From Ralph Clark,
Your Guide to Rodeo.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

The barrel racing controversy is apparently resolved but many questions remain...

After much speculation and a contentious battle of words between the PRCA and WPRA, it has been announced that the Women's Professional Rodeo Association has dropped it's lawsuit against the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. At stake was the sanctioning of the barrel racing event at PRCA rodeos.

As it stands, rodeo committees will be able to decide which association will sanction their barrel race, either the WPRA or the PWBR (the newly formed division of barrel racing within the PRCA). It still remains unclear, at least to me, how this will affect things like the World Standings and qualifying money for the National Finals Rodeo.

Both sides claim victory with the PRCA calling it a "suit based on pure speculation as to what the WPRA was afraid the PRCA might do, as opposed to what it had actually done."

"It's good news that this needless and wasteful lawsuit is over," said PRCA Commissioner Troy Ellerman. "Without this encumbering distraction, the PRCA and PWBR can continue to work hard to provide the best professional rodeos possible for our fans, and the best competitive opportunities possible for our membership." (Courtesy of PRCA Website)

The WPRA however, sees it differently. "The WPRA Board feels it has won this case as the PRCA/PWBR was forced to create their 'joint policy statement' that clearly addressed the anti-trust portion of the lawsuit. The statement in simple terms says a rodeo committee is free to choose who sanctions their barrel race, which was the WPRA's ultimate goal." (Courtesy WPRA Website)

WPRA President Jymmy Kay Davis also had this to say, "Obviously this is a victory for the WPRA members and for the rodeo committees who still want to sanction with the oldest and best women's barrel racing association, the WPRA. The WPRA can now put this chapter behind us and fully focus our energies on working with the rodeo committees and on the many new programs we are implementing to create bigger and better opportunities for our members."

Apparently both sides are happy, but to me this opens up a Pandora's Box of other issues such as, will earned money at WPRA barrel races count? How about advertising? Or future TV deals?

Anyway, I'm sure it will be all resolved. Let's hope this is the last we hear of this...

What are your opinions on this whole barrel racing mess?

Stay up-to-date with About Rodeo by signing up for the Rodeo Newsletter
or Contribute in the Rodeo Forum.