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PRCA for the Cowboys…heroes, heritage and hometowns.
Unlike the majority of other professional sports, where contestants are paid salaries regardless of their performance, pro rodeo cowboys pay their own fees to enter events and the difference between getting a paycheck or not is quite simply, winning or losing. The sanctioning body for the pro rodeo cowboy is the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association, more commonly referred to as the PRCA. Located in Colorado Springs, CO the office is home to the folks that take care of everything from the contestants calling in to enter a rodeo, to the legal teams that work with state and national legislation to keep this sport alive.
From humble beginnings as the “Rodeo Association of America” in the late 1920’s, to an iconic brand with over 7000 members and 600 sanctioned rodeos nationally in 2020, the PRCA has created a viable platform for the professional cowboy and fans alike. The PRCA represents not only the rodeo cowboy but contract personnel, animal athletes, rodeo committees and the rule book that maintains the heritage of this grass roots sport. Of the 7000 members, the highest percent of membership are the cowboys that compete whether they are on the road year around or those that have a “real job” and compete when they can.
What many don’t see are the key components to the infrastructure of the rodeos that make the PRCA events what they are. Stock contractors strategically breed, care for and transport the quality and number of livestock needed to produce the rodeo. Volunteers do everything from produce the rodeos, to man the gates, flip the burgers and welcome the fans; the roles are vital to the success of each unique event. Rodeo announcers keep the flow of the rodeo going, working with the specialty acts like the bull fighters, to protect the athletes while entertaining the crowd. Let’s not forget the rodeo secretaries that keep everyone in check, and on the up and up from the contestants to the times and scores, the results and more. Like a finely oiled machine the pieces and parts work year around to make the final performance quality for the cowboys and memorable for the fans.
Education and conservation are another layer key to the success and survival of the PRCA and the cowboys that compete in this arena. Working closely with other youth associations at a local and national level to educate and inspire new generations of athletes, this feeder system is key to the continuing growth and strength of the association. In addition to the youth training camps built around the athletes, the PRCA rodeo committees host interactive and informational activities designed for non western lifestyle demographic. This experienced based learning environment for the general public is highly interactive and designed to teach about western heritage, the care and safety of the animals, and the delicacies of this industry that directly relates to their day to day consumption and lifestyle.
To learn more about the PRCA visit prorodeo.com.
