| While the Open teams won’t be announced until May 13, the next generation of bull riding talent is already pulling on their state colours, with the junior teams for the 2026 PBR Australia Monster Energy Origin Series revealed. They’re the future of the sport, young, fearless, and ready to ride for state pride, and just like their senior heroes, they’ll don the blue and maroon jerseys and face the ultimate test: eight seconds of glory… or the dirt. Junior riders will compete at all three Origin events in Newcastle, Brisbane and Sydney, with teams of four selected from the 2025 PBR Australia Can-Am Junior Academy. Aged between nine and 17, these rising stars will go head-to-head in one of the fiercest rivalries in Australian sport, just on a smaller, but no less determined, scale. For 13-year-old Kassedy Carlon from Bundarra in north western NSW, this year marks his third time representing the Blues on bulls, making him the most experienced rider in the New South Wales junior lineup, a remarkable achievement for one so young. Queensland’s team boasts Gympie brothers Chase and Jasper Wieland, with nine-year-old Jasper the youngest rider in the series, a brotherly double act ready to fire up Maroon pride. Team Queensland Lane Cross (Bundaberg, QLD) – 17 years Chase Wieland (Gympie, QLD) – 14 years (second time representing – 2024) Wylie Roots (Duaringa, QLD) – 13 years (third time representing – 2024, 2025) Jasper Wieland (Gympie, QLD) – 9 years Team New South Wales Liam Birks (Tamworth, NSW) – 16 years Kassedy Carlon (Bundarra, NSW) – 13 years (third time representing – 2024, 2025) Nash Goddard (Glendon Brook, NSW) – 12 years Chase Berry (Gunnedah, NSW) – 10 years “The Queensland–New South Wales Origin rivalry is legendary, and nowhere is it tougher than in the PBR arena,” said PBR Australia Managing Director Glen Young. “Wearing a blue or maroon jersey and riding for eight seconds brings a special kind of pride. Origin fever isn’t just for elite riders and NRL stars, these junior cowboys live and breathe it too,” he said. “The Can-Am Junior Academy is more than a ride or a series; it’s the breeding ground for the next generation of champions. These young athletes are born for this and represent the future of bull riding in Australia. Bringing them into the Origin Series gives them even more experience, this time riding bulls as a team.” Origin 2026 begins in Newcastle on May 30, before heading to Brisbane on June 6, and culminating in Sydney at the TikTok Entertainment Centre on August 1. Tickets are on sale now. Media Release: PBR Australia |
Next Gen of Bull Riding Stars Named for PBR Origin 2026
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