PBRA scene last weekend in Marrabel's TPD event going 0-from-3.
After Party's resume is incredibly impressive thus far in the bovine's PBR stanza to date, boasting an 11-1 record and an average bull score of 42.16, with the only qualified ride an 88-point effort from Sam Woodall in Toowoomba last season.
The righty will have his work cut out as After Party's record is 6-1 against cowboys with their right hand in the bull rope, but as the animal athlete has a really rider friendly clockwise action with plenty of intensity, he should end up into the hand of Bee and if covered will put the Northern Territory native in striking distance after Round 1.
Stats Pack: Scone MET 2024.pdf
Bryn Francis on Humdinger (Dunne Bulls)
This is as good of a veteran battle as you will get on the Monster Energy Tour with a combined 82 outs between bovine and bull rider, this will be one to watch for sure.
Bryn Francis had a career year in 2023, finishing 13th overall in the PBRA standings going 9-from-41 and is currently sitting on a two event ride streak after finding the whistle in both Tamworth and at the PBR Australia Grand Finals last November in Townsville.
His dance partner for Round 1 is Humdinger from the Dunne Bulls pen, who has a formidable 20-3 career record to date and is renowned for getting quick ejections with a 4.02 career average BOT.
With the bovines 11-1 record against fellow southpaws and usual trip around to the right going away from the Moura cowboy's hand he will have his work cut out, but if Francis is able to weather the early storm and go all the way it will put him in a fantastic position at the close of Friday Nights action.
Follow @PBRAustralia on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with all the action from Scone and tune into the exclusive livestream of the event HERE.