ProRodeo Sports News, June 1, 2018

RODEOS

RFD-TV’s Randy Bernard speaks during the May 29 press conference announcing the partnership with the PRCA and The American. To Bernard’s left is Stephen Jones, executive vice president for the Dallas Cowboys, PRCA CEO George Taylor, USTRC’s Denny Gentry, and Patrick Gottsch, founder of Rural Media Group Inc. Photo courtesy Kelly Alexander

Prime Partnership RFD-TV’s The American announces agreement with PRCA BY TRACY RENCK O n May 29, the landscape of ProRodeo changed. RFD-TV’s The American announced it will be sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and will add $355,000 in additional prize money to increase the prize money to $2,355,000. The announcement was made at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys. will include the top three in the PRCA world standings and the top three in the Professional Bull Riders standings, in addition to cowboys from the PRCA Xtreme Bulls standings, additional cowboys from the PRCA world standings and others from RFD-qualifying events. The remaining American qualifiers will emerge through various PRCA rodeos. The top 10 qualifiers advance to the first day of The American (March 2). Other qualifiers will come from the USTRC #9 roping, the Ultimate Calf Ropers, the Better Barrel Races and various other entities. Not all qualifying events will be in conjunction with PRCA rodeos. As in the past, competitors who are eligible to win the $1 million prize pool will be those who come up through the qualifying system. Taylor also told the audience that the PRCA recently passed more than $1 billion in payouts since 1986. “We need to grow that even more to continue to stay relevant as we

The 2019 American will be March 2-3, with final qualification rounds on March 2 and the finals round March 3. The American will become a two-day event, making it the richest weekend in Western sports at AT&T Stadium. The PRCA is recognized as the unsurpassed leader in sanctioning the sport of professional rodeo and hosts the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – the ultimate championship for cowboys. Points earned at The American will count towardWrangler NFR qualifications. “The PRCA is the premier rodeo organization in the world, and in a continued effort to bring our fans the biggest and best events, we are proud to be sanctioningThe American and partnering with RFD-TV,” PRCA CEO George Taylor said. “This is an exciting time for the PRCA as we open new avenues to improve the sport for our members and fans, and the inclusion of The American is a giant step in that process.” The top 10-ranked competitors in the PRCAWorld Standings will be in the field at The American, with the exception of bull riding. Bull riding

move forward,” Taylor said. “One of the steps of that is becoming involved with things likeThe American. The stories that come out of an event likeThe American are amazing, and that is what is really going to drive our sport as we move forward.” Sage Kimzey, who has won four consecutive PRCA bull riding world championships, is excitedThe American and PRCA formed the partnership. Kimzey wonThe American in 2017. “I think this is awesome and a big step for rodeo,” Kimzey said. “This is a move in the right direction. That rodeo is one of a kind, and it is a super- big rodeo and the platform of the PRCA will only help this event and be

ProRodeo Sports News 6/1/2018

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