Circuit News
6/10/08 Source-ProRodeo.com
PRCA ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT NEW INVESTMENT IN CIRCUIT SYSTEM
AND OTHER INITIATIVES AT ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
COLORADO SPRINGS - The annual general
membership meeting of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) was
held today at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. The PRCA used the opportunity to
unveil a number of new and exciting initiatives to its membership.
PRCA Chairman of the Board Keith Martin announced the Board's unanimous
decision to bolster the PRCA Circuit System, which, in Martin's words, is
"the backbone of the PRCA." Starting in 2008, the PRCA will contribute an
additional $500,000 per year into the PRCA Circuit System. The 12-circuit
system includes the Badlands, California, Columbia River, First Frontier,
Great Lakes, Montana, Mountain States, Prairie, Southeastern, Texas,
Turquoise and Wilderness Circuits, as well as the Dodge National Circuit
Finals Rodeo, which is a vital part of the circuit package.
The PRCA has committed to matching up to $3,000 per event in added money at
every Circuit Finals Rodeo, in each of the six standard PRCA events, which
are bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding,
tie-down roping and bull riding. Equal money of up to $6,000 will be made
available in the team roping event. The four circuits - Columbia River,
Mountain States, Prairie and Texas - that also include steer roping will be
entitled to the same matching benefit in that event, for a total potential
PRCA commitment of $264,000 per year in additional added money. The PRCA
Board of Directors believes that this initiative will encourage Circuit
Finals Rodeo committees to increase their contribution as well. The PRCA's
matching prize monies will be added to the committee contributions.
In addition, the PRCA announced that it will pay the entry fees of all PRCA
contestant qualifiers at the 2009 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo.
"These initiatives show the PRCA Board's firm commitment to support and
strengthen our Circuit System, which is a core component of our business,"
Martin said. "Wrangler National Finals Rodeo contestants do not have to pay
entry fees to compete at the NFR, and now our circuit contestants will no
longer have to pay entry fees to compete at our Dodge National Circuit
Finals Rodeo. We are all part of the PRCA Circuit System, whether we are
contestants, committees, stock contractors, sponsors or contract personnel.
These improvements to the Circuit System are good news for all of us,
because they take this important part of our business to the next level."
The PRCA will provide $92,400 to cover all DNCFR entry fees for PRCA
contestants, which are $550 per qualifier per event. The PRCA will also
contribute additional monies to the DNCFR fund, which when added to the
sponsor and DNCFR committee commitments will bring the total DNCFR payoff
for the six PRCA events to $500,000 in 2009. The total payout in those same
events at the 2008 DNCFR was $350,350. The PRCA also announced more welcomed
news for cowboys and fans, confirming that the scheduling conflict between
the DNCFR and RodeoHouston has been eliminated. The 2009 DNCFR will be held
April 8-11 in Pocatello, Idaho.
"These actions represent the beginning of our initiatives," Martin said.
"It's definitely not the end. Fuel prices are hurting everybody right now,
but they're really impacting our contestants. This $500,000 commitment of
additional PRCA funds will help."
Martin had more good news for PRCA members at the meeting, including an
additional $300,000 shot in the arm of the PRCA judging program. "Judging is
such an important part of professional rodeo," he said. "We are all working
hard to increase the competitive opportunities available to our contestants,
but we also want to make sure that money ends up in the hands of those who
deserve it most. Competitive integrity is vital to every professional
sport."
Martin also reported that overall entries at Heartland ProRodeo Series
events have increased by 8.4 percent to date in 2008, with a 16 percent
increase in bareback riding alone. The new Heartland ProRodeo Series concept
is working, and the boosted bareback riding entries are an encouraging
trend, as the number of professional bareback riders has declined in recent
years. Finally, the PRCA announced a major membership initiative designed to
reward top high school rodeo contestants throughout the United States. The
PRCA will waive permit dues for every National High School Rodeo Association
state champion in each event that is part of the PRCA.
"We wanted to reach out to the next generation of cowboys, and let them know
how much we value their participation in our sport," Martin said. "This will
give almost 300 cowboys per year a head start in pursuing a career in
professional rodeo. "All of these initiatives reinforce the fact that the
PRCA Board of Directors and staff are making every effort to meet the needs
of its membership. We're working hard to get the job done, and we're making
progress. The PRCA is financially sound, entries are up and attendance is on
the rise at our rodeos. Our foundation is solid, and we're in strong
position to continue to grow the great sport of professional rodeo."
Circuit Membership/Calendars
Hello to all California Pro Rodeo Circuit Contestants,
Members and/or new potential Members
As the new year has begun, the beginning of our rodeo
season will be here before we know it with our first rodeo taking place at
Indio on March 8-9, 2008. CFR this year takes place November 14-16, 2008.
2008 MEMBERSHIPS
This years membership dues for the California Circuit have
changed as follows:
Each contestant and/or member must sell 10 rodeo calendars
at a rate of $10.00 each for a total of $100.00 to be collected for your
membership dues. If you have not sold your required calendars and/or sent
the circuit your $100.00 by CFR weekend you will be charged a higher
membership dues of $150.00 at CFR. With your paid membership dues you will
receive a circuit jacket which are usually handed out the weekend of CFR.
If you have not already received your calendars, please
contact Ted Hoffman ASAP and he will mail out to you your 10 required
calendars. If you wish to have more then 10 sent to you please let
Ted Hoffman know that.
The calendars have a lot of wonderful pictures from rodeo
season 2007 and CFR 2007 along with all the rodeo dates for 2008.
Please make checks payable to “CFR” and mail your dues to
Martin Kiff, 4019 Alexander Lane, Healdsburg, CA 95448
If you have any questions you can contact either
myself, Ted or Martin.
Anita Smith
Contestants, Contract Acts, Stock
Contractors, CFR Committee Members
Message from the President
First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for your
patience with the vests. I have been assured it will never happen again. The
company, Main Gate owes us big time. I've spent so much time at UPS, my
socks are turning brown.
Anyway, my next challenge has arrived, The Calendars. We
had a few printing issues but they look great and please thank Suzy Mills
next time you see her, for all the hard work she put into it. I have been
pricing calendars every where I go and I think $10.00 is a great price for
it. So here is what we decided to do.
First of all, your 2008 circuit dues are $100.00. Notice
how we placed ten calendars in this envelope? If you sell these or give them
away, you owe us (The Circuit) $100.00. I don't care if you sell them for
twenty. Please send us $100.00. When we receive your check ... Don't send
cash, don't send a bunch of $10.00 checks, send one check, payable to "CFR"
That's the California Finals Rodeo for those of you who went to West Hills.
Just kidding. If you make the check out to me personally I will assume it is
a tip for all my hard work and put it toward my Rodeo Clown Retirement Fund,
and you will still owe the Circuit $100.00.
Now, all your circuit dues will go directly towards next
years added money. Every penny, I promise. Or my names not Gem Blankston.
It's not, but I do promise. Now I know what you’re thinking..
What if I might not make the finals? Then feel free to feed the calendars to
your goats. You have just cost the Circuit about $10.00.
What if you make the finals and didn't sell the calendars we sent you?
Answer: If you want a jacket and a shot at a go-round buckle and a ticket to
the VIP area, then come November your Circuit dues are $150.00.
If you were not sent any calendars and you make the finals your circuit dues
are still $100.00.
This should add another $1200.00 to the purse along with
the $2100.00 we already add, plus the added sponsorship money, plus the fact
that Doug and Ted are busting their behinds to raise the purse, minus the
fact that the WPRA was just awarded 6.8 million dollars in their lawsuit and
we will still be around $4000.00 per event. I HOPE! That puts us ahead of 4
other circuits. I know what you’re thinking... "How does the Montana Circuit
add $9950.00 per event?" They sell 60,000 calendars. The contestants sell
about 30,000. We’re asking you to sell 10. Next year we hope to ask you to
sell twenty....
Can we make money at this? YES.
Here is another way to make a few bucks. You can sell your
page to sponsors. Let's take the WPBRAWA Barrel Race page in August. There
is lots of places to sell advertising on those two pages. Now Lyndie can
tell her gals to find a few sponsors and she has something to offer her
sponsors, (advertising throughout California and Nevada). If she sells
$2500.00 worth of advertising, her go-round buckles and saddle are paid for.
If she sells more, then she can do with it however she pleases. Please help
out your event reps so we can get this done. The front and back covers are
also available, if anyone knows a company that needs a great way to sell
their products. Heck, we can even add a few pages if we have to.
In closing, please help me make this work. Please send
your circuit dues /Calendar
money in right away. Please make the check payable to "CFR" and mail it to
me, at my home address. This way I'll be able to keep track of who has paid.
Thanks again. Your UPS man,
Martin Kiff
Martin Kiff
4019 Alexander Valley Lane
Healdsburg, CA 95448
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