MACKAY, Qld. – As the 2022 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Australia season continued Saturday night, Jake Curr (Mount Isa, Queensland) delivered a 2-for-3 effort inside BB Print Stadium to win the Monster Energy Tour’s Mackay Invitational, presented by Kent Hire, and crack the Top 5 in the battle to be crowned the 2022 PBR Australia Champion.

The 23-year-old got off to a hot start in Round 1, delivering the third-best score when he covered Back in Black (Diamond J Rodeo Co.) for 81 points.

Curr then surged to the top of the event leaderboard in the second round of competition when he conquered Super Natural (Colin Fry) for 84 points.

In the championship round, the home state hopeful then readied to go head-to-head with Drag Iron (Dunne Bulls). While Curr was dispatched in 2.92 seconds, his opening-round scores were enough to clinch the win.

The golden finish earned Curr a critical 78 national points. He rose two positions in the Australian national standings from No. 7 to No. 5. He now trails No. 1 Aaron Kleier (Clermont, Queensland) by 527.17 points.

Cody Heffernan (Singleton, New South Wales) was second, netting 65 national points.

Heffernan was blanked in the opening rounds of competition, bucked off by Hawkeye (Fred Kleier) in a hard-fought 7.15 seconds in Round 1, and Bang Ya Drum (Dunne Bulls) in a quick 2.06 seconds in Round 2, but had a renewed shot at a podium finish when injury struck one of his fellow riders.

Four-time and reigning PBR Australia Champion Kleier had advanced to the final round of six compliments of his 84-point, Round 1-winning score atop POA Reload (Dittmann Bucking Bulls) but was injured during Round 2 when he bucked off Rambo (Dittmann Bucking Bulls) in 3.83 seconds. As a result, Kleier was unable to compete in the Championship Round, opening the door for Heffernan.

Making the most of his renewed shot at points, Heffernan rode Cattle King Boogers Beach (Dittmann Bucking Bulls) for an event-best 89 points to clinch the runner-up finish.

Despite not being able to attempt his last bull, Kleier concluded the tour stop fifth, earning 35 national points.

Leaving Mackay, Heffernan remained No. 2, denting Kleier’s lead to 258.5 points.

Round 2 winner Jay Borghero (Beaudesert, Queensland) was third.

After bucking off Run For Your Life (Fred Kleier) in 3.33 seconds in Round 1, Borghero rebounded in triumphant fashion in Round 2, riding Cowboy Train (Fred Kleier) for a commanding 85.5 points.

Borghero, however, was unable to continue his momentum in the championship round, upended by Roid Rage (Dittmann Bucking Bulls) in a quick 1.51 seconds.

The bronze finish earned Borghero 55 national points. He is now ranked No. 20 in Australia.

Rounding out the Top 5 in fourth was the Kansas City Outlaws’ Sam Woodall (Heywood, Victoria).

His 84.5-point ride atop 13 (Fred Kleier) in Round 2 earned Woodall 42 national points.

Woodall is now No. 22 in the nation.

In the bull pen, Pretty Boy (Dittmann Bucking Bulls) was crowned the Bull of the Event. He was marked 45.5 points in the championship round for his 1.51-second buck off of Borghero.

Stay tuned in to PBRAustralia.com.au and follow the tour on Facebook (PBR Australia), Twitter (@PBRAustralia), and Instagram (@PBRAustralia) for the latest results, news, stats and more.

PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour PBR Mackay Invitational, presented by Kent Hire BB Print Stadium – Mackay, Queensland Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2- Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points) 1. Jake Curr, 81-84-0-165.00-78 Points. 2. Cody Heffernan, 0-0-89-89.00-65 Points. 3. Jay Borghero, 0-85.5-0-85.50-55 Points. 4. Sam Woodall, 0-84.5-0-84.50-42 Points. 5. Aaron Kleier, 84-0-0-84.00-35 Points. 6. Braith Nock, 0-83.5-0-83.50-16 Points. 7. Beau Willis, 81.5-0-0-81.50-17 Points. Qynn Andersen, 0-0-0-0.00 Kelsey Pavlou, 0-0-0-0.00 Trefor Sproule, 0-0-0-0.00 Ben Moran, 0-0-0-0.00 Jackson Gray, 0-0-0-0.00 Taran Chirgwin, 0-0-0-0.00 Jono Couling, 0-0-0-0.00 Dan Ruhland, 0-0-0-0.00 Wyatt Milgate, 0-0-0-0.00 Luke Smith, 0-0-0-0.00 Tyson Smith, 0-0-0-0.00 Toby Hale, 0-0-0-0.00