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Canadian Professional Rodeo Association decides to go it alone Wed Sep 7, 7:53 PM ET
CALGARY (CP) - The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association has decided to go it alone.
The U.S.-based Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association wants to terminate its partnership with the CPRA at the end of the 2005 season, saying the Canadian association doesn't pay sanctioning fees, doesn't use PRCA sponsors and doesn't require rodeo officials to be trained by PRCA programs.
CPRA president Bob Robinson said Wednesday that no attempts will be made to negotiate with the PRCA and the Canadian organization will now operate independently.
"We're big enough to stand on our own two feet, and that's what we're going to do," Robinson said in a release. "The CPRA is completely self-sustainable. We have a great product and we're ready to showcase it to the world on our own.
"Now we will be able to think about ourselves and not worry about what another association thinks when developing our policies and strategies."
Money won at Canadian rodeos starting in 2006 will not count on the world rodeo standings.
The top 15 competitors in the world standings at the end of the rodeo season qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, which is the richest rodeo in the world with over $4 million US in prize money.
The change could force Canada's top competitors into more rodeos south of the border at the expense of Canadian events, in order to qualify for the NFR in Las Vegas in December.
The PRCA gave the Canadian association notice of termination last month, but the organization had left the door open by saying a revised agreement between the two sides was a possibility.
Under the terms of the current agreement, all CPRA rodeos are co-sanctioned by the PRCA, with money won counting towards both Canadian and world standings.
The issue is money as each PRCA-sanctioned rodeo in the U.S. pays the PRCA five per cent of the event's total prize money and Canadian professional rodeos have never paid a sanctioning fee, according to the PRCA, which is based in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The agreement between the two associations has been in place for over 40 years with no expiration date on it. Either side had to give 30 days notice if it wanted out.
Robinson said the CPRA will consider making the $1-million Cdn Canadian Finals Rodeo open to more non-Canadians in the future. The top 12 in the national standings qualify for the CFR.
CALGARY (CP) - The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association has decided to go it alone.
The U.S.-based Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association wants to terminate its partnership with the CPRA at the end of the 2005 season, saying the Canadian association doesn't pay sanctioning fees, doesn't use PRCA sponsors and doesn't require rodeo officials to be trained by PRCA programs.
CPRA president Bob Robinson said Wednesday that no attempts will be made to negotiate with the PRCA and the Canadian organization will now operate independently.
"We're big enough to stand on our own two feet, and that's what we're going to do," Robinson said in a release. "The CPRA is completely self-sustainable. We have a great product and we're ready to showcase it to the world on our own.
"Now we will be able to think about ourselves and not worry about what another association thinks when developing our policies and strategies."
Money won at Canadian rodeos starting in 2006 will not count on the world rodeo standings.
The top 15 competitors in the world standings at the end of the rodeo season qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, which is the richest rodeo in the world with over $4 million US in prize money.
The change could force Canada's top competitors into more rodeos south of the border at the expense of Canadian events, in order to qualify for the NFR in Las Vegas in December.
The PRCA gave the Canadian association notice of termination last month, but the organization had left the door open by saying a revised agreement between the two sides was a possibility.
Under the terms of the current agreement, all CPRA rodeos are co-sanctioned by the PRCA, with money won counting towards both Canadian and world standings.
The issue is money as each PRCA-sanctioned rodeo in the U.S. pays the PRCA five per cent of the event's total prize money and Canadian professional rodeos have never paid a sanctioning fee, according to the PRCA, which is based in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The agreement between the two associations has been in place for over 40 years with no expiration date on it. Either side had to give 30 days notice if it wanted out.
Robinson said the CPRA will consider making the $1-million Cdn Canadian Finals Rodeo open to more non-Canadians in the future. The top 12 in the national standings qualify for the CFR.