Jimmie Munroe

May 1, 2023

This month, we get to celebrate all our mothers in a special way on Mother’s Day whether they are still with us here on earth or watching from above. We have many mothers and daughters that have been and are currently members of the WPRA. In this issue, we highlight the Youree family who have impacted multiple generations of the WPRA. Starting with the matriarch Florence Youree who did so much to advance the Association with one of her biggest impacts being getting the barrel race as a staple event in the National Finals Rodeo when it was in Oklahoma City. Her daughter, Renee Ward, followed in her mother’s footsteps and qualified for the NFR in 1985, the first year the NFR was held in Las Vegas. Renee’s two daughters Janae Ward Massey and Kylie Ward Weast have since competed under the bright lights of Las Vegas with Janae winning the world title in 2003. In celebration of our 75th Anniversary and Mother’s Day we think you will enjoy the special story on a very special WPRA family.

Speaking of our 75th Anniversary if you are in the Colorado Springs area, I encourage you to stop by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and check out the WPRA’s special exhibit in the 101 Gallery. This exhibit officially opened on May 1 and will remain a featured exhibit through the middle of September. Take a walk down memory lane with the history and images of the Top 15 barrel racers from the 1960s through 2022. As mentioned last month we will be inducting two more deserving individuals into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame this summer – Fay Ann Horton Leach and Sherry Combs Johnson. Mark your calendars for July 15 and join us in Colorado Springs to honor these two ladies as well as the inductees of the PRCA.

In April, we also launched a WPRA Official Merchandise store. Visit our website – www.wpra.com and click on Official Store to see what all we have to offer. We will be adding additional 75th exclusive items in the months to come. I thank those who worked on getting this store up and running.

We just wrapped up the second Cowboy Channel’s Resistol Rookie Roundup at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth. The action was top notch, and I am inspired by all the young up-and-coming talent we have in the WPRA. Congrats to Kalli McCall on winning the barrel racing title, while two-event cowgirl Quincy Sullivan captured the breakaway roping title. Thanks to the Cowboy Channel and Resistol for featuring the future of rodeo on a grand stage like the Rookie Roundup.

Enjoy this last month before the busy and hectic summer run is upon us and cherish the time with family and friends.  Travel safe and Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! 

April 1, 2023

As the weather slowly begins to warm up so does the action inside the WPRA. What exciting finishes we had at some of the largest winter rodeos including San Antonio, Houston and Austin. With different winners at all three of these major rodeos it really shows the depth of talent we have within our Association.

We held our Spring board meeting in March in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and had very productive meetings. We welcomed new directors to the board including Nicole Bice (Badlands), Sheena Robbins (California), Jenna Duhon (Turquoise) and Christi Braudrick as one of our new roping directors. Christi joins Lynn Smith, who was re-elected as roping director, to begin a new chapter of two roping directors on our board. Melora Potter (Great Lakes) and Cindy Gillespie (Prairie) were also re-elected during this election cycle. These ladies along with the rest of the board are here to assist you so please reach out if any of us can be of assistance to you.

I would like to thank Kaylee Gallino (Badlands), Katie Pascoe (California) and Lacy Wilson (Turquoise) for their service to the board during their election cycle. We appreciate their time and dedication to the Association and their respective members.

The last week of March we also announced our sixth class of WPRA ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees, and I am honored to congratulate Sherry (Combs) Johnson and Fay Ann Horton Leach. Sherry will be inducted in the barrel racing category with her 1962 barrel racing world title that she won aboard her great horse Star Plaudit “Red,” which was part of WPRA’s first class in 2017. Fay Ann will go in as a WPRA notable recognizing her devotion to the Association during this 75th Anniversary year as well as her nine consecutive qualifications to the NFR. I would also like to congratulate all the other inductees on behalf of the WPRA that make up the Class of 2023. This year’s inductions will take place on Saturday, July 15 at 10 a.m. in Colorado Springs, Colorado. For more information check out www.wpra.com.

I would like to take this time to wish each of you a very Happy and Blessed Easter. Be sure to take time to give thanks for all your blessings that God has bestowed upon you. For we are nothing without him.

March 1, 2023

What a start to the 2023 rodeo season. I have been very impressed with the level of competition our members have brought to the rodeos this year as it has been great watching for the fans in both events. Keep up the great work. Also continued thanks to the rodeos who are raking or dragging during the barrel race. More are coming on board and providing this, and our members and their equine partners are thankful for their concern for the health and well-being of their horses. I would like to especially thank San Antonio Rodeo for adding a drag halfway through, we are seeing fast times and ladies placing at the very bottom!

You all should have received communication regarding the WPRA Walk-Up Replacement Policy that will be in place at select rodeos. Please familiarize yourself with the revised policy and the committees that will have this option at their rodeo. Be sure to reach out to the office, your circuit director, myself, or our vice president Heidi Schmidt if you have any questions or concerns regarding Walk-UP Replacement.

As you should also know by now, we will be wrapping up the 2023 WPRA Board Election the second week of March. I would first like to thank all that stepped forward to run for these positions and for all that have taken the time to vote and have your voice heard in this Association. We will be adding a second roping director to provide more representation for our ropers as the breakaway roping continues to have tremendous growth.

This year is also a special milestone for the WPRA as we celebrated 75 years on February 28. On February 28, 1948, a group of diverse women that wanted to compete in rodeo met in San Angelo to create this Association and every year since a new group of ladies has stepped forward to keep advancing the sport for women by women. I have had the privilege to serve the WPRA first as the all-women’s director and then as president three different times during the course of my career. It’s been a true honor to devote these years to an Association that has accomplished so much along-side such dedicated directors.

The March WPRA News looks back on the various milestones the WPRA and its members have achieved over the last 75 years. I for one am thankful to our founding members that created this Association despite the challenges they faced at the time. They were indeed trailblazers in the sport of rodeo, and we owe a great deal of gratitude to each of them.

It is now in our hands to propel the WPRA forward for another 75 years and keep women’s involvement in the iconic sport of professional rodeo alive and well. So, I send a heartfelt Happy Anniversary to the WPRA and all that make up this great Association.

January 1, 2023

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and is looking forward to a prosperous New Year!

What an exciting finish to the 2022 rodeo season. Congratulations to Hailey Kinsel, our 2022 WPRA World Champion Barrel Racer and Martha Angelone, our 2022 WPRA World Champion Breakaway Roper. I would also like to congratulate Shelley Morgan and Cadee Williams on winning their first average titles in the barrel racing and breakaway roping at the NFR, respectively.

So many great milestones, records and memories were made in Las Vegas, including but not limited to:
– Both rookies (Bayleigh Choate and Josie Conner) qualifying for the NFR in their respective events and setting new rookie earnings records in both barrel racing and breakaway roping
– Hailey Kinsel surpassing $1 million in NFR earnings alone and winning her fourth world title in six years
– WPRA Breakaway Roper Martha Angelone becoming the first rodeo athlete to win a world title at the NFR from the State of Virginia and also being recognized with the other athletes during the 10th round world champions ceremony

What a great group of women we had representing the Association this year and I thank each of you for that. Looking for even bigger and better things in 2023.

Speaking of better in 2023, I would like to say THANK YOU to Leon Vick, Caroline Lukens and the entire National Western Stock Show and Rodeo team for agreeing to and putting on a barrel racing qualifier this year for their rodeo. We also very much appreciate them offering ride times and dragging every 30 minutes during those ride times. Your hard work and efforts did not go unnoticed, and we are excited to see how the rodeo plays out in January.

As noted last month, 2023 will mark another election year. The directors taking office in 2023 and every three years thereafter will be: Badlands, Great Lakes, Prairie, California, Turquoise and Roping Director. We will be adding a roping director to the board of directors based on feedback we received from the membership. Therefore, be sure to read all information that will be coming out regarding the election and those eligible to run for said offices. Nomination ballots will be going out no later than January 12. These are for anyone you would like to nominate. The two individuals with the top number of votes will move onto the election ballot for the circuit positions. A total of four individuals will make the election ballot for the two roping positions. Following the second round of voting the top vote getter for the circuit positions will assume the board position with the top two taking the positions for roping in March.

I can’t stress enough that it is very important for you to read the ballot instructions very closely so that your voice in your Association can be heard. Take the time to read carefully and educate yourself on those running that will be serving three-year positions on your Board of Directors. Any questions, feel free to reach out to me, our Vice President Heidi Schmidt or the office.

In 2023 only, members will have a choice to submit their nomination and election ballots either digitally or in hard copy form, so be sure to pay attention to that.

Let’s start this New Year on a positive note and safe travels during these winter months.

Jimmie Munroe

(719) 447-4627
(719) 447-4631 (fax)