Warwick roper wins the average
RODEO: Warwick rider Brock Eastwell has won the average at his first national finals in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.
Competing in the national finals in his hometown rodeo, Eastwell was second in round 1 on Thursday night behind his brother Mitch.
He was unplaced on Friday night but caught his calf to record a time to keep him in the running for the average and then won on Saturday night with a time of 9.3 seconds.
Going into Sunday's round, Brock said he wasn't confident at the calf draw.
"I watched this calf on Thursday night and knew he would be hard when I drew him on Sunday," Brock said.
He was timed at 9.5 seconds for fourth in the round on Sunday but he was fast enough to win the average.
His combined time for four head of 44.6 seconds was the quickest of the finals so he ended up with the average. Alton Downs rider Shane Iker was second on 45.15, Scone cowboy Heath Nichols third with 46.35 and round 4 winner Shane Kenny, of Emerald, fourth on 51.15.
Mitch Eastwell caught his calf on Sunday and except for a 10-second penalty for breaking at the barrier would have ended up fourth in the average.
Now Brock is determined to compete in more APRA rodeos next year and finish higher in the standings to give him a better shot at winning an APRA title.
Warwick father-and-son combination Jeff and Kobe Miller finished with one second in team roping in the first open national finals for 17-year-old Kobe.
