PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE — WEBSITE, March 1, 2010

February is definitely a short month and I am hoping the end of winter will come just as quickly as the deadline for this column did this month. The weather has been awful all across the country since the first of the year. I know that our contestants have been stressed by the unpredictable travel conditions it has created. I hope that most of you have had safe travels and won lots of money competing during these wintry months.

Congratulations to Great Lakes Circuit Champion, Tammy Whyte, on her victory at Rapid City, S.D., the first of the Silver Tour rodeos of the year. Tammy's winnings neared the $5,000 mark. What a great boost as the busy rodeo season kicks into gear.

As of this writing, San Antonio is in full swing. Remember that San Antonio will be the first of the In Country telecasts for the 2010 year. Watch for future scheduling of these broadcasts.

The historic Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo has ended. Tana Poppino bested over 230 other contestants and cashed in for over $14,000. What a feat! You can read all about it in this issue. We are so grateful to the Fort Worth Committee for their courage to lift the limits for entries this year. The WPRA is proud of the great entry turnout and the grand boost it made to the final payoff. The contestants really appreciated the new contestant hospitality area that was added this year. Since the weather proved unseasonably raining and chilly, the hospitality room provided a great area for them to relax, let the kids play, watch the rodeo on closed circuit TV, have access to WiFi connection, and indulge in the food and beverages provided. The Fort Worth committee was a great host and we can't thank them enough.

The WPRA Board of Directors will meet in Houston this month. We are thrilled that the whole Board will get a break from the Board room long enough to attend the great RodeoHouston. Although this will be our first face to face meeting with the new directors they have already been working for their members. Several have been assigned to committees and have already made contact with committees on the rodeo approvals. There is so very much more to this job than most would imagine. We are facing many challenges for 2010. We are extremely cognizant of the need for sponsorship funding and also realize that the economic downturn makes securing that type of support difficult.

Professional rodeo still remains an affordable ticket buy for our fans so I hope 2010 finds rodeo attendance as strong as last year. We have great committees committed to providing the best event they can produce for the spectators and a strong competitive contestant base to draw from, so if we hold tight to the budgeting constraints for another year I feel confident that 2011 will hold some brighter opportunities for the association.

With format changes that allow all rodeos with a total purse of $30,000 or less to participate, you will want to keep the All American Series Finals in your sights this year. Over $65,000 in prize money will be offered up to 30 barrel racers who qualify for the October Finals in Waco, Texas. You must compete at a minimum of 30 rodeos that meet the All American criteria. Keep that rodeo count in mind as you are racking up points this season.

Before I close I would like to thank 2008 WPRA World Champion Lindsay Sears for going above and beyond in January when she traveled to Kansas City to assist the Western Wishes group in granting Cody Stephens, a PRCA bull rider from Pierce City, Mo., his wish to meet Lindsay before he lost his battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on Jan. 16 at the age of 23. The story was touching and made all of us within the sport of rodeo realize how our accomplishments in the arena act as inspiration for others and in turn how they can be an inspiration to our athletes. We are proud to call Lindsay one of our own and applaud her for her generosity.

Until next month, keep it within the pattern! Happy Trails!

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE — WEBSITE, February 2, 2010

The annual stock show rodeo season is upon us. There will be many great paydays for our barrel racers in the next couple of months. Here's wishing the best of luck to all those competing during this winter run. This is where the pace for the Wrangler NFR begins.

This issue of the WPRN features the stallions enrolled in the WPRA's Pro Elite Sire Incentive program. We are very excited at the growth and support of the PESI and are pleased that the bonuses awarded through the program can benefit so many of our members and the stallion owners. Robin Hofmann has done a fantastic job as the coordinator of this program. We are lucky to have her on board. Under her direction the PESI program is ahead of program projections and we feel the growth pattern will continue to climb well into 2011. Be sure to get your progeny enrolled so you can benefit from the bonuses Robin has set for many WPRA approved events this year.

News for this month deals with the funding of the supplemental purse money at the Justin Boots Playoff in Puyallup, Wash., and the Justin Boots Championship in Omaha, Neb. At this time, there is no contracted sponsorship support to fund the expenditure necessary for the barrel racing purse to equal that of the PRCA events. As such, the WPRA Board of Directors determined that for 2010 the total added money for the barrel racing event at each of these rodeos must be the amount provided in the WPRA approval by each of the rodeo committees. The total purse for Puyallup will be $20,000 and $18,000 for Omaha.

The WPRA has contracted with the Heart O' Texas Fair and Rodeo committee in Waco for participation in the All American Championship Rodeo for 2010. We sincerely thank Haynesville Play, LLC owners, Mary and Troy Gibbs, for their generous sponsorship support of the barrel racing event for the All American series. Winnings from all rodeos with a total added purse of $30,000 or less will comprise the All American ProRodeo Series. Contestants will earn a point for every dollar won and 50 bonus points will be awarded to all entrants that compete in a minimum of one go round at all qualified events. Contestants must attend a minimum of 30 All American ProRodeo Series events to qualify for the championship event which will be held in Waco October 7-16. Money won at the All American ProRodeo series championship will count towards rodeo qualifications for 2011 but will not count towards qualification for the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

During the month of January, the last 3 circuit finals' rodeos were held and the final roster of DNCFR qualifiers was determined. The Pocatello committee continues to work arduously to produce a great event for our circuit contestants and we especially appreciate their dedication to this event. I also want to acknowledge the continued support from our great sponsor Dodge Rodeo. Mike Orman and staff always go above and beyond for professional rodeo. We appreciate both Dodge Rodeo and the Pocatello committee for providing us this great event.

This month we welcomed four new members to the WPRA Board of Directors. Tana Poppino will represent the Prairie circuit, Amber West will serve Badlands, Donna Irvin will serve the Great Lakes Circuit and the new Roping & Rough Stock Director is Jessica Melvin. These ladies officially took office on January 15th and will be present at our next scheduled meeting the first week of March. Please check the website or the Business section of this issue to find the contact information for each of these new ladies. If you have questions please don't hesitate to contact them. We need to break them in quickly!

Since NFR week I have had several emails, phone calls or in person conversations regarding the WPRA's "dress code" rule. It seems that those who have made contact with me had all watched the television coverage of NFR and were disappointed with the appearance of many of the barrel racers. I am asked "Where is the color and class? Why the faded denim jeans? What's with the t-shirts?"

While they eagerly admit that the NFR barrel racing competition was the most compelling event to watch, they also state they missed the flash and glamour that our event has provided and they have come to expect. I think I had previously mentioned in this column that there have been a few rodeo committees that have also expressed that they feel the dress of our competitors has lacked the luster they have promoted to their ticket buyers. They have asked if there were any plans for the association to address it.

Dress code is a very difficult issue to legislate with a written rule. After we state, long sleeved shirts, pants and boots there is not an easy way to define it more explicitly. I hope that when you are preparing for your next competition you remember what image our event represents to all of the fans and spectators and make an extra effort to dress accordingly to meet those expectations.

The 2010 season is well on its way but the competition is just beginning to heat up. Ride hard and travel safely. Until next month,

Happy Trails!

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE — WEBSITE, January 4, 2010

Deadline for last month's issue fell on the final performance of the WPRA World Finals and this month you will be able to read about all of the newly crowned 2009 WPRA world champions. You will no doubt be reading more about them all more in 2010. Congratulations to them all on an exceptional year.

This letter is written only days following the exciting barrel racing world title race at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The barrel racing competition and the steer wrestling competition came down to the final go-round and the excitement at the Thomas & Mack was palpable. It was quite a culmination for the 25th anniversary of the NFR in Las Vegas. I hope those that were not able to attend in person caught the action on ESPN nightly.

Congratulations to Brittany Pozzi on winning her second world title. Duke ran amazingly well all week long. This year's NFR proved to be a testament to the great breeding and training of the young horses our members are hauling these days. Congratulations are also extended to Sherry Cervi on winning the aggregate title on her young mare, Stingray. For a full ten rounds this mare never failed to fire. What pride these cowgirls must hold for their great animals. I can't wait to see them continue their winning ways into 2010. Since both of these horses were enrolled in the WPRA ProElite Sire Incentive program, both Brittany, Sherry, the stallion owners and breeders will receive bonus money for their performances at the NFR. Extra cash is always a plus!

During the annual convention at the NFR the WPRA celebrated and honored the Top 15 qualifiers to the NFR, the Justin Best Footing Award winners and the special Contract Personnel and Committee winners for 2009 during our Star Gala Celebration. Joe Beaver and Alan Moorhead did outstanding jobs as the program emcees and we received many compliments from the committees and supporters in attendance. This was the premier year for combining the two awards programs and it seemed to work for those honored and attending. With a year under our belt next year's event will be even better. You can read all about the honorees elsewhere in this issue. We thank these award winners for their support of the WPRA during 2009.

The WPRA was happy to have the opportunity to be a part of the PRCA Committee Convention during NFR week this year. We felt it was most important to listen to the committees' challenges from their side of the fence so we can be more readily accessible to assisting them with their needs to produce a more successful event in 2010. We are proud to have become a member of the Association of Rodeo Committees and strongly urge committees large and small to also join this group of advocates for their business. 2010 will definitely be a year each segment of our industry will find the need to lean on each other and eliminate any fragmentation that had crept through the business in years' past.

The WPRA booth at Cowboy Christmas was visited by many members and fans during NFR week. The saddles donated to the Top 15 NFR qualifiers continues to be the biggest draw to the booth. The WPRA extends a multitude of thanks to the saddle manufacturers that donated these saddles. The public seems to want to know everything about the saddles these girls were awarded and we are pleased to tell them all about the companies that made them. Thank you again for your generous support of this program.

As announced last month, the Contestant Advisory Committee for barrel racing will begin meeting in January. I also see a need to form the same type of advisory group to look at issues and improvements needed to the roping side of our business. Please look for more information about the formation of this group within the next month.

Great news for February is that the entry limits for the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo have been lifted. We wish to thank the Fort Worth committee for their willingness to provide an opportunity for all card holders of the WPRA to enter this great rodeo. We will be looking forward to talking to several other committees about the possibility of doing the same with their rodeos by 2011 or 2012.

By the time this issue hits your door we will be welcoming several new directors to our Board of Directors. I am thankful that these members stepped up to serve this association. I am sure that most of them have not totally realized the amount of time and effort required to fulfill this position. There will be many tough issues to face during the upcoming season.

The entire country has felt restraints from the recession. The rodeo industry is no less a victim and, as hard as the 2009 year felt, I firmly believe 2010 will be even more challenging for our contestants and committees alike. The WPRA is committed to working closely with the rodeo committees, the PRCA and our corporate partners to find all ways possible to face the challenges the economy will deal us. The contestants need to do the same. As a unit we offer great value for the price of a ticket for our fans and it will take the best we all have to offer to keep the spectators coming to our events.

Happy New Year and Best Wishes for a Safe and Healthy 2010 rodeo season.

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE — WEBSITE, December 17, 2009

I am writing this month's letter from Tulsa, Oklahoma only a few hours after closing the door on the 2009 WPRA World Finals. Literally!! I am realizing that if I had written this in the wee hours of the morning following day #1 of the Finals instead of 2:00 AM on the Sunday following the last performance, the tone might have been different. But when you see the victories during the several days of competition there is no way I cannot be pleased and positive.

When the crew arrived at various hours between Monday and Tuesday morning to begin setting the stage for this year's production it hit me just how important this group of people would be to me, and ultimately to the association, as individuals and as a collective body, throughout the next several days. Their attitude and work ethic would be imperative. And they didn't fail to deliver. I cannot thank them enough for their endless hours of teamwork.

This is not to say that we don't realize there were dropped balls, missed cues, need for apologies for various oversights and missed opportunities for words of thanks. I truly appreciated those that took the time to talk to me about their issues, disappointments and suggestions. Please know that letting me know what's on your mind will always be valued. It's not what is said but how it's delivered. Constructive criticism, as they say, is always a positive thing to deal with. The World Finals and the membership are this association's biggest assets and seeing it develop to its maximum potential to benefit the members is vital to our future.

When we look at the big picture of World Finals week we need to reflect on the blessings shown through the true strength, determination and courage of the women that make up the WPRA. It was a very proud and reflective privilege to see Dolli Lautaret competing at the Finals this weekend. Competing only one month following surgery to remove a brain tumor, Dolli clearly demonstrates the courage and strength that made her a WPRA world champion only a few years ago. She is such an inspiration.

I was also proud and impressed with the determination demonstrated by Junior member Lake Mehalic during the 2009 season. Lake earned '09 points during the months of late 2008 when competition was allowed on a 2008 membership card for the 2009 season where rules require the 2009 card purchase before January 1 to retain those earnings. Oversight to pay the '09 dues on time caused Lake to lose those points. When it was brought to light it seemed devastating and insurmountable. But, Lake didn't let it deter her. She took the challenge to start over with winnings that resulted in her leaving Tulsa as the newly crowned Junior World Champion. What a proud moment to witness. I was so excited for her.

The rodeo performances ran like clock work. The Sky High Angels drill team were a great crowd pleaser this year. The barrel racing and roping competitions were awesome. Congratulations to all the newly crowned world champions for 2009. The full coverage of the 2009 World Finals will be written for the January issue of WPRN. Many thanks for every member who traveled to Tulsa to support the WPRA with their talent.

Our valued sponsors also played a major roll in the production of the 2009 World Finals. I want to thank them for partnering with us to bring this event to fruition. Please make note of them all and take time to let them know how very much they are appreciated.

I am pleased to announce that Brenda Mays, Sabra O'Quinn, Laura Lambert and Tana Poppino will join me as members of the Contestant Advisory Council announced last month. Beginning the first of January we will meet monthly via conference calls to discuss issues regarding the barrel racing events approved at PRCA rodeos. I appreciate these top competitors taking the time necessary to serve in this capacity.

Now it's time to turn our attention to the Wrangler National Finals in Las Vegas. An NFR qualification is the ultimate aspiration for all who barrel race in the ranks of the WPRA. Best wishes and luck is sent to the best 15 WPRA cowgirls in the world.

The WPRA will be turning the spotlight on the rodeo committees with the Justin Best Footing awards, will honor the best contract personnel and special people who have supported the association during the past year and will feature personal interviews with the Top 15 during its Star Celebration awards reception during NFR week in Las Vegas on December 3rd. Emcees for the event will be WPRA Announcer of the Year, Alan Moorhead and many time world champion, Joe Beaver. If you are in Vegas for the Finals please come and join us for our star studded event.

Until next month, Happy Trails.

Kathi

I especially enjoyed having an opportunity to meet many members of the several rodeo committees during the 2009 Committee conference hosted by the Association of Rodeo Committees during the Omaha rodeo. I found having the committees' positive ear to hear views from the contestants' point of view was invaluable. I thank ARC for the opportunity created by the conference. And, I am happy to say that the WPRA is a proud member!

A big thank you goes out to the Ak-Sar-Ben Rodeo committee for hosting a great event as the Justin Playoff Finals. What a tremendous schedule of events they have going on there in addition to the rodeo. Congratulations to Lindsey Sears for her repeat win this year. "Martha" performed outstandingly again and her awesome style proved to be a credit this year when the footing failed to hold during the Finals round. Although the fastest time of the rodeo was turned in by Kelli Tolbert during the semi-final round segment of Saturday night's performance, the ground around the second barrel totally gave out from under her talented mare during the Finals' round. Thankfully, Kelli nor her horse were seriously injured. Please know that I and Ak-Sar-Ben president, Beth Griener, have discussed a plan of approach for next year.

The Turquoise and Badlands circuits have already pulled the curtain on their circuit finals rodeos and the month of November hosts seven more. It is a very busy time for everyone in rodeo's competitive world.

By the time you're reading this November letter many of you will be traveling to Tulsa to compete in the WPRA World Finals. One can't say there won't be something to do at all hours of the day and night. The Expo Square facility will be hopping with roping and barrel racing competition from early morning until evening. Then, if you don't win big bucks during the day maybe your luck will change in the evening. You can carry your competitive edge to the slot machines and gaming tables at the Hard Rock Casino before retiring for the night!

This is a reminder for you to be looking for Election nomination ballots in your mailbox this November. This will get our directorships back on schedule. Nominations for directors representing Badlands, Great Lakes, California, Prairie, Southeastern, Futurity and the Roping & Rough Stock Division are scheduled to be mailed November 5th and must be returned to the auditors by November 25th . The top 2 names receiving the most nominations will then go on the election ballots which will be mailed December 10th with a return deadline of December 29th. The newly elected directors will take office on January 15th. Please don't miss the opportunity to vote.

Tough economic realities have faced us this year and with the guidance of Janet Cropper's administrative and management skills we have made hard decisions and held hard lines with our budget and cash flow ledgers. While there has been stinging consequences and sacrifices during this 2009 season, I am confident that 2010 will feel less caustic and it will enable us to continue on our positive path through 2011.

One decision will cause WPRA activities held during the NFR to look a bit different this year. Since the elections will bring several new members to the Board table I felt that budgeting and programming decisions for the upcoming season should include them. So, we are foregoing a full week of BOD meetings, as have been the norm during most previous years. Also, the annual Committee Reception and the annual Top 15 Luncheon are becoming a combined event. It will be one big party with the opportunity for the WPRA to recognize and award everyone, Rodeo Commitees, Stock Contractors, Contract Personnel and the elite top 15 barrel racers in the world together. This event will be held on Thursday, December 3rd in the Ballroom at South Point Casino at 11:00 AM and it is open to everyone who wants to attend. Please plan to join us in celebrating the WPRA's cream of the crop for 2009.

There are many plans make this next year significantly bigger and better for us all. Join up, join in and be ready to compete to the max during 2010. Until next month, Happy Trails

I just came back from Puyallup, Wash., and the exciting Justin Boots Playoffs. The weather was beautiful through the entire rodeo. An extended thank you goes out to the Puyallup rodeo committee for the hospitality shown to all of the rodeo contestants and staff who attended. The barrel racers really appreciated the committee's decision in hiring Ted Groene to work their ground. Ted made a special effort to pack each load of dirt as it was brought in and it held up great for all five performances. Congratulations to PJ Burger for winning both go rounds and the average and to Brittany Pozzi for winning the final championship round. Read all about it in this issue.

It is hard to believe that only six months have gone by since I have taken the reins as your president and 2009 is over already. I am proud of all that has been accomplished during this relatively short time frame. We have invested a great deal of energy into implementing administrative procedures necessary to meet the diverse needs of our membership. I am pleased that we have assembled an energetic staff that realizes their main focus is member services. This will be a forever changing task and I am confident that you have seen results from this effort.

The 2009 season has been a "bridge building" year. We are making necessary strides for better communication to all facets of rodeo. The WPRA has joined the Association of Rodeo Committees. After a lengthy conversation with ARC Chairman, Gary Williams, I am anxious to attend their meetings to learn and understand the challenges the WPRA committees deal with keeping their events viable and productive to the industry.

As I previously mentioned, the WPRA and PRCA entered into an agreement to seek sponsorship opportunities for professional rodeo jointly. We are pleased to have signed Western Integrity's Katie Hollingsworth as the WPRA Sponsorship Coordinator and she has already been working with PRCA Properties in developing the marketing plan to seek new corporate sponsors.

The Contestant Advisory Council is still in development stages but I plan to have it set in place for the 2010 season. I am pleased that the PRCA has been open to barrel racers having a voice on this council.

Although the 2009 has ended there are so many things going on in the WPRA at this time:

WPRA Futurity and PESI program: The WPRA is committed to developing the best barrel horses in the industry and our Futurity program is where it's at. The ProElite Sire Incentive program is producing many, many bonus opportunities for the equine athletes enrolled. Don't let these dollars pass you by. Get your mounts enrolled now.

PRCA Circuit Finals Rodeos: All circuit finalists should be aware that our Wrangler sponsorship offers each Circuit Finals Champion a $250 bonus if you win the average title wearing Wrangler jeans. What a great deal! Make sure your Wrangler's are packed when your circuit finals rolls around.

WPRA World Finals: The 2009 event in Tulsa is shaping up to be the best produced Finals ever. It will be an opportunity for barrel racers to get a jump start in point earnings for 2010 and will crown all roping, futurity/derby and junior world champions!!! Be sure to get entered. With all the "wild card" slots available no one should miss the chance to compete.

Wrangler NFR: The Wrangler Million Dollar Tour will end with the Justin Boots Championship event in Omaha, Neb., to determine which of the WPRA's top 15 will head to Las Vegas in December. By the time you read this you will know who they are!

The Board of Directors met for two very long days at the end of August. Thank you to all of you who sent in your rule proposals. Decisions of the Board regarding these proposals will be posted to our website. Please keep in mind, as you read through them that the notation of "passed" or "failed" does not reflect how much time and/or debate was taken on that particular proposal, nor does it specifically mean that the concept of the proposed rule was rejected or accepted. Individual proposals had to be considered as they were submitted. As such, specific wording or terminology was considered. "Failed" does not mean that the concept of the proposal was abandoned or denied as often it was addressed by another proposal or clarification to a current rule was all that was necessary. Also, rule changes need to be considered from an administrative vantage point. Many of the proposals stimulated new direction and time is needed to create supportive administrative processes. Please be patient as we continue to grow. We are continually trying to find the best thread to weave all members' unique needs. A priority for 2010 will be to look for opportunities for developing programs and opportunities for all WPRA members.

So much to do and never enough time!! Best of luck to everyone who qualified for all the many Finals this past season offered. 2010 is upon us.

Until next month, Happy Trails.

The 2009 season is nearing the end. The Justin Tour Championships are this month's season ending finale. We are proud that the WPRA contestants will be competing for the same purse money as all the men's events. I wish all the tour qualifiers the best of luck at both Puyallup and Omaha. I am looking forward to watching it all!

The WPRA and the PRCA continue to work together to promote the professional rodeo industry jointly. I am very pleased to announce that we have officially entered into an agreement to seek sponsorship opportunities that will benefit both organizations. More will be released about the joint co-sponsorship agreement in the near future.

Beginning with the 2010 season I will be assembling a group of five barrel racers willing to serve on the Contestant Advisory Council. This group, composed of 5 members, (3 who are ranked in the top 50 and 2 who compete predominately within circuit ranks) will meet via conference call each month with me and the PRCA to discuss issues that affect them as competitors. A similarly composed five member group, representing each of the PRCA's eight events, also meets during monthly meetings. The barrel racers will now have an equal opportunity to voice concerns about our event and deliver suggestions for resolutions and understanding. Next month I will announce the names of those selected to represent us. I feel this is an example of how the WPRA's willingness to communicate is benefiting us with a positive format to express our issues within the industry.

Everyone should be looking forward to competing at the World Finals this November. The website is busting with information about how the competition will be formatted for the 2009 event, how and when to enter, competition schedule, hotel and party information and much more. Make sure to check it out on www.wpra.com

Please note that the World Finals is a year end "championship" event for all competitors who compete in Breakaway, Tie Down, Team Roping, Junior and Futurity/Derby competition. The barrel racing competition at the World Finals is a limited entry WPRA lead sanctioned event that serves as a qualifying event for the 2010 season. The barrel racing world championship title will not be decided until the end of the Wrangler NFR.

Another point that you might want to remember is that qualifications for entering the barrel race at the World Finals is earned by your position in the WPRA world and circuit standings. But, "wild card" slots give opportunity for any WPRA member who enters a chance to compete. If you need better understanding as to how you may earn a "wild card" spot please read the information concerning the Finals on the website or contact your circuit representative or the WPRA office for clarification. You don't want to miss an opportunity to compete at the World Finals because you failed to make your entry at the correct time.

The deadline for the September issue of the WPRN will be before the Board of Directors meet on August 30th & 31st so the September issue will not be carrying the new rules passed for the 2010 season. Please be sure to keep an eye on the website for these new rules as they will be in place beginning October 1, 2009. As promised, the 2010 rulebooks will be in your hands before the end of the fiscal year.

By the time that this information reaches you I will be hoping to meet many of the members who reside and are competing in the Columbia River circuit. I will be at Ellensburg, WA during the slack and then will be traveling to Puyallup for the Tour Playoffs. Please don't hesitate to introduce yourself to me. I am anxious to talk with you about all that you are experiencing on the rodeo trail this season.

I hope that I will see many of you at the Justin Tour Playoffs and Finals this month and don't forget to plan the WPRA World Finals into your schedule for this November.

Until next month I wish you all Happy Trails.

The summer has really heated up and Brittany Pharr was definitely sizzlin' during the 4th of July week. Winning $29,000 in one week is an incredible feat. Congratulations to her and her great mounts.

The Reno membership meeting was beneficial in bringing to light the many issues those of you on the road are dealing with on a day to day basis. I appreciated getting insight to all of your concerns. They will be brought to the attention of the Board of Directors to address at the next meeting scheduled for August 30-31 in Colorado Springs. Thank you to all of those that attended for your time and constructive comments.

I am very pleased and proud of the professional work our office staff is producing this year. The volume of work created during the busy July 4th week is always taxing and I can say that this year things went especially smooth. The results were gathered, audited and standings updated very proficiently and checks to the secretaries and members were out the door in record time. I hope that you are noting the improvement in customer service they are providing.

This has been an especially hard month for many of our members. The sad and untimely death of Tammy Key-Fischer's son, Riley, and June Holeman's daughter, Tammy, has saddened all of us in the rodeo world. Being the true professionals they are, each of these two barrel racers have continued competing through their grief. Our deepest sympathy goes out to them both.

I hope that you are all taking time to look at your individual Circuit pages on the website as this is the place to get the most updated news of the happenings in your specific areas. You will find some important information about the circuit rodeo counts and circuit cut off dates on these pages. You can find these circuit pages at the top of the home page under NEWS and then clicking on the drop down for Current News. There is information about the policy for updating the circuit standings and the circuit count and a weekly update of the rodeos that are included or not included in those counts.

The first point audit for the barrel racing event will be coming out approximately August 1st. Please pay careful attention to this information and compare it to the tallies you personally keep track of. If there are any discrepancies we need you to contact us so corrections can be made as the season goes along.

Please be sure to read about the ProElite Sire Incentive program that is growing in leaps and bounds for our association. The bonuses that will be available this season could be profitable to all of our members if you are riding progeny of our enrolled stallions. Bonuses will be available to those in the roping events as well as the barrel race at the World Finals, the PRCA circuit finals and the NFR. Take note and see if your mount will qualify!!

Plans for the WPRA World Finals are looking great for our November kickoff. Please keep an eye on the WPRA website as details will be unfolding at a rapid rate in the weeks to come. Look for some exciting news about our host hotel (an especially fun place to party) and some great companies that will be partnering with the WPRA as sponsors of this year's premier showcase.

The WPRA is rolling along and making great strides. Please keep contacting us with your input. We need and appreciate it.

Here's wishing you safe travels during the next busy month.

Only 3 more months left in the 2009 season. I can't believe how fast it has been spinning by. I hope that all of your travels have been safe and profitable.

The WPRA has made great strides so far this season.

As of mid-June our membership numbers have steadily grown. The ProFuturity and ProDerby events are jumping in leaps and bounds and the benefits for having horses enrolled in the ProElite Sire Incentive program are scheduled to pay bonuses throughout the year as well as at the World Finals. Many roping approvals are also coming into the office so the opportunities for our roping members to earn points/dollars are growing rapidly. These facts give me confidence that those paying attention to the world of rodeo are well aware the WPRA is back on solid ground.

I had a great time attending the Windy Ryon Memorial Roping in Fort Worth on Memorial Day weekend. 248 women's teams began the competition, which was an entries increase of 20%, (there's lots of female ropers out there), and it was so exciting watching WPRA member Kasey Etbauer, partnered with Beth Looney, throw the dead-on heel loop to secure the championship. I loved it and hope I get the opportunity to get to another big roping very soon.

By the time you get this issue I will have seen some of you in Reno. I plan to get to as many other rodeos, ropings, and barrel races as possible while trying to be conscious of the expenditures associated with travel. I plan to make it to all 12 circuits by the end of my term next year. The website will keep you updated where we will hold informal membership meetings throughout the year.

The conversations with the PRCA continue to be productive. Commissioner Stressman and I have continued dialogue concerning the trials and tribulations facing the rodeo industry and have discussed opportunities for our two associations to work together to deal with those challenges. We are working with PRCA administration to align our offices so processes and procedures will have more conformity for rodeo contestants and rodeo committees. There are an over whelming number of details we must sift through so we can create policies that will commingle. The open dialogue has been productive in moving these efforts forward and I thank everyone, from both sides of the fence, for working together to make this happen.

We appreciated your submission of rule proposals through the website. That has made it an easy process for our office to document and confirm each of them. We will compile, sort and print these for your view soon after the July 1st deadline and post them to the website. These will be discussed and voted on at the next BOD meeting scheduled for August 30-31 in Colorado Springs.

The WPRA World Finals details will be announced very soon. There have been great efforts to reorganize and restructure the production of the Finals for this year. I think the efforts to make it special for all competitors will be appreciated.

There will be a survey listed behind the "Help shape the WPRA" icon on the website which we will appreciate you participating in. This survey will help us gather the information that will enable us to create new avenues for building services and marketing the association. This form of communication has really proven to be expedient way for us to handle new business.

Until I get an opportunity to see you somewhere down the road, I wish you wish you all the best of luck with your 2009 WPRA season.

Happy trails,
Kathi