ProRodeo Sports News - April 17, 2020

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PRCA CEO Taylor talks possibilities in interview

BY THE NUMBERS 19 The event-record number of National Finals Rodeo qualifications for bareback rider Bruce Ford (1974- inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1993 in Colorado Springs, Colo. 30 The event-record number of National 91, 1998). The five-time world champion was

George Taylor, CEO of the PRCA, gave another update April 6 to The Cowboy Channel about the affect the COVID-19 pandemic is having on PRCA rodeos and ProRodeo in general. Taylor said ProRodeo has received an outpouring of support from contestants and people in the entertainment industry. “Just broadly whenever there’s a crisis, it is very clear that there’s danger and there’s opportunity, and this point wherever things are at, I think we are going to see some of the best and worst of humanity, but boy, we have really experienced some of the best of it,” Taylor said. “... We really appreciate everybody

PRCA maintains communication about COVID-19 The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is sensitive to the coronavirus disease and feels it is critical to communicate and put some additional structure around its plans for the 2020 PRCA Rodeo season. This is an incredibly fluid and dynamic situation. The PRCA is committed to being responsible, thoughtful and transparent in its work with the communities and its membership that are engaged. The health and safety of athletes, officials, fans and event hosts is a priority. The PRCA is monitoring official information on COVID-19 from health authorities and assessing the possible impact on the ProRodeo family. To help provide PRORODEO fans, members and athletes with information on the virus and how it is affecting our sport, the PRCA is maintaining a webpage with the latest updates. That webpage can be found at http://www.prorodeo.com/covid-19.

wanting to figure out, ‘How are we going to restart this? How are we going to move it forward?’ Whether that’s doing some virtual rodeos that might allow some fan engagement to take place, doing an internet rodeo at an appropriate time because we know the country starts again that it isn’t going to be, ‘OK, everybody gets together in groups of 5,000 to 10,000.’ We are

Taylor

going to have to figure out how do we ease into this with the rest of the country and do what we have always done, which is be strong together, be united and really be able to get rodeo lifted back on its feet as a representation, really for the whole country, standing back up and getting outside and enjoying the summer months.” Taylor also discussed rescheduling rodeos. “We also need to recognize as the goal posts keeping getting moved out, if you will, that it is going to be harder and harder to reschedule because every sport in the entire nation, every entertainment activity in the entire nation has this attitude, and there will be a lot of change during that time period,” Taylor said. “... I am really bullish about rodeo, we represent a phenomenal value for families that want to get out when they decide to get out, but it is really about working through all those things and all those unknowns that we can’t possibly comprehend at this point.”

Finals Rodeo qualifications (including invitations) for team roper Allen Bach (1978-96, 1998-2008). Bach won world championships in 1979, 1990, 1995 and 2006. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2019 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Award-winning clown Justin Rumford has been entertaining ProRodeo crowds since 2010. Rumford has been named the PRCA Clown of the Year the last eight years. He will use some of his free time to interact remotely with ProRodeo fans at 7 p.m. (ET), April 17 on the PRCA Facebook page (@PRCAProRodeo). “I have some tricks up my sleeve,” Rumford said. “I always do, and I don’t even have sleeves on, that’s how clever I am.” To interact with Rumford and ask him questions, join in Friday on the PRCA Facebook page. To see previous Facebook Live interviews click the video section on the page. Rumford on PRCA Facebook live

800 The number of

points collected by bull rider Norman Curry on 10 head at the National Finals Rodeo in 1990, an event record.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/17/2020

ProRodeo.com

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