Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Plotting And Planning

Sorry for the silence...

I have been doing a lot of plotting and planning this last week.

The competition season is winding down here. The rodeos are over and there are just the finals left in both of my associations, with the odd smattering of open barrel races that people have decided to put on here and there.

I just barely missed making it to the Colorado Pro Rodeo Association Finals this year. I ended up #15 in the standings and they only take the top 12. I did enter the finals, in the off chance that someone in the top 12 decided not to go or was unable to go, but did not get a call-back. I wasn't particularly disappointed by that fact...just happy as heck to have made it as far as we did. It was a hellava learning year...

I'm not sure that I am ready to take the winter off...from rodeoing...so I got to searching on the internet...

It would seem there are a couple of associations that rodeo in the winter...

The All-Indian Rodeo Association and the Grand Canyon Professional Rodeo Association.

Most of those rodeos are in Arizona, with a few in New Mexico.

I talked to the hubby and he is all for it...if that is what I want to do.

Of course, there is always the WPRA (Women's Pro Rodeo Association). I have been doing a lot of research and reading on going the full-on Pro route...and it's just as I expected...

There is a whole lot more to going 'pro' than a person realizes. First I have to buy a permit. Then I have to fill my permit by winning a $1000. Then I have to buy my pro card...

Here's the biggest problem that seems to be facing the pro circuit these days...

The majority of the big paying rodeos are invitational rodeos. You have to basically run an entire year, do well and then hope that the following year you are eligible for the invites to run with the big players.

It's not exactly a level playing field...In my opinion...and in the opinion of a lot of other girls who would like to go 'pro', but hate the thought of hauling the legs off a horse before they ever get a chance to run for some truly big money. Know what I mean?

So I'm playing it pretty close to the vest over the whole, 'going pro' thing. I would like to wait and see what some of the rule changes are going to be this coming year, fill my permit and then decide just how hard I want to roll.

Looks like I have a lot of planning to do in the next few weeks because the winter circuits already have some rodeos lined up that I wouldn't mind entering....

9 comments:

Sherry Sikstrom said...

lots more to it than I realized, cant wait to see what you decide

Anonymous said...

Damn. You'd think they would come up with a better, more logical system than that. Horses are living creatures, and what they are asking you and other riders to do is absurd.
I wish you the best of luck!

C-ingspots said...

That seems to always be the case. They don't really give a damn about the horses. Sure sounds like a good way to take the fun right out of it.

Shirley said...

That's a pretty big commitment, both time wise and financially.

Paint Girl said...

I never realized how much was involved with going pro. Crazy.
That is great that you are considering doing the winter circuit. Sounds like you will have a busy, busy winter!!

Crystal said...

I kinda lke winter series, of course I am not rodeoing, but we do a winter series in cutting and its so fun to go and just cut (and not win much) but not much else to do in the winter up here and take some pressure of going all summer.

kestrel said...

Wow, what an education in the pro circuit. I always just thought if you had a fast horse and top times that would be all you needed, who knew you had to be able to organize such complicated stuff!

Cut-N-Jump said...

Yep, our 'season' is about to kick off with the cooler weather. If you make it down this way, gimme a shout. Maybe I can come watch ya run. Pictures? I will do what I can. I didn't know there was so much involved with 'going pro'. That's kinda crazy.

Christine said...

Interesting to read - I'm totally ignorant to rodeo entries and competing!

Good luck with your decision and I hope things turn more toward making it easier for people to go pro!