10.22.26 - News
Tamworth showdown: Championship Points and Grand Finals Spots on the Line
Thirty-one riders will compete at the 2026 Tamworth Invitational, with $20,000 in prize money available.
By Josh Hanson
This weekend, the PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour returns to New South Wales for the final time this season. A large field of cowboys will compete in the 2026 Tamworth Iron Cowboy Invitational at the Australian Equestrian and Livestock Events Centre on Saturday, 24 October.
Only two events remain in the regular season, and crucial championship points will be on the line in the Country Music Capital - not only in the race for the National Championship, but also for riders hoping to qualify for next month's 2026 PBR Australia Grand Finals in Townsville.
A huge day of action kicks off at 12:00 p.m. AEDT with the free-to-attend Can-Am Junior Academy Grand Finals. The Pee Wee, Junior, Senior, and Rising Stars champions will be decided, as will the 2026 Challenger Series winner.
The Monster Energy Tour main event will begin at 7:00 p.m. AEDT with two rounds of action scheduled for decision.
Event information and tickets are available from the PBR Australia website.
Download the Watch PBR Australia LIVE app to watch the 2026 Monster Energy Tour and the 2026 PBR Australia Grand Finals. You can use your VR headset, mobile device, or tablet, or cast to your TV. Visit watchvr.pbraustralia.com.au to secure your Ultimate Pass.
Event information and tickets are available from the PBR Australia website.
Download the Watch PBR Australia LIVE app to watch the 2026 Monster Energy Tour and the 2026 PBR Australia Grand Finals. You can use your VR headset, mobile device, or tablet, or cast to your TV. Visit watchvr.pbraustralia.com.au to secure your Ultimate Pass.
Kurt Shephard secured his sixth PBR Australia win of the season with a 2-for-3 performance and 176 aggregate points at the 2026 Mackay Invitational. He sealed his victory with a season-best 89.90-point ride on the No. 1-ranked bull, Last Post, in the Championship Round.
Charlie Bailey finished runner-up with 166.50 points, while Rylee Ward placed third after a Round 2 winning score of 88.20 points.
The result extended Shephard’s championship lead to 316 points with two regular-season events left.
Shephard Strengthens Title Defence with Sixth Win of the Season in Mackay
Mareeba talent Kurt Shephard was the only rider to cover both of his bulls, winning the 2023 edition of the Tamworth Iron Cowboy.
In 2024, Calliope young gun Ben Bode went a perfect 3-for-3 to secure back-to-back tour victories after winning at Kilkivan a fortnight earlier.
Last season, Kurt Shephard rode both of his bulls on the second night of competition to overhaul Luan Crystian Camara and Charlie Bailey, in a tight finish with four riders finishing the event 2-for-3.
View the latest PBR Australia Results.
Thirty-one riders will compete at the 2026 Tamworth Invitational, with $20,000 in prize money available.
All riders will face a bull in Round 1, with the top ten advancing to the Monster Energy Championship Round draft. The rider with the highest aggregate score across the two rounds will be crowned the event champion.
Each rider can earn a maximum of 280 points towards the 2026 PBR Australian National Standings. Round winners will receive 40 points, and the event champion will receive 200 points.
View the updated 2026 PBR Australian National Standings.
Injury Update
A quick but very important injury update this week for riders ranked within the cut line for Grand Finals qualification.
Series leader Kurt Shephard will miss the Tamworth draw after suffering multiple broken ribs while competing at Mackay last weekend. The Mareeba bull rider says he plans to rest and return to competition for the PBR Australia Grand Finals.
No. 7-ranked Sam Woodall withdrew mid-event from the Mackay Invitational last weekend after reaggravating a foot and ankle injury sustained in competition a few weeks earlier. The Heywood cowboy has told me he will be ready to ride in Townsville.
Jack Rowlandson is also out of competition this weekend after dislocating his left shoulder in his Round 2 matchup at Mackay. The No. 16-ranked Oberon talent tells me he expects to be good to go for the Grand Finals.
PBR Australian National Championship Update
We are officially down to a race in three.
With No. 1-ranked Kurt Shephard on the sidelines, No. 2-ranked Zane Hall and No. 3-ranked Keny Roger de Oliveira have a huge opportunity to cut into Shephard's lead, or, in Hall's case, take over the top spot.
Shephard holds a 316-point lead over Hall and an 815-point advantage over Oliveira.
A maximum of 280 points are up for grabs at both remaining regular-season events, with a further 720 points available at the Grand Finals.
I think Hall and Oliveira will want to be within 200-225 points as we kick off Round 1 in Townsville, giving themselves a genuine chance to win the gold buckle.
Who’s Hot – Riding Percentages
I ran some quick statistics on riding percentages since the start of September, and the top two riders in the country are very close.
Zane Hall leads all cowboys with 7-for-11 rides (63.60%), with Kurt Shephard nipping at his heels at 7-for-12 (58.30%). Both riders have three round wins and four 85+ point rides during this period.
Kelsey Pavlou picked up event wins at Orange and Kilkivan, with a 4-for-8 (50.00%) riding record over the period.
Clint Glass has been going along nicely at 5-for-12 (41.70%), despite tough opposition, with Nash Jones rounding out the top five at 2-for-5 (40.00%).
Some have small sample sizes, but Ben Bode, Bryn Francis, and Dylan Weir have all converted 33.00% of their opportunities.
Rylee Ward and Keny Roger de Oliveira are tied at 30.00%, with Ethan Coster and Charlie Bailey just behind, both above the season average of 26.96%.
The Grand Finals Bubble
The injury forecast looks much better than it did a few weeks ago, so I think the cut line will settle at either No. 23 or No. 24.
No. 23-ranked Charlie Bailey now has 273 points, and No. 24-ranked Dawson Foden has 266 points. Both are in the field this weekend.
Just 560 championship points remain on the board over the next two weekends, so while everyone is still in the running to qualify, most of the movement is expected to be around the bubble.
No. 19-ranked Dylan Weir and No. 20-ranked Colby Edgar are 117.50 and 101.00 points ahead of Bailey.
Riders within striking distance of Foden include No. 25-ranked Tyson Smith (-12 points), No. 27-ranked Thomas Hudson (-65 points), No. 29-ranked Luan Crystian Camara (-134 points) and No. 32-ranked Nash Jones (-142 points).
Check back on Saturday for my Matchups to Watch, where I break down the matchups for the National Championship contenders and those chasing Grand Finals qualification in the 2026 Monster Energy Tamworth Invitational draw.
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.