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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
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE WEBSITE, November
1, 2009
The 2010 season has officially
begun but I must admit that it is hard to grasp that fact
with all of the administrative work that is focused on
the many "Finals" events taking place this time
of the year. The office is swamped overseeing the official
audits for each WPRA/PRCA circuit standings, the WPRA
World Standings and the NFR standings, in addition to
membership mailings for 2010 membership processing, challenge
letters and NFR invitations plus new database paralleling,
etc. But, it is all moving in a forward direction so all
is positive.
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
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE WEBSITE, October 3,
2009
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.
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE WEBSITE, September
1, 2009
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.
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE WEBSITE, July 29,
2009
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.
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE WEBSITE, July 15,
2009
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
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE WEBSITE, May 27, 2009
Dear WPRA Members:
It is hard to believe that I have only served as president
for a little more than two months. It feels like it has
been longer because so many positive things have come
to fruition during that time.
I am very pleased with the steps climbed by our office
staff during the last several months. Janet Cropper, our
interim executive secretary, has created new policies
and procedures for our day to day business which gives
the staff the tools needed to perform their duties with
much more efficiency and accountability. I realize each
of you may have a need you would like solved or idea that
you would like to see implemented. Please know we gather
all suggestions, review them, assess them for impact,
and determine where it sits in our queue. Based on priority
we diligently work each day toward implementing something
new. Day by day and step by step, we are making progress.
I believe our level of customer service will continue
to increase.
I would like to again remind you that the deadline for
submitting rule proposals for 2010 is July 1st. Please
click the “Have a rule proposal idea for 2010?”
button on the upper left corner to submit a rule for the
Board to consider at the August BOD meeting. We have moved
up the date for sending in rule proposals so we can get
the 2010 rule book out in November, 2009. Don’t
miss this yearly opportunity to make changes.
A new feature being added to the WPRA website this week
is Circuit News pages. These pages are designed to allow
Circuit Directors to communicate quickly and frequently
with their circuit members. You can find your circuit’s
page by going to the top of the WPRA web page, clicking
on News and clicking on Current Circuit News. Beneath
the map of the circuits is a listing of circuits, just
click on your circuit. Also, the link to the “Help
shape the WPRA with your input” button will be ready
approximately June 1, 2009.
I have continued dialogue with Commissioner Stressman
and we have brought our key people together to begin strategizing
about the joint marketing and sponsorship initiatives
that we will seek on behalf of professional rodeo.
I have also had the opportunity to meet with Kay Bleakly
about the efforts both associations will make to share
the information required to interface our associations’
administrative concerns. We both feel this will help to
keep our rodeo policies and procedures consistent for
the benefit of the members and committees alike.
I am hoping to meet many of you this summer as I travel
to various WPRA approved and co-approved events. I am
scheduling a membership meeting in Reno following the
slack. If you have any specific topics you would like
to address please submit them to me via email at kathimyers@hotmail.com
and we can look at those suggestions as we prepare the
meeting agenda.
I am excited about how this year is unfolding and look
forward to us continuing down the positive trail we have
begun to forge.
Kathi
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN UPDATE WEBSITE, May 12, 2009
Over the past few years the WPRA has used the theme line, “Where the elite compete®” and while only a theme line, it really does convey the value we try to provide to our members. We've stood at the pinnacle of barrel racing success for over 60 years, representing our roots at the rodeos.
Yet the barrel racing market has changed, most noticeably in the last 15 years. During that time the broader category of barrel racing has experienced unprecedented growth with the introduction of jackpots, the “D” format and futurity events. This is in contrast with the overall world of rodeo, which has not experienced similar growth.
This WPRA Board, as well as the past one, recognized that in order to be a healthy and growing association, to be “Where the elite complete,” we need to do three things. First, we need to expand our vision. Second, we need to become more inclusive of a broader base of barrel racers. Third, we need to make investments to support our growth. If you think of our association as a pyramid, with rodeo competition at the top, you quickly recognize the pyramid also needs a solid and strong base which not only supports the whole structure but provides a clear path to the top.
The decision made last week to fund the Tour rodeos was a decision made to invest in one part of our future supporting the top of the pyramid where professional rodeo lives. As you know, Directors are elected and represent a wide range of members from different geographies with similar and dissimilar views. While it was not an easy decision, the majority of the Directors felt it was the right thing to do.
The decision made in the past and continuing today to develop the WPRA World Finals is also a decision to invest in another part of our future supporting the rest of the pyramid with a variety of events.
Both of these decisions have financial consequences. The Board knows this and also knows it is their responsibility to oversee funding, while ensuring the well being and growth of our association. The Board has been tasked with doing this and will report on their progress.
As we move forward we understand the importance of improving the flow of communications between all members of our organization. It is an area in which we will provide much more time and energy. While your Circuit Director is available to share information and answer questions, we recognize they can’t be everywhere all the time. Starting today, we are introducing more ways to get important information out to you and providing more ways for you to provide your input back to us.
On our WPRA home page, please note 5 new communications areas in the upper left hand corner, just under the WPRA logo. They cover the following important ways to increase our communications with you.
1. Board meeting summaries is a new area which will hold information from each of our 3 yearly Board meetings, as well as other meetings where important member decisions are being made.
2. Contact us, which has been on the site since December, is a very easy way to get a quick answer to standard questions. When you click on it, an email addressed to us automatically pops up and you write in your question. Members have been using it since December with good reviews.
3. President’s update is another new area in which Kathi Myers, WPRA President, has committed to providing you with a monthly update on important issues affecting the WPRA.
4. Help shape the WPRA with your input is another new area where we ask you to reach out to us with your input on a number of WPRA issues. This information, in addition to direct feedback, will be used by Directors when making decisions.
5. Have a rule proposal for 2010 is our last new area which will help us receive, track and process your new rule proposals for 2010.
In closing, your Board continues to work on issues which
are important to you and the future of the WPRA. We are
committed to growing the association, to continuously
improving communications with you and living up to our
theme line “Where the elite compete.” |