ON MONDAY morning twenty three year old Nathan Burtenshaw was looking exhausted and a bit knocked around.
Having gone three rounds with enormous angry beasts at the National Professional Bull Riding (PBR) Championships at Qudos Arena in Homebush, Nathan is back in Coonamble where he’ll have a week off to regain his strength ready for the next bout.
Nathan has been home from the United States for four weeks and during that time has competed in Darwin, Mt Isa, Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney.
The majority of those were road trips.
As one of Australia’s top twenty riders for 2017, Nathan went into the National Finals in 17th spot.
By the close of business on Saturday night he had climbed to third and took out the overall best score on the night.
He is now setting his sights on the World Finals in Las Vegas in early November.
To qualify for that event he will have to leap ten places from his current position at 46th in the world.
Six other internationals competed on the weekend including four Brazilians, a Mexican and three-time world champion JW Harris who didn’t get a bull ridden all night.
Apart from taking out the highest average over his three rides and picking up around $12,000 in prizemoney, Nathan also rode two previously-unridden bulls.
The highlight was getting one up on the bull called Fully Locked & Loaded.
“I’ve been on him before,” said Nathan.
“He’s thrown me off. He was a bit rough.”
“FULLY Locked & Loaded threw him at Mt Atherton,” said Nathan’s dad David.
“So it was a bit of a grudge match.” The bulls in the pro circuit these days are just as professional as the riders.
Fully Locked & Loaded had travelled from his home base at Mackay in Queensland to Homebush for the Championships.
He’d also been to the four of the five events that Nathan has attended in the past month.
“These bulls are worth about $20,000 to $30,000,” says Nathan.
“They get looked after just as good as racehorses.”
According to Nathan, similar bucking stock in the U.S. can sell for up to $600,000.
They are kept in peak condition and perhaps are better cared for than many of the riders.
To be able to compete at the national and international level Nathan keeps in shape by attending the gym between events and getting a massage when he can.
In Coonamble, Bev White provides the remedial massage he needs.
“At the gym I work on my core strength,” says Nathan. “I hardly ever do weights.”
“I also do hot yoga,” he said. “The room is so hot it almost makes you sick but it really helps build your core.”
Nathan has avoided major injury this season, although he is currently carrying a bruised foot and toe.
After his week’s break, Nathan will travel to compete at Cloncurry and Mount Isa before booking his ticket back to the U.S.
