Rothbury cowboy Jason O’Hearn won his second major title in the past six months when he took out the Elixa Bull Riding International title at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

It has been a busy few months for the 28-year-old, who was on the sidelines with a back injury for eight months until April last year.

O’Hearn won the Australasian title at Kundabung on the October long weekend, and competed in seven rodeos in the 10 days from Boxing Day, before heading up to the Gold Coast for the Bull Riding International.

Fifty bull riders took part in the Gold Coast meet, 42 from Australia and the others from New Zealand, Canada, Brazil and the United States, including the current American champion.

“It’s been pretty hectic, but I’ve made some good winnings,” he said.

O’Hearn will compete at BTD series in Tamworth from tomorrow to Saturday, and then head off to a couple of events in Melbourne in February.

He is hoping to have a few more wins to fund a trip back overseas. After winning the Australian bull riding championship in 2004, he spent two years on the Canadian rodeo circuit.

“Hopefully I can fill the pockets up and head back overseas, hopefully to Texas this time,” he said.

O’Hearn started out riding horses on the show circuit as a child, and his sisters, Natalie Jones and Michelle Makeham, still compete in barrel-racing at rodeos.

“It’s in the blood, I guess,” he said.

He started riding steers at rodeos at the age of 15, and joined the Australian Professional Rodeo Association in 1996.