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IN A SPORT which thrives on high-risks thrills and spills, Sam Woodall has experienced his fair share of ups and downs.
The 20-year-old is on the comeback trail after breaking his collarbone late in 2017.
He will climb back into the saddle this Saturday night when the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) Tour hits Bendigo for the first time.
Woodall, who hails from Lyons, near Heywood, in Victoria’s south west, is a third-generation bull rider.
His dad Gavin was a three-time Australian champion and his grandfather Ron also competed and continues to breed bulls for competitions.
With his blue-ribbon pedigree, Woodall, whose brother Jack is also a competitor, said he never needed any convincing to enter the sport.
“It’s just always been part of our lives,” he said.
“Growing up we always saw dad riding the bulls, so we wanted to be the same as him.
“From four or five (years old) we started getting on potty calves and we never looked back.”
It’s a pursuit that has taken Woodall all across Australia and to the United States.
In July last year, the siblings contested the 69th annual high school finals rodeo in Gillette, Wyoming.
There they faced more than 1750 opponents from across the United States and Canada.
For Woodall, the Bendigo Invitational is a golden chance to stake a claim on a place in the Australian team for the Global Cup and to earn points for the PBR World Finals at the end of 2018.
He will be up against 29 of Australia’s best bull riders, including standings leaders Aaron Kleier, Cliff Richardson, Cody Heffernan, Bailey Woodward and Budd Williamson.
Win or lose, Woodall is just glad to be back riding high after breaking his collarbone at a tour event in Townsville in November.
“I’m still a bit sore, but I’m feeling confident,” he said.
“I am going to try a new style out, so hopefully everything goes to plan.
“But it’s going to be a tough battle, everyone there has the capability to win the bull ride.”
The tour’s first stop in Bendigo will be special in more ways than one.
It will be the first event contested in a new world-first, purpose-built 3500 capacity mobile stadium, which has been in development since 2010.
Eager to pitch bull riding to new audiences, Woodall said the sport’s appeal lied in its uniqueness.
“It’s something that is not mainstream in any way - it’s different to anything a lot of people have seen before,” he said.
“It’s something new and something you can’t just go and see anywhere.
“And the more fans the better the show it is.”
Tickets for the Bendigo Invitational are available at: www.pbraustralia.com.au