2018 PRCA Media Guide Intro

PRCA Tours, Series and Championships

RAM Circuits. The PRCA divides the United States into 12 geographic areas or circuits. Cowboys compete for circuit points throughout the year by winning at rodeos within the circuit they choose at the beginning of a rodeo season. Top earners within each circuit compete at circuit finals, and those winners advance to the prestigious annual RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Fla. The RAM NCFR field includes world champions as well as top regional cowboys. Likewise, the top four

steer ropers from each of the six PRCA circuits that have steer roping circuit finals meet up at the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping in Torrington, Wyo., each year to determine the national circuit champion. The PRCA’s circuit system enables cowboys who are not full-time, widely traveling contestants to compete locally and regionally, yet have the chance to advance to those regional and national competitions. For the first time in 2017, the RAMNCFR included contestants from the Mexico Rodeo Federation, bringing international competition and adding over $8,000 to the prize money at the championship event. Read more in the Circuit Information and Records chapter.

AllAmericanProRodeoSeries. Themore than400PRCA-sanctioned rodeos that have less than $30,000 in added money are part of the All American ProRodeo Series presented by Pendleton Whisky. The series and its Finals are structured to encourage part-time cowboys – the majority of the PRCA’s membership – to enter more rodeos, and they provide more chances for emerging stars to win more money. The series’ eighth year, 2017, saw more than 67,000 contestant entries in All American ProRodeo Series rodeos,

and there were at least 30 contestants in every event qualified to win the All American ProRodeo Finals. The series concludes in October with a rich and prestigious championship event: the All American ProRodeo Finals in Waco, Texas, which in 2017 offered a $482,597 payoff. Read more in the All American ProRodeo Series chapter.

PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour. Some of the best bull riders in the world fight to stay aboard some of the rankest bulls in the world at every stop of the PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour. The PRCA’s bull-riding-only tour debuted in 2003. In 2017, it included six Division I events, 37 Division II events and a September championship in Ellensburg, Wash. Money earned at regular PRCA rodeos and PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour events counts toward the PRCA

World Standings and qualification for the NFR, but only money won at PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour events can get cowboys into the Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale. Read more in the PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour chapter.

Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. The Top 15 steer ropers in the PRCA based on PRCA World Standings at the end of the regular season head to their own national championship in November in Mulvane, Kan., which is a separate event from the NFR. Read more in the NFSR chapter.

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2018 PRCA MEDIA GUIDE