It was announced last night that some of the top rodeo athletes from the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association have banded together to leave that organization and start a new one on their own. Today there are more clues coming out as to why this has become such a hot issue within the top contestants and why they are so unhappy with the current situation and the Board of Directors that govern the organization.
Now remember folks that this is not the first time that cowboys and cowgirls have not been happy with certain “professional” organizations. If you remember years ago, 20 to be exact, that a group of bull riders were not happy with the situation they were in so twenty of them got together and each put $1,000 into a pot hoping that their dreams would soon become a reality, a bull riding organization run by the bull riders and for the bull riders. If you have not figured out what I am referring to yet it was the transformation into the biggest bull riding organization today, The Professional Bull Riders (PBR).
On Tuesday one of the well known names that are making a statement, NFR Steer Wrestling Qualifier K.C. Jones, confirmed the efforts to leave the PRCA and start a different rodeo cowboy organization. Once the facebook page was introduced on Monday, Support Rodeo Contestants, K.C. Jones issued this statement, “After an exhaustive effort of the top cowboys to help save the current structure, we now realize it’s time for a change and that there is a huge opportunity for the contestants of professional rodeo to work together to advance the sport”. This was a very round about way of saying something big was going to happen in the very near future.
NFR Steer Wrestling Qualifier K.C.Jones
While speaking out about why these cowboys and cowgirls are deciding to step away from the PRCA he also adds that he and the other athletes that have banded together to start talking to many of the rodeo committees and host cities about leaving the PRCA sponsored events and signing with the new organization they are forming. These same folks are very nervous about the path the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is traveling. There are huge rodeos such as Calgary and Houston that have decided to not sanction with the long standing organization and this is yet another reason why these rodeo stars are starting to step back and rethink a lot of things and figure out where exactly they stand on the importance level of a multi million dollar organization.
While we all wait for more information to be given through their website there is one thing that we do know. The cowboys and cowgirls feel that the PRCA Board of Directors do not listen to them as much as they should and these athletes feel like they do not have a voice at all within the organization. This is a big reason that all this is happening since one detail has been leaked so far. One of the points on the proposal that these folks sent to the Board of Directors is that they wanted two more contestants sitting on the board. As of now there are only four athletes on the board of nine. All these stars want is to have a bigger voice and a bigger say as to what actually happens in the behind the scenes activities of this world renowned organization. One of the biggest reasons why is the denial and hand fed decisions of what sponsors will be allowed to participate. This group says that if this was an organization that was actually working for the people and not for big money marketing things would be a lot different.
I fully expect the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association to have a statement about this situation available within the next few days and I hope that they do. I will keep you updated as to what their side says once all the facts are out on the table and will continue to be as unbiased in my reporting as I can with the facts and information that I have from day to day. Please keep checking back for any late breaking news regarding this issue from either side of the table!
What Are Your Thoughts??
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