After taking the International Professional Rodeo Association’s (IPRA) summer season by storm, Singleton’s Josh Barnett has qualified for the world finals.
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The fearless saddle bronc rider managed to place 14th in the series, which marked his first international competition.
The IPRA take the Top 15 through to the world finals, which will be held in Oklahoma from January 19, and Barnett couldn’t be happier to be a part of it all.
“My last month [in the summer competition] went really well,” Barnett says.
“I got to get on some good horses and was lucky enough to finish off with a couple of wins.”
And, those wins saw him maintain a firm hold at the top of the IPRA ranks.
“I’m really excited to go to the finals and compete against some of the best riders in the world,” he says.
“It will be my first finals, and an awesome experience.”
Despite his talent, the local lad isn’t aiming for any particular place in the finals, though he is feeling confident in his riding ability ahead of the event.
“I’m not aiming for any particular spot going in - they will have some of the best bucking horses from all over the states and Canada at the finals,” he explains.
“But I'm feeling confident in my riding and I’m up for the challenge.”
The finals will be held over four rounds, and as Barnett explains, each round pays good money for those who do well. And, the Singleton rider is hoping to do just that, with aims to get the best average across the four rides.
But it’s not just international success that has Barnett excited for 2018. After travelling back to Australia in early September, he ranked seventh for the Australian Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) national finals rodeo.
The national finals will be held in Tamworth from January 25, which means Barnett will have to hit the ground running once he returns from the US.
“I finished our ABCRA season off good, winning enough to qualify in seventh spot for the National Finals rodeo starting on January 25,” he says.
“I fly back home on January 24, so it will be a busy but exciting two weeks.”
Barnett plans to have a solid two weeks of finals in January before getting a good start to the 2018 Australian series.
