AUSTIN, TEXAS– The WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance) is excited to announce the Reliance Ranches VRQ Points Champion Bonus, an annual award that will pay a $25,000 cash bonus to each athlete who earns the most VRQ (Virtual Rodeo Qualifier) points in their disciplines.
The collective $225,000 award will be available to all athletes who nominate their 2022 rodeo efforts in their respected discipline (bareback riding, steer wrestling, heading, heeling, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing and bull riding) through the Virtual Rodeo Qualifier (VRQ) in the following segments:
- 2022 Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo
- 2022 Cowtown Christmas Championship Rodeo
- 2023 Women’s Rodeo World Championship (as of 11/27/22)
The timeframe for the Reliance Ranches VRQ Points Champion Bonus will begin April 11, 2022 and conclude at the 2022 Cowtown Christmas Championship Rodeo on December 17, 2022.
The cash bonuses will be awarded based on total cumulative points earned across all segments, including the World Points available at December’s Cowtown Christmas Championship. As of April 11, all points that athletes earn in a nomination segment will put them in a leaderboard race for a chance to earn the $25,000 cash bonus in their discipline.
The 2022 schedule includes four Triple Crown of Rodeo events, beginning with Rodeo Corpus Christi May 11-14, followed immediately by the Women’s Rodeo World Championship in Fort Worth May 16-18. Utah Days of ‘47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City July 20-23 & 25 will be the third stop while the 2022 tour will wrap up with the Cowtown Christmas Championship Rodeo December 14-17.
“This chance to win a $25,000 bonus for just nominating the rodeos you are already going to is unlike anything else anyone is doing in the rodeo industry,” said WCRA President Bobby Mote. “This is just another example of WCRA trying to make a large positive footprint on the sport of rodeo and giving rodeo athletes another opportunity to put money in their pocket.”
WCRA also announced that nominations are open now for the $562,000 July 2022 Utah Days of ‘47 Rodeo until June 26 at 11:59 p.m. The top 24 timed event athletes and the top 24 roughstock athletes on the leaderboard at the conclusion of the segment will qualify for the event with the No. 1 athlete on the leaderboard in each discipline being automatically seeded into the Gold Medal Round on July 25. Every athlete who competes at the event will receive a $500 appearance fee and an additional $750 if they advance to the Gold Medal Round.
All athletes from around the globe have the opportunity to compete in the WCRA Triple Crown of Rodeo Events and compete for the Reliance Ranches VRQ Points Champion Bonus through the WCRA Virtual Rodeo Qualifier (VRQ). All rodeo athletes interested in learning more about the VRQ should be directed to wcrarodeo.com or go to the App store or Google Play Store and download the WRCA app on their mobile device.
Since launching in May of 2018, the WCRA and its partners have awarded more than $10,800,000 in new money to rodeo athletes.
2022 WCRA Schedule of Events:
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May 11–14
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Rodeo Corpus Christi
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Corpus Christi, TX
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May 16–18
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Women’s Rodeo World Championship
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July 20–23 & 25
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Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo
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Dec. 14–17
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Cowtown Christmas Championship Rodeo
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About WCRA
WCRA (World Champion’s Rodeo Alliance) is a professional sport and entertainment entity, created to develop and advance the sport of rodeo by aligning all levels of competition. In association with the PBR, WCRA produces major rodeo events, developing additional opportunities for rodeo-industry competitors, stakeholders, and fans. To learn more, visit wcrarodeo.com. For athletes interested in learning more about the WCRA Virtual Rodeo Qualifier (VRQ) system, visit app.wcrarodeo.com.
