3/16/2022-COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO – During the most recent WPRA Board of Directors meeting, held via teleconference on March 8, 2022, both the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) agreement and the 2022 Calgary Stampede were approved.
In an effort to return to pre-pandemic business, these decisions will now give barrel racing and breakaway roping members of the WPRA opportunities to win money and have it count toward world standings on both sides of the Border. These decisions were not taken lightly given the current border requirements but the Board took into account many aspects that included but not limited to the member survey, member input at general membership meetings held in February, ability to provide opportunities for Canadian members to compete, the long standing relationship with both entities and the overall business impact for the Association as a whole both now and in the future.
In 2021, the WPRA expanded their long standing agreement with the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) to include women’s breakaway roping and a handful of events were approved with more planned for 2022. The CPRA agreement is a yearly agreement and the decision to approve or not approve for the 2022 season needed to take place prior to March 31, which is the member’s due date for the first Canadian rodeo and the start of the Maple Leaf Circuit season.
The motion was made and seconded to approve the CPRA agreement for another year for both barrel racing and breakaway roping and resulted in a 9-3 vote with two individuals absent from the call when the vote was taken.
The Board then tackled the elements surrounding the 2022 Calgary Stampede. The Calgary Stampede will feature just one female event, barrel racing, like in past years and this year will once again have the reduce prize money down from $100,000 in 2019 to $50,000 to the winner in 2022. Per direction of the WPRA Board, it was requested the Calgary Stampede use similar qualification guidelines as was done in 2019 and that only $25,000 of the $50,000 would count toward WPRA World Standings.
Other items discussed regarding the Calgary Stampede prior to voting included but not limited to the challenge of making a business decision from an Association standpoint as well as giving members a choice but also being mindful of the requirement of the vaccine to cross the border to compete. It was noted that Canadian members also have to get the vaccine to enter the United States to compete and that the PRCA would once again be approving the Calgary Stampede for 2022.
The Board of Directors voted via email later in the week, upon confirmation of the aforementioned requests made by the WPRA by the Calgary Stampede, to approve or not approve Calgary for 2022. The vote ended in a 8-5 vote to approve.
Therefore, for the 2022 rodeo season both CPRA approved rodeos and the Calgary Stampede earnings will count toward world standings for any WPRA member.
