With only 30 bull riders selected nationally, Singleton’s strong presence is an indication of the depth of the local talent.

Selectors named Mathew Griffiths, Cody Heffernan and Tyler Corrigan to tackle 220 raging bulls with 27 other top riders from across the country.

They have been invited to be a part of the event that will see them tackling 8 second bull rides in front of at least 20,000 people.

“We have never ridden in front of a crowd that big before and we just have to keep our heads down and ignore it, make sure that is doesn’t make a difference,” Heffernan said.

They will not just be doing this once either.

The Bull Riding Spectacular is running across eight nights and the three will each be riding a different bull for the six nights they are involved in.

Attending school together, these three lean, mean, bull riding machines are tacking on bulls that weigh a tonne or more. This is the first time for Griffiths and Corrigan, but Heffernan took part in the 2001 Junior Bull Riding Spectacular. They are the youngest in the Open Bull Ride, but they all seem to be quite modest about their achievement.

Between them, these young bull riders have 20 years experience and have achieved a lot in the 12 months that they have been competing in open age categories. Heffernan started with Poddy calves at the age of seven and Griffiths and Corrigan have been riding steers for four years.

Now all three have been competing in Open Bull events for just 12 months and they are regular place getters in almost every event they ride in.

An event in Camden saw Corrigan take out first place in Opens and at the Muswellbrook Show he took fourth place and Heffernan came in at fifth place. At Cessnock Heffernan got a second and in Quirindi, Corrigan and Heffernan came equal fifth.

A trip to Springfield, Illionis for Griffiths, after success in the National High School finals in Wyoming, has been his bull riding career highlight, but expects that will be overtaken by the Bull Riding Spectacular.

“It is really exciting,” Griffiths said, summing up all of their feelings about this opportunity.