RODEO: Warwick ropers Jeff and Kobe Miller are one of the first father-and-son teams to compete in an Australian Professional Rodeo Association National Finals.

Kobe, 17, is a current APRA junior titleholder and will be the heeler in a team with father Jeff as the header in round 1 of the Warwick Rodeo APRA National Finals from 6pm Thursday at the Warwick Showgrounds.

Jeff has plenty of finals experience after winning five team roping header titles down the years, two with Johnny Osborne, two with Shane Kenny and one with Peter Young.

Jeff has also won one APRA all around cowboy title.

They are one of the first father and son to rope together at the national finals, but American roper Dan Crotty and his son Buddy came to Australia in the 1960s to demonstrate team roping.

Kobe's first experience

in rodeo was when he was aged six.

"He would haze steers for me when I was practising my roping,” Jeff said.

"Kobe had an interest in being a heeler and it started there.”

Jeff simply said the main hope for the pair was to do their best.

"Once you know what steer you have, you come

up with a game plan,” he said.

"You get to know the cattle and how they will run.”

All 15 teams have a winning chance if they can snare four times this week, but Jeff was prepared to give favouritism to three teams.

He rated team roping header standings leader Campbell Hodson, of Emerald, and teamate Liam Davison as one of the best chances, along with past title winner Shane Kenny (Emerald) and Clay Bush (Yass, NSW) and Victorian pair Terry Evison and Aaron Bookluck.

Jeff said the surface at the Warwick Showgrounds was great for rodeo regardless of the weather.

Kobe will head to the United States for a month in January for roping and to look at securing a rodeo scholarship and studying business management at college in America in 2019.

The Millers won't be the only family group in the roping this week with Warwick brothers Mitch and Brock Eastwell in the rope and tie.

Mitch is the highest ranked of the pair and has finals form on the board after winning one round last year.

The national finals starting Thursday will be a first for Brock and Warwick bareback rider Ryan Zadow in the APRA.

Saddle bronc rider Michael Maher will compete in his fourth finals and third in Warwick this week and Lane Grayson will be in his second finals in the APRA.

Former Gore rider Fred Osman is in the bareback finals after already winning one national title. He is ranked third.