RODEO NEWS

WPRA Announces 2026 Committee and Contract Awards

By Ann Bleiker

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO – While most eyes are on the final world standings to see who will punch their ticket to the NFR, rodeo committees and contract personnel are eagerly awaiting the year-end awards. Their hard work behind the scenes keeps the sport alive all season long. As we close the book on the 2026 regular season, we officially kick off reward season in professional rodeo.

The WPRA Board of Directors has chosen the 2026 committee and contract award winners. These dedicated individuals have helped keep the Association strong and vibrant for the past 78 years. Winners will be officially recognized during the WPRA Star Celebration at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday, December 3.

The WPRA is excited to honor a father and daughter duo with Randy Corley selected as the Announcer of the Year and his daughter Amanda Corley Sanders as the Mildred Farris Secretary of the Year award. This marks Randy’s second having previously won the title in 2012, while Amanda is winning her third and second consecutive award having won in 2014, 2025 and now 2026. She also recently received the news she would be working her third WPRA National Breakaway Finals in Ft. Worth.

Recognized as the Corporate Partner of the Year is Texas Precious Metals, who joined the WPRA family in early 2026. Texas Precious Metals is the WPRA’s official precious metals partner. Through this partnership, members and fans alike have been able to purchase and begin collecting pure silver coins featuring women’s barrel racing and breakaway roping. Texas Precious Metals will also be featured at the 2026 WPRA National Breakaway Finals as the clock sponsor and go-round sponsor.

Winning the WPRA Stock Contractor of the Year award for the first time is Flying U Rodeo. The Flying U Rodeo Company now ran by Reno Rosser, son of the legendary Cotton Rosser, have been putting on rodeos across the United States with emphasis in their home state of California since 1956. In fact, one of their rodeos is The Desert Rodeo in Thermal, California, which is also being recognized in 2026 by the WPRA as the Medium Rodeo of the Year.

Speaking of rodeo committees, they have long been the backbone of the rodeo industry and without the hardworking rodeo committees, the industry would have a hard time existing. The WPRA is thankful to every committee who continues to elevate the sport to new levels. With the increase in added money the WPRA added a new category in 2024 called Mega Rodeo of the Year, which includes rodeos adding $25,000 or more. Winning this award in 2026 is the Greeley (CO) Stampede. Also being recognized for outstanding commitment to the industry are: Seward County PRCA Rodeo – Liberal, KS – (Small Rodeo of the Year), and Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo – Abilene, KS (Large Rodeo of the Year).

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo will receive the 2026 Distinguished Partnership Award, celebrating its pivotal role in hosting this year’s WPRA National Breakaway Finals. This honor also recognizes the organization’s decades of steadfast support for the Association, dating all the way back to 1966 when the barrel racing world champion was crowned in Fort Worth before the event was officially integrated into the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).

The WPRA would like to congratulate each of the award recipients as well as those that were nominated for these prestigious awards.

Below is a full list of those that will be recognized by the WPRA in 2026.

Announcer of the Year

Randy Corley

Stock Contractor of the Year

Flying U Rodeo – Reno Rosser

Pro Official of the Year

Kent Crouch

Mildred Farris Secretary of the Year

Amanda Sanders

Small Rodeo of the Year (added money of $5,000 or less)

Seward County PRCA Rodeo – Liberal, KS

Medium Rodeo of the Year (added money of $5,001 – $9,999)

The Desert Rodeo – Thermal, CA

Large Rodeo of the Year (added money over $10,000 – $24,999)

Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo – Abilene, KS

Mega Rodeo of the Year (added money over $25,000)

Greeley (CO) Stampede 

Corporate Partner of the Year                               

Texas Precious Metals

Media Award

Gold Buckle Media

Lenora Reimers Heritage Award

Martha Wright

Outstanding Individual of the Year Award

Wayne Knutson

Outstanding Rodeo Committee Partner

Puyallup (WA) Fair and Rodeo – Cinch Playoffs

Breakaway Committee of the Year

            Douglas County Fair and Rodeo (Castle Rock, CO)

Distinguished Partnership

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Lifetime Family Heritage Award

Alan Woodbury Family

Outstanding Service and Dedication of the Year Award

Kyle Jack McEntire

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