WPRA NEWS

Sammy Thurman Brackenbury – 1933 – 2024

We are saddened to read that 1965 World Champion Barrel Racer and 2019 ProRodeo Hall of Fame Inductee Sammy Thurman Brackenbury has passed away. She recently celebrated her 91st birthday on Dec. 11. She lived life to the fullest from chasing mustangs on the deserts of Arizona and Nevada, to a WPRA Barrel Racing World Championship, to roping and falling off horses in the movies Sammy Thurman Brackenbury did it all.

Sammy Thurman Brackenbury

Brackenbury qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 11 consecutive times, winning the world title in 1965. The only daughter of PRCA cowboy Sam Fancher, Brackenbury became one of the first women to rope in an RCA rodeo when her father entered the team roping at the Santa Maria Rodeo and his partner failed to show.

WPRA National Breakaway Finals | 2026

Sep 16, 2026

Nominations for Outstanding Committee Woman of the YearRODEO NEWS 2026 WPRA National Breakaway Finals Tickets Now On Sale By Ann Bleiker Tickets for the 2026 Wrangler WPRA National Breakaway Finals are now on sale at ticketmaster.com. The Wrangler WPRA National...

ABI Attachments Named Official Arena Drag of the WPRA

Sep 16, 2026

Nominations for Outstanding Committee Woman of the YearRODEO NEWS ABI Attachments Named Official Arena Drag of the WPRA By Ann Bleiker COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO – Safe and consistent rodeo ground is in everyone’s best interest as it makes for fair competition that is...

2026 Committee Woman Nominations Now Open

Sep 1, 2026

Nominations for Outstanding Committee Woman of the YearRODEO NEWS Now accepting nominations — 2026 Committee Woman of the Year Presented by Montana Silversmiths By Ann Bleiker In 1948, the Girls Rodeo Association, now Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, was built...

Choosin’ Texas – WPRA World Finals in Waco this November

Sep 15, 2026

Nominations for Outstanding Committee Woman of the YearRODEO NEWS Choosin’ Texas – WPRA World Finals in Waco this November By Ann Bleiker WPRA members looking to get a headstart on the 2027 rodeo season and those looking to add a WPRA World Title to their name should...

Walk-Up to World Record Grimes Grabs WPRA Headlines

Aug 25, 2026

Nominations for Outstanding Committee Woman of the Year RODEO NEWS Walk-Up to World Record Grimes Grabs WPRA Headlines By Ann Bleiker Kathy Grimes wasn’t even scheduled to compete at the Cassia County Fair and Rodeo in Burley, Idaho, but she not only competed, she...

Graham Grabs Headlines with Record Breaking Run

Aug 5, 2026

Nominations for Outstanding Committee Woman of the YearRODEO NEWS Graham Grabs Headlines with Record Breaking Run By Ann Bleiker The Wilderness Circuit has become synonymous with standard patterns on consistent and even ground for WPRA barrel racers resulting in...