Aaron Kleier Sweeps Opening Rounds of the 2021 PBR Australia Grand Finals to Inch Closer to Historic Fourth Consecutive National Title

TOWNSVILLE, Qld – As action got underway for the 2021 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Australia Monster Energy Tour Grand Finals, one rider continued his pursuit of history in dominant fashion. Going a perfect 2-for-2, and sweeping the opening rounds of competition, Aaron Kleier (Clermont, Queensland) not only surged to top of the leaderboard for the grueling year-end event, but he also inched closer to his unprecedented fourth consecutive PBR Australia Championship.

Quick to strike inside the Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre, Kleier tied for the Round 1 win compliments of an 85.5-point effort aboard Suga Boom Boom (BK Bucking Bullls).

Kleier then faced a rubber match with King Kong (Fred Kleier) in Round 2.

The bovine athlete, who is presently the largest bull bucking in PBR competition, weighing in at 990 kgs, bucked off the stoic Queensland native in their first meeting, sending him to the ground in a heartbreaking 7.97 seconds in 2018 in Rockhampton, but Kleier exacted revenge in their next showdown, covering the commanding animal athlete for 88 points en route to the event win this July in Rockhampton.

Continuing his success, Kleier matched King Kong jump-for-jump en route to the 8-second whistle, marked a Round 2-winning 85.25 points.

The perfect 2-for-2 showing allowed Kleier to further extend his lead atop the national standings, remaining in firm control of the No. 1 rank in the race for the 2021 PBR Australia Championship.

Should Kleier be crowned the 2021 PBR Australia Champion, the 23-year-old sensation would tie David Kennedy (Kyogle, New South Wales) for most Australian national titles won by one rider in league history. Kennedy topped the national standings in 2009-2010, 2012 and 2014.

Kleier also leads the battle for the 2021 PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour Grand Finals event win. He is 5.5 points ahead of Jake Curr (Mount Isa, Queensland) who was the only other rider to cover both of his draws on the opening night of competition.

If Kleier won the 2021 PBR Australia Championship and Grand Finals event title, he would join an elite group of riders to have won both honors in the same season. To date, the feat has only been achieved three times: Ben Jones (Goulburn, New South Wales) in 2007; Pete Farley (Kempsey, New South Wales) in 2008; and Chris Lowe (Uralla, New South Wales) in 2013.

Competing at the second PBR Australia Grand Finals of his career, Curr was electric Friday evening.

Curr first delivered the fifth-best score of Round 1 when he went the distance atop Toy Boy (Colin Fry) for 81.5 points.

In Round 2, the Queensland contender climbed the leaderboard when he recorded the second best score, covering Ambush (MJ/Keliher Bucking Bulls) for 83.75 points.

Seven-time PBR World Finals Qualifier Lachlan Richardson (Gresford, New South Wales) is third after the opening rounds of action.

Richardson got off to a hot start, splitting the Round 1 win with Kleier via his 85.5-point ride aboard Pay Cheque (Colin Fry), but was unable to continue the momentum in Round 2, sent to the dirt in 4.15 seconds by 2021 YETI PBR Australia Bull of the Year contender Pretty Boy (Peter Wallace).

Attempting to become just the third rider in league history to win the PBR Australia Grand Finals multiple times, Richardson trails No. 1 Kleier by 85.25 points in the event aggregate.

Seeking the same elite air as Richardson, reigning PBR Australia Grand Finals event winner Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland) is fifth on the tour stop leaderboard ahead of the final day of the season.

Fielder’s efforts on Friday evening were headlined by an 85-point ride on Meet Ya Maker (MJ/Keliher Bucking Bulls) in Round 1.

The 21-year-old is 85.75 points behind top-positioned Kleier on the event leaderboard.

In addition to becoming just the third multi-time PBR Australia Grand Finals event winner, should Fielder win the 2021 event, he would also become just the third athlete to win the tour stop in consecutive seasons.

Rounding out the Top 5 on the event leaderboard in fifth was Kurt Shephard (Mareeba, Queensland).

He rode I’m a Thug (Peter Wallace) for 85.25 points in Round 1, but was no match for Cattle King Boogers Beach (Dittmann Bucking Bulls) in Round 2, bested in 3.44 seconds.

The 2021 PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour Grand Finals will conclude on Saturday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m. AEST in Townsville, Queensland at the Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre.

Fans can watch all the action from the 2021 PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour Grand Finals LIVE on Facebook. For $4.49 AUD fans will be able to watch the LIVE stream of the event, and the on-demand video of the tour stop which will publish in the days that follow. To purchase the Facebook LIVE stream of the year-end tour stop via Facebook Pay, fans should visit the official event page here, and select get access.

For more information, stay tuned to PBRAustralia.com.au and follow the tour on Facebook (PBR Australia), Twitter (@PBRAustralia), and Instagram (@PBRAustralia) for the latest results.

PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour – PBR Grand Finals
Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre – Townville, Queensland
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Round 4-Round 5-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Aaron Kleier, 85.5-85.25-0-0-0-170.75-37.5 Points.
2. Jake Curr, 81.5-83.75-0-0-0-165.25-21 Points.
3. Lachlan Richardson, 85.5-0-0-0-0-85.50-17.5 Points.
4. Kurt Shephard, 85.25-0-0-0-0-85.25-10 Points.
5. Brady Fielder, 85-0-0-0-0-85.00-8 Points.
6. Joshua Jones, 80.75-0-0-0-0-80.75-4 Points.
7. Taran Chirgwin, 0-80.5-0-0-0-80.50-10 Points.
Beau Willis, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Lawson Nobbs, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Macaulie Leather, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Sam Woodall, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Qynn Andersen, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Bailey Woodard, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Lachlan Slade, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Troy Wilkinson, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Lane Mellers, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Caiden Sandilands, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Dan Ruhland, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Kelsey Pavlou, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Mitchel Paton, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Wyatt Milgate, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Lane Howlett, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00