Central West bull riding gun Mick Ford will draw the curtain on his glittering professional career on Saturday, but not before one of the biggest competitions of the season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ford is one of the lead acts at this weekend’s Professional Bull Riders 2016 National Finals, riding Queensland goliaths Roman Candle and Cloud Jumper in his two rides at the finals.
With all 22 competitors booked for two rides with the top eight scorers progressing through to the championship rounds, Ford was confident of qualifying for the business end of the nationals at the Qudos Bank Arena at Sydney Olympic Park.
And if he can, it’ll be a fitting end to a career that’s spanned well over a decade for the 31-year-old from Orange.
“I’ve had a pretty good season so it hasn’t been an easy decision,” Ford said.
“It’s something I’ve done since I was 15 with the ultimate dream of competing for a world championship.
“I’m pretty confident heading in to Sydney. I’ve been up there with the best of them so far so we’ll see how it goes.”
Ford has long been part of the bull riding circuit.
It’s something I’ve done since I was 15 with the ultimate dream of competing for a world championship.
- Mick Ford
In 2013 he enjoyed arguably his best season, recording 12 top 10 and six top five finishes in the World Standings – he won the Touring Pro Division in both the USA and Australia that year as well.
The 2016 year, however, has been Ford’s first back in almost 18 months after a shoulder reconstruction.
The number one ranked bull rider in the country, Singleton’s Cody Heffernan is currently leading the Australian Standings heading into the finals. He leads from Lachlan Richardson, Justin Paton, Damian Herden and Roy Dunn.
Ford is 14th on the standings, placing him well within reach of that top eight spot in the national finals’ championship round.
In another positive sign ahead of the finals, Ford progressed through to the second round of the PBR Cup Series’ Last Cowboy Standing competition at Brisbane last weekend.
He was eventually out-lasted by Heffernan though, with the veteran Ford lasting 3.43 seconds in his ride compared to the 3.87s stint the eventual champion completed.
An event sanctioned by the American Professional Bull Riders association, Ford was backing himself to improve on that result at the PBR National Finals.
“It’s the same guys and I’ve performed well against them this year,” he said.
“These guys are all the best bull riders from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, and there’s five internationals in there as well.”
In March, Ford finished fourth at the third Cairns Invitational, with Brazillian Edmilson Goncalves, Mexian Gustavo Pedrero and Brazilian Christiano Cunhu just edging him for the top three spots. Yankie Skeeter Kingsolver was fifth.
The PBR 2016 National Finals begin at 7.30pm at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday.
