Pro rodeo returns to Fort Worth as sport tries to bounce back from coronavirus pandemic
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is back in action with its “Kick Open The Chutes” program after many shows were wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.
The world’s top pro rodeo organization opened its chutes for the first time since March 15 last weekend in Cave Creek, Arizona, near Phoenix.
The PRCA’s next stop is this weekend in Fort Worth. PRCA organizers have cut a deal to transfer the remainder of the Houston Rodeo’s preliminary performances to Cowtown Coliseum in the Stockyards.
No fans will be allowed to attend and the performances Friday-Sunday will be broadcast on the Cowboy Channel.
Rodeo athletes must wear masks unless competing or taking part in TV interviews, and all personnel must undergo temperature screening and answer medical questions.
“While it can be frustrating to think through all of the protocols and things that you have to do to ensure the safety of the athletes, the production personnel and volunteers as well as the local community, we want to really lead by example in showcasing to sports how rodeo can have a performance and hopefully not too far in the distant future with fans,” PRCA chief executive officer George Taylor said.
Jill Wilson, a barrel racer from Snyder, made the 850-mile trip to Cave Creek where she finished ninth in the title race. Wilson, who has a chance to earn her first trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December, is heading to Fort Worth this weekend.
“Cave Creek, Arizona, would not have normally been a rodeo on my agenda,” she said. “But it was the only one out there.”
Wilson would have competed on three consecutive days at RodeoHouston, but she will have to make her three runs all in one day (Saturday at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.) at Cowtown Coliseum because of the compressed schedule.
“We get to do it three times in one day and I don’t know how well that’s going to go for me,” she said. “But they’re trying, you can’t fault them and they can’t please everybody.”
Pro rodeo activity picks up substantially in June. For example, the Mesquite Championship Rodeo will hold performances each Saturday starting with June 6.
But other traditional June rodeos in North Texas have been canceled, including the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo in Cleburne, the Parker County Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo and the Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo. All three were scheduled for June 11-13.
Fort Worth Stock Show affected
The Cleburne, Weatherford and Gladewater rodeos are among seven smaller North Texas rodeos that were qualifier events for the 2021 Fort Worth Stock Show ProRodeo Tournament. Wichita Falls, Waxahachie, Mineral Wells and Denton also had agreed to hold qualifier rodeos.
The Wichita Falls rodeo, which was scheduled for April 17-18, also was canceled. The Waxahachie rodeo, scheduled for June 5-6, has been rescheduled for Oct. 23-24. Mineral Wells, scheduled for May 7-9, has been rescheduled for Sept. 17-19. The Denton rodeo, part of the North Texas Fair, is scheduled for Aug. 21-23.
If Fort Worth stays with its plan, organizers must find at least four rodeos to replace Wichita Falls, Cleburne, Weatherford and Gladewater because the new tournament format consists of seven brackets and organizers had planned on placing an event winner from the seven rodeos in each bracket.
The Stock Show’s tournament field mostly consists of top finishers from the PRCA’s world title races, but the seven qualifier rodeos were implemented to sprinkle in younger, talented athletes launching their pro careers.
Stock Show communications director Matt Brockman said organizers could revert to using the PRCA’s circuit system to recruit competitors.
“We’ll explore all our options and make the best decision possible given the circumstances,” Brockman said. “This situation will pass and in the long run we’ll have a system that gives all PRCA and WPRA athletes a shot to qualify.”
Coronavirus takes toll on rodeo
Some of the world’s larger summer pro rodeos have been canceled or rescheduled because of coronavirus concerns.
The Reno (Nevada) Rodeo in late June, which traditionally is the first major pro summer rodeo, has been canceled along with the iconic Calgary Stampede Rodeo and Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in July.
But the Greeley Stampede in Colorado, which is a larger traditional rodeo during July 4th week, has been rescheduled for Sept. 11-13. The higher-paying California Rodeo Salinas, scheduled for July 16-19, has been rescheduled for Oct. 8-11.
Other events canceled in recent weeks include the Windy Ryon Memorial Roping in Fort Worth and the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming.
Tarleton State, which has one of the nation’s top rodeo programs, would have sent its men’s and women’s teams to Casper.
The reopening of the weekly Stockyards Championship Rodeo at Fort Worth’s Cowtown Coliseum is uncertain, said longtime director Hub Baker.
“Really, the best part of our year doesn’t start until mid or late June and right now, that’s what we’re shooting for, but nothing firm,” Baker said.
Cutting horse update
The National Cutting Horse Association is confident that its Summer Spectacular, scheduled for July 7-Aug. 2 at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, can go on as planned.
Rodeos and equestrian events in Texas were allowed to reopen at 25% occupancy on May 22 as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s order.
NCHA executive director Jay Winborn said officials can easily adapt to safety requirements throughout the event.
“If we can get this show in July executed and do it safely and be patient, compassionate and responsible with what we’re going through right now, we’ll move on down the road to finishing out the year as planned,” Winborn said.
PBR update
The Professional Bull Riders has conducted closed-for-TV-only events for the CBS Sports Network in recent weeks at the Lazy E Arena near Oklahoma City. The massive venue proved to be a good fit for the world’s top bull riding circuit to return because the indoor arena is on a quieter, remote property in Guthrie.
Fabiano Vieira, a Brazilian who lives in Decatur, clinched the title at the April 25-26 tour stop at the Lazy E Arena and earned $11,000. Jose Vitor Leme, another Brazilian who lives in the Decatur area, clinched the title at the May 9-10 tour stop and pocketed $21,875. Leme is ranked No. 1 in the PBR’s 2020 world title race.
Dalton Kasel, a Muleshoe cowboy who finished third at the May 9-10 show and earned $10,250, said he was grateful for the opportunity to compete.
“It’s crazy,” Kasel said. “They make us wear masks and we have to spray hand sanitizer on us. It’s a little of bit of everything they make you do it seems like and it’s not a whole lot of fun. But we’ll do it definitely if that means that we get to go back to riding bulls.”
The PBR also has announced a new 40-hour team competition that will run June 5 through July 12 and be televised on CBS Sports Network.
The first four weekends of the Monster Energy Team Challenge will be held on weekends June 5-28 in Las Vegas and will be closed to the public. The July 10-12 championship weekend in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will be held in front of fans.
Organizers will institute new safety protocols, including mobile ticketing, staggered POD seating, re-routed in-arena traffic flow, social distancing guidelines, enhanced disinfecting and cashless concessions options.
This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 6:00 AM.