Hunter product Lachie Richardson will lead Team New South Wales in the fiercest battle of them all, the PBR Origin Series, in 2025.
The Gresford bull rider, and one of the sport’s most respected competitors, has been named coach of the state squad, with another local Singleton’s Cody Heffernan his deputy.
In a further bonus for the duo, the Monster Energy Tour is set to kick off at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on 3 May, with the following rounds scheduled for Brisbane (7 June) and Sydney (5 July).
For Richardson, a seven-time PBR World Finals qualifier, he’s lived it, breathed it and knows exactly what it takes to win.
And, NSW will need that expertise to break Queensland’s stranglehold on the event.
“The most extreme rivalry in Australian sport isn’t just played out on the footy field,” PBR Australia general manager Glen Young said.
“It rages in the rodeo arena, too.
“The boys will go head-to-head in the toughest test of skill, strength and sheer grit: professional bull riding.
“With nothing but eight seconds standing between glory and the dust, they ride for more than just personal victory, they ride for state pride.
“Queensland is now home to the No. 1 bull rider the world, in Clermont’s Brady Fielder, and as of the PBR Meatstock Touring Pro in Bendigo, the top Australian in Ben Bode, from Calliope.
“So, it’s going to be a tough ask for NSW.
“But, if anyone can pull it off, it’s Lachie.”
From the rolling hills of Gresford to the world’s biggest bull riding stages, Richardson has built a career defined by toughness and an unbreakable will to succeed.
Born into a family with the sport in its blood, he was just 10 when he rode his first calf, with the guidance of his uncle.
That early passion turned into a vocation spanning more than a decade at the highest level, especially after being named 2012 PBR Australia Rookie of the Year.
After hanging up his rope in 2024 to focus on family, particularly with a new baby due in May, Richardson’s primed for a new challenge.
“It’s an honour to be asked to coach Team New South Wales,” he said.
“Origin was always my favourite time of year and it’s no different now, except I get to put my full focus on the team.”
His game plan?
“Let the talent shine while ensuring my riders are mentally strong and ready to perform,” he said.
“We don’t talk, we ride.
“Rest at the end, not in the middle.”
With Richardson at the helm, expect a team that’s tough, focused and up for the battle.
Queensland might bleed maroon, but this year, New South Wales is ready to bring the blue wave.
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