Game 3 of the 2026 PBR Origin Series between Queensland and New South Wales is set for this Saturday, 1 August, at the TikTok Entertainment Centre in Sydney.

The Maroons come into the contest with an unassailable 2-0 series lead over the Blues, but there is still plenty to play for, with pride, reputation, and bragging rights all at stake.

Games 1 and 2 both came down to the wire, and despite both teams being forced to make several changes to their line-ups, we should see a close contest again.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the bull riding starts at 7:00 p.m.

The Can-Am Junior Academy will be back in action, kicking off the main event with an exhibition Origin. Four riders from each state will compete across the Pee Wee, Junior, Senior, and Rising Stars divisions.

Event information and tickets are available from the PBR Australia website.

Download the Watch PBR Australia LIVE app to follow the 2026 Monster Energy Tour and the 2026 PBR Origin Series. You can watch on your VR headset, mobile device, tablet, or cast it to your TV. Visit watchvr.pbraustralia.com.au to get your season pass.

Previously, in PBR Australia

Kurt Shephard claimed victory at the 2026 Monster Energy Cairns Invitational in front of a sold-out crowd at the Cairns Convention Centre and extended his lead in the National Standings.

The reigning national champion claimed his fourth win of the season with a 2-for-2, 174.90-point night to edge out Caiden Sandilands, who finished in second place on 173.40 points. 

Rylee Ward was third with his Round 1 winning score of 87 points.

Shephard Extends Standings Lead with Cairns Victory

Shephard followed up with another win the next weekend, going 2-for-2 again at the Townsville Supercars Touring Pro Division. He started with 86.10 points on Reckless Discharge (Dunne) and added 85.20 points in Round 2 on Nine Ball (Kleier), finishing with a total of 171.30 points.

JC Davis impressed in his return to the tour, covering both of his bulls for 167.90 points to fill the runner-up spot, with Alison Aguiar finishing third on 165.90 points.

Touring Pro Division - Townsville Supercars Results

For the second time this season, joint winners were crowned at a Touring Pro Division event. This time it was at Dittmann’s Bull Pit in Bloomsbury with Ky Borghero and Rylee Ward both recording their second career victories with 169.70 totals. 

Borghero rode both Evil Eyes (Kleier) and Alcatraz (CF7/Pugh) for second-place round money, while Ward won Round 1 aboard Or What (TF/4H Heli) and was third in Round 2 on Zyon (Dittmann).

Thomas Triplett finished the event in third place with an aggregate total of 163 points.

Touring Pro Division - The Bull Pit Results

Format, Prizemoney and Points

Each Origin event has three rounds. In Rounds 1 and 2, all 10 riders from each team will ride one bull each. The top four riders from each team then move on to the Bonus Round for a final ride.

The state that achieves the highest combined score across the three rounds of competition will be declared the winner. 

Riders will compete for more than $50,000 in prize money at each PBR Origin event. They also earn points for the 2025 PBR Australian National Standings, but only in Rounds 1 and 2. The cowboy with the highest total score after the second round wins the event.

The Cowboy of Origin competition format has changed for 2026. Previously, the rider with the highest total score over six long rounds won the bonus. This year, Bonus Rounds count too, and the 2026 Cowboy of Origin will take home a $30,000 bonus.

View the updated 2026 PBR Australia National Standings.

Talking Points

Origin Update
Before we get into the Game 3 Preview, a quick recap of the series so far.

Game 1 - New South Wales 677.50 points were defeated by Queensland 759.10 points in Newcastle.
The Blues held a narrow lead in the middle of the Bonus Round, but key rides from 2023 PBR Australian National Champion Macaulie Leather and rookie Ethan Coster secured the win for the visitors, nine rides to eight.

Maroons Sink Blues in Newcastle to Lead 2026 PBR Origin Series

Game 2 - Queensland 593.10 points defeated New South Wales 510.30 points in Brisbane.
The Maroons trailed the Blues six-rides to five with a margin of 87.35 points entering the Bonus Round, but clutch rides from young guns Boston Leather and Leith Malone put the home team ahead of the Blues in the final moments.

Maroons Young-Guns Fire as Queensland Clinch 2026 PBR Origin

Team Changes

Queensland have been forced to make four changes for the final game.
Out: Donnie Rutherfurd, Macaulie Leather, Boston Leather, Leith Malone.
In: Rylee Ward (9 appearances, 6/23 - 26.08%), Thomas Triplett (3 app, 2/7 - 28.57%), Caiden Sandilands (9 app, 3/19 - 15.78%), Clay Hall (PBR Origin Debut).

Coach Jared Borghero will be hoping that Rylee Ward can carry his red-hot July form into the Origin arena. The Kiwi has produced an event win and two top 6 finishes from his last three tour starts on 4-from-6 riding and will play an integral part in completing the maroon-wash.

New South Wales have three changes to their line-up from Games 1 and 2.
Out: Sam Woodall, Lachlan Slade, Thomas Hudson.
In: Luan Crystian Camara (3 app, 3/8 - 37.50%), Charlie Bailey (PBR Origin Debut), Tyson Smith (8 app, 2/8 – 25.00%).

2025 Cowboy of Origin Luan Crystian Camara hasn’t had the best of runs since returning to Australian soil, but his confidence looks to be building as he gets more events under his belt. Coach Lachlan Richardson will be hoping the Brazilian can provide some extra spark to get the Blues over the line.

Cowboy of Origin

This year’s $30,000 bonus competition looks like a two-horse race between Blues Keny Roger de Oliveira and Maroons rookie Ethan Coster.

Oliveira leads the way on 341.10 points, with Coster hot on his tail on 339.65 points.

Toby Collins, Kurt Shephard, and Clint Glass each have two scores so far, but they’ll need to ride all three of their bulls to have any chance of surpassing the top two.

Riding Percentages and Bull Power

The cowboys have hit their stride in recent months, with riding percentages topping 30% at six of the last eight events. It will be interesting to see if they can keep that momentum as the Monster Energy Tour heads south.

Queensland-based stock contractors Keliher Bucking Bulls, Dittmann Bucking Bulls, Dunne Bulls and CF7 Bucking Bulls all head south to join their New South Wales counterparts Swain Cattle Company, Lazy G Bucking Bulls, K3F Bucking Bulls, Morgys Cattle Company, Maynes Bucking Bulls and Diamond S Bucking Bulls in Sydney.

The addition of these contractors boosts the bull power to a level just below what we will see at November's PBR Australia Grand Finals in Townsville, with many of our Bucking Bull of the Year contenders featured in the draw.

With that in mind, teams will be aiming for a winning score like what we saw at Origin II in Brisbane and seven, maybe even seven qualified rides, will be enough to take the Game 3 victory.

Stetson Nirvana (Dittmann Bucking Bulls) currently leads the race to become the 2026 PBR Australia Bucking Bull of the Year with a six-out average bull score of 43.86 points. He will face Ethan Coster in Round 1.

The bull with the highest average bull score in PBR Australia competition this season is Last Post (Dunne Bulls). This bull continues to post impressive numbers, and after four trips, he holds an average mark of 43.74 points. He will also be out in the opening round against Dylan Weir.

Last season’s Champion Alpha Blokes Warden (MJ/Keliher Bucking Bulls) will make his sixth trip of the season this weekend. In his five trips so far, he has averaged a score of 43.52 points. He has a rematch against Rylee Ward in the first out of Round 2.

I’m looking forward to seeing some of our southern contenders in person again this weekend.

Man Glitter (Morgys Cattle Company) is the best placed of those bulls with the required six trips. He has an average bull score of 43.10 points and will be looking to better his low score of 42.40 points. Zane Hall will be his opponent in the second round.

Check back on Saturday for The Morning Line, where I’ll break down some of the best matchups for the cowboys in Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2026 PBR Origin III in Sydney.

For the latest results, news and stats, stay tuned to PBRAustralia.com.au, follow the tour on Facebook (PBR Australia), Instagram (@PBRAustralia) and TikTok (@PBRAustralia), and subscribe to @ProBullRidersAust on YouTube for event replays and highlights.