The Hunter Valley is set to be one of the best, if not the best, represented regions at the big national PBR Grand Finals in Townsville in November.
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Hunter-based star bull riders Cliff and Lachlan Richardson along with the injury plagued Cody Heffernan are all on track to secure spots to be in the running for 2019 National Champion.
After a stand-out start to the 2019 season Heffernan still hopes to take home the PBR National Champion title.
Time out from injury has seen him slide from the No.1 spot earlier in the year to No.3 ranking - but he's well within striking distance to win the title, and feeling rested and strong after sitting out the last few PBR competitions.
Local Hunter based protection athletes Mitch Russell and Geoff Hall will be two of three protection athletes who will put their life on the line to keep riders safe from the bulls at the national grand finals.
The bull breeding business Mitch Russell is in partnership with, Hunter based Throsby and Russell Bull Breeding, is also in contention to take home a second title as PBR Bull Contractor of the Year.
The T&R team were named 2018 Bull Contractor at last year's Grand Finals and are currently sitting on top of the 2019 leader board.
Heffernan, the 2016 PBR Australia Champion, started the year looking virtually untouchable on top of the national leaderboard, however, a string of injuries have hampered his run at a second national title.
"At the beginning of the year, I thought this was going to be my year again, and that no one was going to beat me," he said. "Then injury struck and forced me to sit out the last few competitions. "
"I'm feeling good again now though, and I've found knee braces that will allow me to keep riding with a torn PCL on my right knee, and an ACL injury on my left knee that will need surgery at some point.
"I fully expect to be in contention for this year's title, despite the time away with injuries."
Lachlan Richardson is also hoping to put injury and a mid-season slump behind him to make a last-ditch run at this year's national title.
The 26-year-old consolidated his top-4 ranking with a morale-boosting third-place finish at Newcastle.
Richardson said it was a crucial return to form after injury and a string off disappointing buck-offs.
"You work hard at it every single day, and then the results don't show. It annoys you, but it also makes you hungry for next week. I had a bit of bad luck there for a bit, but you've just got to keep working at it," he said.
"Confidence is a really big thing in this sport, and I feel good, healthy and ready to go."