The Mackay Invitational is always a standout stop on the Monster Energy Tour and an event I circle on my calendar every year.

The bull power for events in the Sugar City is traditionally among the strongest assembled all season, and this year’s Round 1 will feature eight of the top 12 bulls in the country.

With only a handful of events remaining before the 2026 PBR Australia Grand Finals and a strong pen of bulls contracted, Mackay will give us a great chance to see which riders are finding form at the right time.

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Let's break down some of the best matchups for tonight's opening round: 

View the full 2026 Monster Energy Mackay Invitational Daysheet.

Round 1 Matchups

Bryn Francis on 129 Or What (TF Bucking Bulls/4H Helicopters)

Francis comes into this matchup ranked 50th in the standings and in need of a strong result to get himself to Townsville next month. He gets a solid chance to put his name on the leaderboard early aboard Or What. This bull has been ridden three times in PBR Australia competition for an average score of 85.20 points. A score in that region could hold up well in this round. The Moura bull rider rode himself into some decent form in a recent run of events in the USA and I think he should be able to handle this bull's spin away from his hand and to the right.

Rylee Ward on 806 Mr T (Dittmann Bucking Bulls)

This is a rematch from Nowra last season, where the bull sent Ward flying out the back at the 4.05-second mark. Mr T seems to be getting into his spin much quicker these days and no longer has the off-timed jumps at the start of his trip. Those hops brought most cowboys unstuck during his 31-out buck-off streak, which spanned two seasons. He will be to the right and into Ward's hand once again. The talented Kiwi has been on fire lately, riding just about everything they have run under him. He gets a great chance to carry that momentum into Mackay and contend for the round win, with a score above 86 points a realistic target.

Alison Aguiar on 800 Ambush (CF7 Bucking Bulls)

The defending Mackay Invitational champion has bucked off his last seven bulls, but he gets an excellent chance to get the train back on the tracks here in a rematch with Ambush. These two combined for 86.25 points on his way to winning in Cairns last season. Ambush is a great draw for any cowboy in any round, with a reliable tempo and pattern that has carried 40 per cent of his opponents to the pay window. Look for him to start off to the left and into the Brazilian cowboy's riding hand, and he can reverse to the right late. A qualified ride in the range of their previous matchup will set Aguiar up for a big weekend.

Caiden Sandilands on 300 Spartan (CF7 Bucking Bulls)

Sandilands has looked really good at the limited events he has entered over the past few months, and he has given his season riding percentage a good boost, covering six of his last 12 bulls. Spartan looks to be a pretty good fit for most left-handed riders. He turns back to the left with a fairly flat action, but the challenge is his pace because he moves very quickly across the dirt. Leftie Donnie Rutherfurd put together a sensational 86.40-point ride on this bull in Melbourne and I think the Rockhampton veteran will be very happy if he can record a score in that region.

Thomas Triplett on 054 Twist & Shout (Dunne Bulls)

I'm really looking forward to this rematch from the Supercars Touring Pro in Townsville where the bull won in 3.85 seconds. Triplett loves these opportunities, and he’s not afraid to chance his arm against the better bulls in pursuit of a big score. His form of late has been a little up and down, but the run of bulls he has faced across the last three events has been far from suitable for a right-handed rider. I watched Twist & Shout buck twice at Kilkivan last weekend and he looks to be at the top of his game, posting bull scores of 42.90 and 43.10 points. The last time he was ridden was in Adelaide, where Ben Bode posted 85.90 points to win Round 1. It’s certainly not going to be easy for the Bungundarra young gun, but if he can make it stick, there should be a big score waiting for him.

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