Team Queensland Wins Opening Iteration of 2022 PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour Origin Tournament in Newcastle, New South Wales

NEWCASTLE, New South Wales – As action got underway Saturday evening for the highly-anticipated 2022 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Australia Monster Energy Origin Tournament in Newcastle, New South Wales, Team Queensland dazzled inside Newcastle Entertainment Centre. Backed by a strong opening round effort, and a perfect performance by young gun Qynn Andersen (Koumala, Queensland), Team Queensland inched closer to winning their third consecutive PBR Origin Championship, victorious at PBR Origin I – Newcastle.

The Maroons were quick to strike in their first out of the evening.

Brining the raucous, capacity crowd to its feet, four-time and reigning PBR Australia Champion and Queensland Captain Aaron Kleier (Clermont, Queensland) covered Hearing Voices (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls) for 81.5 points.

Following the successful trip, Team Queensland’s momentum continued to mount. As Round 1 continued, the Maroons delivered five additional scores before Team New South Wales registered their first qualified ride.

Michael Smith (Tully, Queensland) rode Bluey (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls) for 83 points, Jake Curr (Mount Isa, Queensland) conquered Midnight Special (Maynes Bucking Bulls) for 83 points, Andersen bested Night Fury (ST Bucking Bulls) for 84.5 points, Kelsey Pavlou (Toora, Queensland) covered Mac Daddy (Diamond S Bucking Bulls-Brian Scott) for 79.5 points, and Taran Chirgwin (Calliope, Queensland) outlasted Dirty Hombre (Diamond S Bucking Bulls-Brian Scott) for 81.5 points.

Compliments of their six unanswered rides, Team Queensland’s lead briefly swelled to 493 points.

Down but not out, Lachlan Slade (Tamworth, New South Wales) righted the ship for Team New South Wales, igniting a comeback which nearly led to the Blues’ first ever event win in the PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour Origin tournament.

Matched up against A Force (ST Bucking Bulls), Slade matched the bovine athlete jump-for-jump, en route to an 83-point score.

Preventing a shutout in Round 1, Team New South Wales entered Round 2 trailing Team Queensland by 410 points.

New South Wales Captain, and 2016 PBR Australia Champion, Cody Heffernan (Singleton, New South Wales) set the tone early for his contingent in the second round. After watching on as rival captain Kleier was bucked off by Kit Carson (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls) in a swift 1.94 seconds, Heffernan responded with a resounding 86-point ride atop Call Me Joe (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls).

Compliments of the score, Team Queensland’s lead again shrunk, with Team New South Wales climbing within 324 points.

While both the Maroons and Blues registered buckoffs in their outs that followed, Will Purcell (Albury, New South Wales) was next to convert for Team New South Wales, bringing his home state team within 243.5 points after he rode G Shock (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls) for 80.5 points.

Team New South Wales’ three-score unanswered streak, however, came to an end the next time the chute gates at Newcastle Entertainment Centre burst open.

Marking his second qualified ride of the evening, 18-year-old Andersen rode Breaking Bad (MJ/Keliher Bucking Bulls) for 83.5 points to grow Team Queensland’s lead to 237 points.

Andersen, however, was the only rider to cover for Team Queensland in Round 2.

As the second long round of competition wound to a close, both Braith Nock (Bendemeer, New South Wales) and Lachlan Richardson (Gresford, New South Wales) added points to the board for Team New South Wales.

Nock rode Lost It (Throsby Russell JC Cattle Co. & Swain) for 84 points, and Richardson made the 8 atop Spokane (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls) for 84.5 points.

Compliments of their resurgence, Team New South Wales kept their hopes alive, entering the bonus round within a mere 158.5 points of Team Queensland.

In the final outs of PBR Origin I – Newcastle, Chirgwin, Smith, Andersen and Captain Kleier were tapped to ride one final time for Team Queensland, while Slade, Nock, Richardson and Captain Heffernan earned the chance to compete one final time inside Newcastle Entertainment Centre for Team New South Wales.

After both Slade and Nock bucked off for the Blues, Captain Kleier clinched the win for Team Queensland when he covered Big Buck Hunter (ST Bucking Bulls) for 86 points.

With two riders for each state still left to ride, Heffernan rode Cliffhanger (Throsby & Russell/Richardson) for 87 points, and Andersen bested Natural Hillbilly (Throsby & Russell & JC Cattle Co.) for 85 points, leading the final scoreboard to read 747.5-505, with Team Queensland winning PBR Origin I – Newcastle by 242.5 points, outscoring Team New South Wales by three ride scores.

With crucial national points also on the line, Team Queensland’s Andersen finished atop the podium, earning 71 national points. After traveling to Newcastle ranked No. 6 in the race for the 2022 PBR Australia Championship, Andersen surged to No. 3, now within 66.5 points of the top position.

Looking down the podium, Team New South Wales standouts Heffernan, Richardson and Nock finished second, third and fourth respectively. Heffernan, who netted 55 national points, solidified his No. 2 rank in the national standings, Richardson, who collected 42 national points, climbed to No. 11 in the rankings, and Nock, who garnered 29 national points, is now No. 12 in the title race.

In the bull pen, Posting Bail (Throsby & Russell Bucking Bulls) led the pen. He was marked an event-best 44 points for his 2.71-second buckoff of Caiden Sandilands (Rockhampton, Queensland) in Round 2.

The three-part 2022 PBR Origin tournament continues on Saturday, April 23 in Tamworth, New South Wales. Action for PBR Origin II – Tamworth from the AELEC Arena gets underway at 7:00 p.m. AEDT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at pbraustralia.com.au.  

The 2022 PBR Australia season will continue April 8-9 for the Monster Energy Tour’s Toowoomba Invitational at Meatstock. Action at the Toowoomba Fairgrounds will get underway at 4:30 p.m. AEDT on Friday, April 8, and at 12:00 p.m. AEDT on Saturday, April 9.

2022 PBR Australia Origin – PBR Origin I – Newcastle
Newcastle Entertainment Centre – Newcastle, New South Wales
(Rides – Outs – Event Aggregate)
1. Team Queensland, 9-24-747.5
2. Team New South Wales, 6-24-505

2022 PBR Australia Origin – PBR Origin I – Newcastle
Newcastle Entertainment Centre – Newcastle, New South Wales
Event Leaders (Round 1- Round 2-Event Aggregate-Australian Points)
1. Qynn Andersen, 84.5-83.5-85-168.00-71 Points.
2. Cody Heffernan, 0-86-87-86.00-55 Points.
3. Lachlan Richardson, 0-84.5-0-84.50-42 Points.
4. Braith Nock, 0-84-0-84.00-29 Points.
5. Jake Curr, 83-0-0-83.00-15.33 Points.
(tie). Michael Smith, 83-0-0-83.00-15.33 Points.
(tie). Lachlan Slade, 83-0-0-83.00-15.33 Points.
8. Aaron Kleier, 81.5-0-86-81.50-6 Points.
(tie). Taran Chirgwin, 81.5-0-0-81.50-6 Points.
10. Will Purcell, 0-80.5-0-80.50-5 Points.
11. Kelsey Pavlou, 79.5-0-0-79.50-2 Points.
Brumby Brandenburg, 0-0-0-0.00
Trefor Sproule, 0-0-0-0.00
Lane Mellers, 0-0-0-0.00
Caiden Sandilands, 0-0-0-0.00
Dan Ruhland, 0-0-0-0.00
Thomas Hudson, 0-0-0-0.00
Oscar Leake, 0-0-0-0.00
Josh Dallas, 0-0-0-0.00
Steven Carter, 0-0-0-0.00