Answer: The Board did not vote to have jackpots count for NFR or Circuit Finals standings. Co-approved events (which include jackpots) count towards qualifying for the WPRA Women's Finals in Tulsa.

Question: In September a rule was passed regarding money won at a $5,000 added barrel race counting for the NFR or Circuit standings. What does that mean?

14.1.6. WPRA Lead Sanction Barrel Races with at least $5000.00 added and upon WPRA Board Approval, will count for WPRA World Standings, WPRA Circuit Standings, NFR standings and WPRA/PRCA circuit standings.

Answer: This rule was intended to give the WPRA flexibility in lead sanctioning a barrel race that will count for NFR and or Circuit Standings. For instance we are currently approving the barrel race at the Mesquite series as we have for a very long time, however it currently only currently counts for the WPRA Women's Finals, only because Mesquite has made a business decision to put on a PBR and rough stock event, instead of a rodeo. There is no difference in the way the barrel race is now and has been in the past.

Question: Will the PRCA allow us to use rule 14.1.6?

Answer: It was agreed upon in the settlement with the PRCA, that the WPRA could do this very thing. The PRCA has a similar situation with their "Extreme Bulls" events. Those events count for NFR standings, yet they are stand alone bull ridings, not rodeos.

Question: What about someone trying to put on a $5000 jackpot to get themselves qualified for the NFR or Circuit Finals?

Answer: There is a misconception that the current BOD wants every jackpot to count for NFR or Circuit Standings. That is simply not true. We would applaud anyone choosing to put on a $5,000 event with a WPRA lead sanction. Honestly how many $5,000 added barrel races or rodeo's are there out there today? When there is that amount of money added to the event, you probably better pull your hat down and bring you're A game.

Also it is really important to understand, added money is not the sole criteria for BOD approval for an event. Added money is simply a starting point for it to go before the Board.

Question: Why should the WPRA Women's Finals count for NFR standings?

Answer: This is the only event the WPRA owns, it is our premier event and it is a RODEO. Yes you can qualify for the WPRA Women's Finals by going to co-approved events (and not just pro rodeos), but the WPRA World Finals itself is a $15,000 added rodeo. We sanction over 600 professional rodeos annually for committees all over the country, most for a lot less added money. We need to be willing to show our sponsors that we stand behind our own event.

Question: Are there qualifications for the WPRA Women's Finals? If yes, won't that make it hard for members to get there?

Answer: The qualifications for the WPRA Women's Finals are more liberal than the majority of limited rodeos around the country. It was designed to give more members an opportunity to compete. The top 10 from every Circuit can qualify as well as the top 40 in the WPRA World standings. As we have said, the BOD can change how members qualify for the WPRA Women's Finals if they choose. However the BOD believes sanctioning our own event is critical to the future of the WPRA. This is just one more rodeo to choose from out of the hundreds we sanction every year.