AUSTRALIAN Cody Heffernan put on a stellar performance at the 2019 PBR Australia Bendigo Invitational.
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The 29-year-old from Singleton, NSW outclassed a strong field of cowboys to be crowned the champion.
Heffernan's first ride of the night during the qualifying rounds was aboard Wild Paint, where he lasted the full eight seconds to receive a score of 86.
Heffernan - who is ranked 40 in the world - rode Lost Signal in the final decider round and received a score of 86.5, enough to push his total aggregate score to 172.5, just three points more than second placed Lachlan Richardson.
"The first bull I rode (Wild Paint) is a relatively new bull, I've only seen him once before so I knew it was definitely going to be a tough task to make the full eight seconds," Heffernan said.
"I rode him well and got an 86 to make it back to the championship round in the top position.
"Then I was lucky enough to get a bull (Lost Signal) I've ridden three times before and made it to eight seconds twice."
Just a week before at the PBR Shepparton Invitational Heffernan was thrown off by Lost Signal "so I was pretty happy to see my name next to him for the final ride".
The win in Bendigo earned Heffernan $2,416 in prize money and 580 valuable championship points to elevate him to third place in the overall standings.
Heffernan has been a professional rider for 11 years, and despite his wealth of experience on the back of bulls, he knows at next weekend's PBR Australia Ballarat Invitational everyone - including the bulls - will be in search of victory.
"Definitely take some confidence from tonight into next weekend," Heffernan said.
"But next week is a new weekend and the bulls don't know what I've just achieved and they always mean business no matter what," he laughed.
Second place Lachlan Richardson - ranked 47 in the world - rode Hazmat during the qualifying round and received a score of 83.
Richardson then rode Bring The Action in the championship round and scored 86.5, to finish with a total aggregate score of 169.5.
PBR Australia's tour of Victoria will continue next weekend at the Ballarat Invitational.
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