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Queensland eyes bull riding Origin whitewash as New South Wales rides for pride in Sydney showdown

PBR AUSTRALIA

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PBR Australia Presents: PBR Monster Energy Origin III – SYDNEY

August 1 at 7:00 PM at TikTok Entertainment Centre, Sydney

PBR Monster Energy Origin III tickets | TikTok Entertainment Centre | Ticketek Australia

Queensland eyes bull riding Origin whitewash as New South Wales rides for pride in Sydney showdown

Teams just announced!

 

The fiercest rivalry on dirt returns on Saturday, August 1, when the PBR Australia Monster Energy Origin Series thunders into Sydney for the final showdown of 2026, with Queensland chasing a historic clean sweep and New South Wales fighting to restore pride on home soil. Images, vision and interviews here

 

After reclaiming the coveted Origin trophy with back-to-back victories in Newcastle and Brisbane, the mighty Maroons have already secured the 2026 series, but with 350 tonnes of dirt about to be poured into Sydney's TikTok Entertainment Centre in Darling Harbour, there is still plenty riding on one final night of bone-rattling, heart-stopping bull riding. For the Blues, it's redemption round, and for Queensland, it's the chance to complete the perfect campaign.

 

PBR Australia General Manager Glen Young said while the trophy had already crossed the border back to Queensland, Origin pride was far from settled. "There's nothing quite like Origin. Queensland has earned the trophy back, but I can guarantee New South Wales won't be rolling over in Sydney. They'll be desperate to finish the series with a win in front of their home crowd, while Queensland will be equally determined to make history with a clean sweep. That's what makes this competition so special, every ride matters."

 

Queensland enters series final with a refreshed line-up, welcoming four new riders into the Maroon ranks. New Zealand star Rylee Ward, young gun Thomas Triplett, Rockhampton’s Caiden Sandilands, and exciting debutant Clay Hall join Australia's No.1 ranked bull rider Kurt Shephard as the Maroons look to finish what they've started.

 

The Blues have also strengthened their side, with JC Davis and Australia's 2025 Rookie Champion Luan Crystian Camara joining the line-up in place of Thomas Hudson and Lachlan Slade, alongside powerhouse Keny Roger de Oliveira, and experienced campaigners Sam Woodall, Clint Glass and Jack Rowlandson.

 

TEAM QUEENSLAND

• Kurt Shephard (Mareeba, QLD)
• Ethan Coster (Cloncurry, QLD)
• Zane Hall (Athol, QLD)
• Kelsey Pavlou (Gracemere, QLD)
• Ky Borghero (Bloomsbury, QLD)
• Rylee Ward (Winton, NZ)
• Thomas Triplett (Bungundarra, QLD)
• Ben Bode (Calliope, QLD)
• Caiden Sandilands (Rockhampton, QLD)
• Clay Hall (Athol, QLD) – Origin debut

 

TEAM NEW SOUTH WALES

• Keny Roger de Oliveira (Brazil)
• Sam Woodall (Heyfield, VIC)
• Clint Glass (Willow Tree, NSW)
• Alison Aguiar (Adelong, NSW)
• Toby Collins (Wingham, NSW)
• Colby Edgar (Denman, NSW)
• Jack Rowlandson (Oberon, NSW)
• Dylan Weir (Dungog, NSW)
• JC Davis (Macksville, NSW)
• Luan Crystian Camara (Brazil)

 

JUNIORS TO RIDE IN THE SPOTLIGHT FIRST!!!!

Before the big guns buck it out, the next generation of bull riding stars will take the spotlights at Sydney's TikTok Entertainment Centre arena, with teams of four selected from the 2025 PBR Australia Can-Am Junior Academy. Aged between nine and 17, these rising stars will go head-to-head in one of the fiercest rivalries in Australian sport, just on a smaller, but no less determined, scale.

 

Team Queensland

• Lane Cross (Bundaberg, QLD) – 17 years
• Chase Wieland (Gympie, QLD) – 14 years (second time representing – 2024)
• Wylie Roots (Duaringa, QLD) – 13 years (third time representing – 2024, 2025)
• Jasper Wieland (Gympie, QLD) – 9 years

 

Team New South Wales

• Liam Birks (Tamworth, NSW) – 16 years
• Kassedy Carlon (Bundarra, NSW) – 13 years (third time representing – 2024, 2025)
• Nash Goddard (Glendon Brook, NSW) – 12 years
• Chase Berry (Gunnedah, NSW) – 10 years

 

“The Can-Am Junior Academy is more than a ride or a series; it’s the breeding ground for the next generation of champions. These young athletes are born for this and represent the future of bull riding in Australia. Bringing them into the Origin Series gives them even more experience, this time riding bulls as a team.”

 

Now attention turns to Sydney, where one final battle remains: one team rides for redemption, and the other rides for perfection.

 

PBR Australia Presents: PBR Monster Energy Origin III – SYDNEY

August 1 at 7:00 PM at TikTok Entertainment Centre, Sydney

PBR Monster Energy Origin III tickets | TikTok Entertainment Centre | Ticketek Australia

 

ABOUT PBR AUSTRALIA

Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the world, with tours across the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. A subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings —which also owns UFC and WWE— has transformed bull riding into a premier international sport since its founding in 1992. The organisation features over 1,000 riders globally and hosts more than 200 events annually worldwide. In Australia, Professional Bull Riders Australia (PBRA) stages more than 20 events each year, attracting over 75,000 fans. PBRA showcases key events and tours such as the Monster Energy Tour, PBR Origin Series, and PBR Grand Finals, while also partnering with regional event organisers through the PBR Touring Pro Division. The organisation supports emerging talent through its Can-Am Junior Academy and serves as an international pathway to the United States circuit for both Junior and Open competition athletes. For more information, visit www.pbraustralia.com.au.

 

Contact details:

Kath Rose on 0416 291 493 or email [email protected]