Forbes was well represented at the rodeo nationals, with two young local cowboys qualifying in the top 15 to earn their place in the finals.
Forbes' Koby Read locked in a top five place with three solid rides in the 14 to 18 years steer ride when the ABCRA finals were hosted at Tamworth on the Australia Day weekend.
Josiah Klingner, competing in the 11 to 14 years steer ride, placed in Round 2 but unfortunately was injured in the final round.
Koby rode all three of his steers to time to secure equal fifth - his best result at nationals to date.
The young Forbes talent would have looked for a bit more action out of his steers to put on more points in the final, but his consistency across three rounds of the national final saw him gain points of 68-67-65.
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You have to be ranked in the top 15 in the country for the year to qualify for the nationals and both Koby and Josiah have had a busy year travelling the circuit gaining points.
For both, the sport is a passion shared through their families and they've been competing for years.
More than 210 competitors competed at the Australian Bushmen’s Campdraft and Rodeo Association’s (ABCRA) National Finals Rodeo at the Australian Equine Livestock and Events Centre (AELEC) in Tamworth across the three-days in junior and senior events.
Koby was straight back in the car to travel on to Taralga, where he claimed a third in the junior bull ride.
With the start of a new competition year, Koby will be turning his attention to the junior bull ride and the novice bull ride in preparation for transition to the senior ranks.
Josiah's nationals campaign got away to a tough start but he placed in Round 2 with a good ride.
The final morning of competition didn't go his away - knocking his leg on the gate as the steer came out of the chute, and then getting trod on.
Josiah has had surgery to repair the injury to his knee, but that's gone well and when he can get back in the arena he'll begin his new year campaign in the 14 to 18 years steer ride.
"It was tough, but it was fun," Josiah said of his year travelling and riding to nationals.
"I'm in this brace for four weeks and we'll just see from then when I'm allowed to hop back on."
Once he can get back into the arena, Josiah will be competing in the 14 to 18 years steer ride.
