June 18, 2012

Approval of the 2013 Calgary Stampede & the 2012 WPRA Qualifying Tour

May 24, 2012

The WPRA is pleased to announce to our membership that the 2013 Calgary Stampede has been approved and that we are introducing a 2012 WPRA Qualifying Tour.

The Calgary Stampede and the WPRA Board have been in active dialogue regarding their request to have a 2013 WPRA sanctioned barrel race. The outcome is not only the Calgary Stampede approval but also the creation of the 2012 WPRA Qualifying Tour, which provides more opportunities for card members to qualify into Calgary.

“The Calgary Stampede is one of the greatest professional rodeos and we are excited to once again have an approved WPRA barrel race with them’” said WPRA President Jimmie Munroe. “The Board has been working for several weeks building a plan to ensure as many opportunities as possible into Calgary’s 20 positions. The WPRA Qualifying Tour is just the vehicle for doing that”

With a goal of providing more opportunities for professional barrel racers to qualify for entry into Calgary (and possibly other limited entry rodeos), the WPRA Board has created the 2012 WPRA Qualifying Tour as another way for card members to earn a seat into many great rodeos

“The Stampede is thrilled to be returning as a sanctioned Barrel Racing event for the WPRA in 2013,” says Keith Marrington, director, Rodeo, Calgary Stampede. “The Stampede and the WPRA have worked extremely hard in the pursuit of this new agreement which ensures all the best barrel racers will be in action at numerous WPRA events, including the Calgary Stampede.”

The WPRA Qualifying Tour

The WPRA Qualifying Tour is made up of 15 events across the US and Canada. The WPRA Tour standings will be one (1) of several ways to qualify into Calgary. Details:

Eligibility: You must be a 2012 WPRA card member at the time of entry to receive points. (Points are not applied to Permits.)

Timing: Events include rodeos between June 1 and September 30, 2012 and the WPRA World Finals in October 2012.

# Of Events: A total of 15 events have been identified as part of the WPRA Tour. One (1) rodeo has been identified in each circuit, two (2) Canadian rodeos have been named and one (1) race at the 2012 WPRA World Finals round out the WPRA Tour opportunities.

1. Texas—Pecos, TX 6/27-30/2012
2. Canadian—Airdrie, AB 6/27-7/1/2012
3. Badlands—Mandan, ND 7/2-4/2012
4. Southeastern—Springdale, AK 7/4-7/2012
5. Mountain States—Casper, WY 7/10-14/2012
6. Columbia River—Longview, WA 7/27-28/2012
7. First Frontier—Gerry, NY 8/1-4/2012
8. Canadian—Strathmore, AB 8/3-6/2012
9. Prairie—Lawton, OK 8/8-11/2012
10. Turquoise—Lovington, NM 8/8-11/2012
11. Wilderness—Caldwell, ID 8/14-18/2012
12. Montana—Plains, MT 8/31-9/1/2012
13. Great Lakes—Fort Madison, IA 9/5-8/2012
14. California—Poway, CA 9/28-29/2012
15.WPRA World Finals—Lincoln, NE 10/17-21/2012

2012 WPRA Qualifying Tour Standings: The WPRA Tour standings will be point based and reflect up to your best 5 results (out of the 15 qualifying events) where you competed and won money up to and including the 10th position. There is no minimum or maximum # of events for you to attend.

Points: There is a 10- point scale, with points allocated from 10 points (1st place money) to 1 point (for 10th place money). No more than 10 positions will be awarded points. At a 2 head event, points are allocated to the average only.
Note: Points in the WPRA Tour standings will count from up to your 5 best events where you have competed and won money.

Tie Breaking Method: Ties will be broken by looking at a competitor’s money won at their 5 best events on the WPRA Tour standings.

The Calgary Stampede Qualifications

Qualifying positions, fill order and drop down rules are as follows:

• 1 position = 2012 Calgary Champion
• 6 positions = 2012 WPRA Pro rodeo standings (Drop down until filled)
• 4 positions = 2012 CPRA standings (Drop down until filled)
• 4 positions = 2012 WPRA Tour standings (Drop down until filled)
• 4 positions = 2013 WPRA Qualifying standings (Drop down until filled)
• 1 position = 2012 RNCFR Champion (Drop down to 4 positions, (Finals only) then go to 2012 WPRA Tour standings)

Calgary Stampede Bonus Money

It has been agreed that $50,000 of the $100,000 bonus will apply to WPRA Pro rodeo standings for 2013. More details to come, watch for more updates on www.wpra.com

May 17, 2012

Hello WPRA Members. There have been a lot of rumors going on about Calgary and I just want to keep everyone informed and updated as we negotiate and push forward in this endeavor. I would just like everyone to keep in mind that Calgary came to us wanting the WPRA to be part of their rodeo,which is a great and amazing honor, especially in light with what is going on with the PRCA today.

The WPRA’s contract that guarantees our association with the PRCA at rodeos, as noted in the lawsuit, will expire in the year 2019 and who knows if the WPRA will be left to stand on its own at that point. It is unforeseen if the PRCA will even want to create a new contract with us and if they did, then who knows what the stipulations in it would be. The WPRA, as an organization, recognizes that we need to start making decisions and creating relationships with rodeo committees to secure our future interest with them. This was one reason why we decided to participate with Houston this year and now with Calgary. It is important for us to be a stand alone organization and quit riding on the shirt tails of the PRCA, in hopes that they will always be loyal to us and treat us fairly.

At this point the ball is in the WPRA's court and here is what the committee of Calgary would like to see for their 2013 year, and here is what the WPRA is asking for:

The WPRA would like to create a WPRA Tour idea. It is just one concept that would open up the manner for qualifying into Calgary beyond what has been discussed so far. With the limits for Calgary being set at 20, this idea would provide an opportunity to a much wider part of our membership base to qualify beyond the usual current and prior year standings. (read more)

Suggested formula for where the 20 qualifiers come from.
5 from Canadian events, i.e. 1 prior year Calgary Champion and 4 from the CPRA standings.(Calgary's Request)
Top 5 from the current year (2013) WPRA Pro Rodeo Standings.
Top 5 from the prior year (2012) WPRA Pro Rodeo Standings.
Top 5 from the WPRA Tour
Time frame: The time frame for the WPRA Tour is from 6/1/2012- 2/1/2013.

Number of Events & Types of Events: The 14 events which make up the WPRA Tour….There will be 14 opportunities for members to earn points towards the WPRA Tour. The 14 opportunities are spread across the country. The suggestion is that each Circuit identify a rodeo in their circuit to be part of the Tour….that gives us 12 of the 14 opportunities. One rodeo will be identified from Canada. That gives us 13 of the 14 opportunities. The WPRA World Finals will be another. That gives us 14 of the 14.

1 Rodeo per Circuit
1 Canadian rodeo
1 Winning Run at the 2012 WPRA World Finals. The qualifying WPRA race will be a separate race and will be held 1 day ahead of the World Finals Card Holder race. If competing in the WPRA World Finals, the contestant can take that run from the Qualifying Calgary Race and either roll their time to the 1st round of the Women's Finals Card holder race or choose to take their 1st run later that evening.

* The circuit rodeos that will be chosen will be “no limited entry” rodeos, which will create an open opportunity for all WPRA members to enter and compete at.

* As you win $ at these qualifying tour rodeos, you will be awarded points. Points will be awarded to all places receiving $ down to 10th place. ie: First place will receive 10 points and 10th place will receive 1 point. This was done to eliminate the discrepencey of the amount of added money at some of the bigger rodeos versus some smalled rodeos.

Points: Points to get into Calgary will count from a competitors best 5 events from the WPRA Tour. So even if a member went to all 14 rodeos within the tour, only 5 of her best rodeos will qualify her for the placing into Calgary.

Tie Breaking Method: In the event there is a tie for determining those qualifying from the WPRA Tour to Calgary, the tie will be broken by determining who competed at the greatest/highest # of qualifying events. Should there still be a tie, the tie will be broken by looking at the individual with the greatest amount of $ earned.

Let me know your thoughts. Also, please email me if you were not in this email list so I can update you into my data base, and feel free to always call me with any questions.

Tannis
(406) 671-4619

Three Can Tango
May 4-5-6, 2012
Cottonwood Arena - Silesia, MT

Great news.....
Added money is now at $4,000 for the weekend!!!
We will have $500 Added Friday to the Open 4D Saturday and Sunday will have $1,500 Added to Open 4D and will feature $250 WPRA sidepots each day!!!

We will have a practice outdoor arena set up for time onlys weather permitting. This will give everyone the chance to make a few practice or tune-up runs....OR bring your young horses to get some runs in a new arena!! Be watching on-site for practice arena schedule.

The race will be WPRA and NWBRA approved. There is also going to be a UBRC sidepot.

Prizes are getting stacked up around here. We will have custom made items along with new ideas.....One new idea is a set of pop up barrels!

Anyone that hasn't yet made it to the Cottonwood Arena yet.... it is a great facility that has a bigger and more open indoor with an built on addition to the main arena with holding/waiting pens to better accommodate racers. Next door to the main arena is an indoor warm up pen! Stalls and parking are just off the end of the indoor!! I'm looking forward to sharing a new facility with Three Can Tango barrel racers.
And all of you that have been there you know what I am talking about!!!!

If you aren't one of my facebook friends make sure you send me a friend request so that I can keep you posted as I get more and more to announce.

Another new addition for this year will be the ON-LINE STALLION AUCTION!
It will be live by Monday, February 13th but plan to keep adding stallions until March 1. The Auction bidding will close on Sunday, APRIL 15TH!! Check it out!!

Remember us on-line at www.threecantango.com

Happy Racing
Jeanne Benson
Three Can Tango
PO Box 97
Laurel, MT 59044
406-628-6456

Thank you so much for the “Best Dressed Award”!!! I was so surprised!! There are so many of you that deserve this award . . . . I am truly honored to receive it. I also want to thank Rand’s Custom Hats for donating the $400.00 certificate. I can’t wait go to SHOPPING for a new hat!!

The breakfast at the finals was really nice – Thank you to Danna Jo Whitford’s family for sponsoring it . . . . so nice of you!!

Tannis and Maria – thank you for all you do for our great Montana Circuit . . . . I know it is very time consuming and I appreciate all you do.

Take care and stay warm!!

Rhonda Kountz