North West Sport

This year’s National Cutting Horse Association’s futurity is set to have a major focus on equine education. A performance arena will be added to this year’s program – explaining how the sport works and how to handle cutting horses.

They’ve only lost one game this season – but the Tamworth Thunderbolts say their defence needs to improve. The Bolts had a convincing win over the Newcastle Hunters last weekend, but it wasn’t the side’s best performance.

Tamworth athlete Emma Klasen has struck gold at the Oceania Melanesian Championships in Vanuatu. The 15-year-old claimed two gold medals – it’s hoped her performance will be good enough to qualify her for the youth olympics.

They could well be the silent assassins of Central North rugby – the Red Devils again showing their premiership credentials on the weekend. Gunnedah using its home ground advantage to comprehensively beat the Lions.

Inverell has beaten the Moree Boars in Group 19 rugby league, while the Boomerangs defeated the Tigers. Meanwhile in the local derby, it was the Eels who came away with the competition points over the Armidale Rams.    

Victoria’s Nathan Elliott has taken out line honours at this year’s Grafton to Inverell Cycle Classic. The photo finish win coming in trying conditions, as crossing the finishing line was an achievement in itself.  

Tamworth’s Bradie Gray has received a wild card invitation to the Professional Bull Riders Global Cup in Cairns. He only made a return to competing at the beginning of April, following a riding incident last year that left him fighting for life. The talented bull rider competes in the US, and will return Down Under later this month, in time for the Cairns event in early June. PLEASE NOTE: AUDIO UNAVAILABLE.  

The University of New England has officially launched its own Sports Academy – a project that’s long been in the pipeline. The new program endeavours to provide athletes with balance, as they juggle tertiary study, with elite competition.  

A lack of commitment from the club’s top players has seen Bendemeer withdraw from the Group 4 first grade competition. The move comes just two-rounds into the season.  

A handful of Tamworth Cycle Club members will be among a strong field of riders in tomorrow’s Grafton to Inverell Cycle Classic. More than 350 cyclists are expected to take part in the 228-kilometre race, although the weather forecast isn’t looking promising.