ProRodeo Sports News - Nov.20, 2020

AUSSIES AT THE NFR

Australian Ky Hamilton, seen here competing in Brawley, Calif., Nov. 11, qualified for the Wrangler NFR as a rookie. Dan Lesovsky photo

Men at Work First Australians since ’03 headed to Wrangler NFR

BY SCOTT KANIEWSKI K y Hamilton remember watching Jamie Howlett compete. Only not in the U.S. and not on TV. For the first time in nearly two decades, two Australian-born cowboys will be competing at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Hamilton in bull riding and Howlett in bareback riding. The 20-year-old Hamilton distinctly recalls seeing Howlett riding in rodeos in Australia after Howlett had already competed in the PRCA. “I remember being at home riding in novice and junior events and he’d been there,” said Hamilton, 10 years Howlett’s junior. “It was always cool watching him in bareback because he was a standout guy for competing over here and one of the guys that was really good at home. It was pretty cool. “At the time when he was competing at home, he’ been in the States doing well. You’d have to get up on the bucking chutes to watch him ride. He was pretty good.” Howlett had no idea. “I really just met him it might have been a year ago,” said Howlett, who lives in South Dakota. “We talked on social media a bit. I’ve met him, but we never knew each other back home.”

ProRodeo Sports News 11/20/2020

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

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