Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Encyclopedia
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is an organization
whose members compete in rodeo
s throughout North America
, primarily in the United States
. The PRCA sanctions
rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
. The PRCA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO.
to protest the actions of rodeo promoter W.T. Johnson, who refused to add the cowboys' entry fees to the rodeo's total purse. Johnson finally gave in to the cowboys' demands, and the successful "strike" led to the formation of the Cowboys' Turtle Association. That name was chosen because, while they were slow to organize, when required they were unafraid to stick out their necks to get what they wanted, like turtles might do. Among the organizers was a woman, a four-time national bronc champion, Alice Greenough Orr
. In 1945, the Turtles changed their name to the Rodeo Cowboys Association, and in 1975, the organization became the PRCA. The Philippines
, a former American colony, is the Rodeo Capital of Asia. It is affiliated with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association of America. Its homegrown cowboys, whose rodeo talents have been honed at the festival, have participated in the National Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas.
The PRCA staff consists of about 70 full-time employees, but grows to nearly 100 during the peak rodeo season. The PRCA headquarters, established in 1979 in Colorado Springs, also houses the ProRodeo Hall of Fame
and Museum of the American Cowboy.
National Circuit Finals Rodeo
(DNCFR), held every year since 1987
in Pocatello, Idaho
. The top two contestants in each of the seven rodeo events from the 12 different PRCA regional circuits compete in the four-day championship event held in Pocatello. Points are achieved for the top competitors in each of the circuit rodeo events held throughout the year. The winner in each event at the DNCFR is the national circuit finals champion for that event. In addition to the eight individual event winners, there is also an overall champion titled the All-Around Cowboy
. All eight winners receive the National Circuit Championship gold belt-buckle. Dodge has been the title sponsor of the NCFR since 1991
.
The top 15 money winners in each PRCA discipline (including the top 15 "headers" and "heelers" in team roping
) earn a trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
, commonly called the National Finals or NFR. The NFR is held in Las Vegas, Nevada
every December. Rodeo action is held over 10 consecutive days at the National Finals, with the top money winner for the year crowned the year's champion in each discipline at the end of the NFR. Because of the large amount of money at stake in the NFR, the leaders in each event going into the NFR are often dethroned for the year's championship at that event.
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
whose members compete in rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
s throughout North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, primarily in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The PRCA sanctions
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
National Finals Rodeo
The National Finals Rodeo, organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, is the premier championship rodeo event in the United States. Wrangler Jeans is the title sponsor for the 10-day event, commonly just called the National Finals or NFR, which is also sometimes referred to as the...
. The PRCA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO.
History
The organization was created in 1936 when a group of cowboys walked out of a rodeo at Boston GardenBoston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
to protest the actions of rodeo promoter W.T. Johnson, who refused to add the cowboys' entry fees to the rodeo's total purse. Johnson finally gave in to the cowboys' demands, and the successful "strike" led to the formation of the Cowboys' Turtle Association. That name was chosen because, while they were slow to organize, when required they were unafraid to stick out their necks to get what they wanted, like turtles might do. Among the organizers was a woman, a four-time national bronc champion, Alice Greenough Orr
Alice Greenough Orr
Alice Greenough Orr , a rancher’s daughter in Montana, became an internationally known rodeo performer and organizer who was inducted into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, and in 2010 the...
. In 1945, the Turtles changed their name to the Rodeo Cowboys Association, and in 1975, the organization became the PRCA. The Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, a former American colony, is the Rodeo Capital of Asia. It is affiliated with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association of America. Its homegrown cowboys, whose rodeo talents have been honed at the festival, have participated in the National Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas.
The PRCA staff consists of about 70 full-time employees, but grows to nearly 100 during the peak rodeo season. The PRCA headquarters, established in 1979 in Colorado Springs, also houses the ProRodeo Hall of Fame
ProRodeo Hall of Fame
The ProRodeo Hall of Fame is dedicated to the preservation of rodeo artifacts and continued interest in the sport. It is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and run by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's board. It claims to be the "only museum in the world devoted exclusively to the...
and Museum of the American Cowboy.
Circuits and championships
A performer must qualify in his or her regional circuit to move on to the DodgeDodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
National Circuit Finals Rodeo
National Circuit Finals Rodeo
The National Circuit Finals were previously held every March in Pocatello, Idaho; however, for 2011 and beyond the event has been moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
(DNCFR), held every year since 1987
1987 in sports
1987 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:...
in Pocatello, Idaho
Pocatello, Idaho
Pocatello is the county seat and largest city of Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the principal city of the Pocatello metropolitan area, which encompasses all of Bannock...
. The top two contestants in each of the seven rodeo events from the 12 different PRCA regional circuits compete in the four-day championship event held in Pocatello. Points are achieved for the top competitors in each of the circuit rodeo events held throughout the year. The winner in each event at the DNCFR is the national circuit finals champion for that event. In addition to the eight individual event winners, there is also an overall champion titled the All-Around Cowboy
All-Around Cowboy
All-Around Cowboy, or All-Around, is an award given to a rodeo competitor who is most successful in two or more events. Most individual rodeos and championships determine the winner of this award at the conclusion of the other events or championships....
. All eight winners receive the National Circuit Championship gold belt-buckle. Dodge has been the title sponsor of the NCFR since 1991
1991 in sports
1991 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria-American football:...
.
The top 15 money winners in each PRCA discipline (including the top 15 "headers" and "heelers" in team roping
Team roping
Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, but it is also legal for the rope to go around the neck, or go around...
) earn a trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
National Finals Rodeo
The National Finals Rodeo, organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, is the premier championship rodeo event in the United States. Wrangler Jeans is the title sponsor for the 10-day event, commonly just called the National Finals or NFR, which is also sometimes referred to as the...
, commonly called the National Finals or NFR. The NFR is held in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
every December. Rodeo action is held over 10 consecutive days at the National Finals, with the top money winner for the year crowned the year's champion in each discipline at the end of the NFR. Because of the large amount of money at stake in the NFR, the leaders in each event going into the NFR are often dethroned for the year's championship at that event.
PRCA events
8 events and 10 championships are sanctioned by the PRCA:- All-AroundAll-Around CowboyAll-Around Cowboy, or All-Around, is an award given to a rodeo competitor who is most successful in two or more events. Most individual rodeos and championships determine the winner of this award at the conclusion of the other events or championships....
- Bareback riding
- Steer wrestlingSteer wrestlingSteer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event in which a horse-mounted rider chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting its horns. Like all rodeo events, there are concerns from the animal rights community that the competition...
- also known as bull dogging - Team ropingTeam ropingTeam roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, but it is also legal for the rope to go around the neck, or go around...
- Divided into "Headers" and "Heelers" in 1995- Headers - Cowboys who rope the steer's head
- Heelers - Cowboys who rope the steer's hind feet
- Saddle bronc riding
- Tie-down ropingCalf ropingCalf roping, also known as tie-down roping, is a rodeo event that features a calf and a rider mounted on a horse. The goal of this timed event is for the rider to catch the calf by throwing a loop of rope from a lariat around its neck, dismount from the horse, run to the calf, and restrain it by...
- formerly known as calf roping - Steer ropingSteer ropingSteer roping, also known as steer tripping, is a rodeo event that features a steer and one mounted cowboy.The steer roper is behind a taut rope fastened with an easily broken string which is fastened to the rope on the steer. When the roper is ready he calls for the steer and the chute man trips a...
- Barrel racingBarrel racingBarrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a clover-leaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. Though both boys and girls compete at the youth level and men compete in some amateur venues, in collegiate and professional ranks, it is primarily a rodeo...
- Bull ridingBull ridingBull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....