Anticipation is building for the PBR Australia 2022 Origin tournament to determine the reigning state champion, with two of the sport's best, Clermont's Aaron Kleier and Singleton's Cody Heffernan announced as team captains for Queensland and New South Wales respectively.
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The PBR Origin series will kick off in Newcastle on March 26, followed by Tamworth on April 23 and Brisbane on May 21.
As a four-time reigning PBR Australia Champion, Kleier said he is determined to lead his Queensland team to victory for the third consecutive year.
"I am looking forward to riding as a team with the Queensland boys and representing our state with them. Putting on that maroon jersey is truly an honour," Kleier said
Kleier, who was also an integral member of Team Queensland for both the inaugural PBR Origin event in 2019 and the state's most recent win in 2021.
"With bull riding being such an individual sport, it is good to get the chance to ride together as a team. It just has an exciting and different feel to any other event."
However, Team New South Wales captain, Cody Heffernan, who was crowned the 2016 PBR Australia Champion, said New South Wales are vying for revenge against their Queensland counterparts and are hoping their home-state advantage for the first two events will give them the upper hand.
Heffernan has competed at both previous iterations of the PBR Origin; however, the 2022 tournament will mark his first as Team New South Wales captain.
"It's an absolute honour to be selected as captain and lead the charge with the boys," he said
"I am looking forward to the atmosphere the Origin events create. We rarely get to ride in a team format, and there's no better team competition in Australia than New South Wales vs. Queensland."
PBR Australia General Manager, Glen Young, says the series will play a crucial role in determining who will qualify for the Monster Energy PBR Australia Grand Finals occurring in Townsville in November, which is notably the richest bull riding event not only in Australia, but the entire southern hemisphere.
"There is up to $30,000 in prize money up for grabs at the first two Origin events and $40,000 on the line in Brisbane," Mr Young said.
"The best rider of the series gets a $20,000 bonus and this year's Monster Energy PBR Australian Champion will receive a $50,000 year-end bonus.
"We're looking forward to the series kicking off in Newcastle in just over two weeks and seeing which team will take out the first event win."
