Bull riding bloodlines to shine bright at PBR Caboolture Invitational – THIS SATURDAY
And meet the 11-year-old making his 50th ride!!
It's not just the bulls set to make waves at the PBR Invitational in Caboolture next Saturday, August 30, it's the families. The arena will come alive with the next generation of professional bull riding stars from all over the country, many of them sharing the spotlight with their siblings. From seasoned contender Ben Bode from Calliope riding alongside his junior brother Tom, to Zane and Clay Hall bringing double the horsepower, and the Wards, Walkers and Thomases all carving their names into the dirt, this event is a true celebration of bloodlines in the toughest sport on dirt.
The junior ranks are stacked with talent, including Noah and Brax Lowe, Judd, Clay and Dustin Thomas, and Archie and Sid Geran, proof that bull riding runs deep in the family veins. Across the arena, the Walkers, Wielands, Berrys, Everinghams, Merrells and Duggins will all show that big dreams often start at home, sometimes with a brother by your side.
In the open event - all eyes will be on the leaderboard as the race tightens at the business end of the season. Current No.1 Kurt Shephard (Mareeba) sits on the top spot with 1,684 points, hotly pursued by Brazil's Luan Crystian Camara. Local young gun Zane Hall (Athol) is in striking distance at No.4, while Brazil's Alison Aguiar rounds out the top five. With contenders Ben Bode (Calliope), Tyson Smith (Walcha), Rylee Ward (NZ) and Bryn Francis (Moura) also in the mix, Caboolture could be the battleground that reshuffles the order and sets the pace heading into the Grand Finals in Townsville this October.
Almost 100 riders will descend on Caboolture: 35 PBR Open riders and 60 Juniors through the PBR Junior Academy, some as young as eight, proving the future of the sport is in safe hands.
A highlight of the night will be 11-year-old Sonny Heffernan from Singleton notching his 50th career PBR Junior Academy ride, the first junior ever to achieve the milestone. Joining him in breaking barriers will be Caboolture's own Bella Brinner, the only female Junior Bull Rider in the field.
In true PBR fashion, it's also a family affair, with an incredible 14 sets of siblings competing:
- Zane (23) and Clay Hall (26) of Toowoomba will ride side by side in the Open division.
- Rylee (21) and Klay Ward (23) from New Zealand face off in the chutes.
- Ky Borghero (20, Beaudesert) will ride with his big brother Jared working protection (and serving as PBR Queensland State of Origin Coach).
- Champion cowboy Ben Bode will swap spurs for work in the chutes as his nine-year-old brother Tom takes on the Pee Wee mini bull division.
And in the Junior ranks:
- The Thomas brothers (Glendonbrook, NSW): Judd (12), Dustin (9), and Clay (8).
- The Berry boys (Gunnedah): Bobby (8) and current Pee Wee leader Chase (10).
- Danny (11) and Billy Kennedy (15) from Kyogle.
- Noah (11) and Brax Lowe (13) from Barraba.
- Tobi (17) and Rhys Duggin (15) making the trip from Townsville.
- Jasper (9) and Chase Wieland (14) from Gympie.
- Riley (15) and Darcy Merrell (14) from Gympie.
- Clayton (11), Ebbet (13) and Rex Walker (15) from Colosseum near Gladstone.
- Taj (17) and Kai Everingham (15) from Rockhampton.
- Archie (11) and Sid Geran (14) from Toowoomba.
From the youngest Pee Wee riders to the men chasing a Grand Finals chute, Caboolture is set to showcase the spirit, grit and family ties that make PBR Australia unlike anything else in sport.
PBR Caboolture Invitational
Saturday August 30 at QSEC
Gates Open at 4.30pm
Junior Academy 5.00pm
Main Event 7.00pm
PBR | Monster Energy Tour Caboolture Invitational
ABOUT PBR AUSTRALIA
Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the world, with tours across the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. A subsidiary of Endeavor, a global leader in sports, media, and entertainment, PBR has transformed bull riding into a premier international sport since its founding in 1992. The organisation features over 1,000 riders globally and hosts more than 200 events annually worldwide. In Australia, Professional Bull Riders Australia (PBRA) stages more than 20 events each year, attracting over 75,000 fans. PBRA showcases key events and tours such as the Monster Energy Tour, PBR Origin Series, and PBR Grand Finals, while also partnering with regional event organisers through the PBR Touring Pro Division. The organisation supports emerging talent through its Can-Am Junior Academy and serves as an international pathway to the United States circuit for both Junior and Open competition athletes.
