professional rodeo cowboys association COMMITTEE GUIDE copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

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1 professional rodeo cowboys association COMMITTEE GUIDE copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

2 ou can order the PRCA s full-color, 48-page, action-packed program ready to sell right out of the box, or as flats ready for your local printer to interleave with your local content and ads for even greater profit. Questions? Call the ProRodeo Program experts today! or

3 table of contents PRCA Basics Handy Phone Numbers... 2 Origin of the PRCA... 3 The PRCA Today... 3 PRCA Series and Circuits... 4 ProRodeo Hall of Fame... 5 Resources FOR COMMITTEES PROCOM Entry System... 6 Videotape and Audiotape for Commercials... 7 Publicity and Promotional Materials... 7 Trademarks and Logos... 7 ProRodeo Programs... 8 Other ProRodeo Publications... 9 ProRodeo.com ProRodeo Sports News PRCA National Convention PRCA Championship Rodeo Camp Series Livestock Welfare Materials and Expertise Rodeo Approvals Contacting the Approvals Department Timeline and Basic Steps The Application Process The Approval Process Finalization Sponsorships What You Need to Know About National Sponsors Three Types of National Sponsors Other Effects of National Sponsorship Exclusive Licensed Product Sales Other Licensed Products Demographics Sponsorship Agreement Promoting Your Rodeo Appointing a Good Publicity Director Promotion versus the Press Dividing the Workload Public Relations Advertising Generating Publicity through the Media Getting on the Internet Special Promotions Promotional Checklist Promotional Budget Livestock Welfare First Steps Preparing Grounds and Personnel Preparing for Injuries and Emergencies Preparing for Security and Public Relations Issues Animal Rights and Livestock Welfare Livestock Welfare Resources, Free to You After Your Rodeo Getting the Word Out to Contestants Assistance copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 1

4 Phone numbers to keep handy Rodeo Administration Rodeo Approvals Member Records (to update contact info) PROCOM Judging Properties (TV, sponsorships) Media (photography, interviews) ProRodeo Sports News ProRodeo Sports News Advertising ProRodeo Programs or Livestock Welfare Barrel racing is served by a separate organization, the Women s Professional Rodeo Association; contact them at Canadian rodeos are served by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association; contact them at The PRCA strives to make this Committee Guide as up to date and accurate as possible, but this is not a legal document. The PRCA rule book of the current year always contains de nitive information that may supersede information in this or any other editions of the PRCA Committee Guide. This PRCA Committee Guide was produced by the PRCA s Media Department. If you have suggestions for future editions, please call or abaillie@prorodeo.com. on the cover Saddle bronc riders Heith DeMoss, left, and Ty Atchison took a victory lap for having the highest-scored ride at the Laughlin (Nev.) River Stampede s March 28, 2010, performance. Richard Reuf photo 2 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

5 part 1 PRCA BASICS When you re applying to become a PRCA rodeo, as with any other mutual commitment, it s nice to know who you re getting involved with. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is the sport s pre-eminent professional organization, spanning the U.S. from coast to coast and reaching across borders. We sanctioned more than 600 rodeos with nearly 1,700 performances in 2015, which paid out $46.3 million in prize money. We served almost 3,000 contestant members and about 1,800 permit-holding contestants who are working toward becoming pro members. We host the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER, one of the biggest annual gatherings of stars under the neon lights of Las Vegas. We re on satelite, cable and livestream TV as well social media. We set the standards for professional conduct among contestants and rodeo entertainers, and for livestock welfare. We are committed to the success of all our members, from our brand-new contestants who are trying to earn money for a tank of gas to get them to their next rodeo to our multi-million dollar cowboys and from our brandnew rodeos to those who ve been sanctioned by us since We hope this committee guide will help you navigate our organization and make the most of your application process. What can we do for you? Origin of the PRCA Until the turn of the century, early rodeos were informal events exhibition matches of skill, with nothing but pride and perhaps a few wagers at stake. Rodeo organizations sprang up here and there but remained fragmented until the late 1920s, when a group of rodeo committees and promoters formed the Rodeo Association of America and named its rst champions. The rst true national cowboys organization emerged in 1936, when a group of cowboys and cowgirls left a performance at Madison Square Garden and boycotted the promoter s next rodeo, in Boston Garden. The Cowboys Turtle Association was born a name they picked because they had been slow to act, but nally stuck their necks out for their cause. In 1945, the Turtles became the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA), which in 1975 evolved into the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The PRCA has experienced tremendous growth in membership, payout, national exposure, media coverage and sanctioned rodeos. The PRCA helps rodeo, as both a sport and an industry, bridge the traditions of the old West with the tools of the 21st century. Rodeo fans keep up to date with their favorite human and animal athletes by subscribing to the PRCA s ProRodeo Sports News and logging on to watching livestreamed events on ProRodeoTV. com and getting PRCA tweets on Twitter and networking on Facebook. The PRCA Today The PRCA is made up of contestants, rodeo committees, stock contractors and contract personnel. Each group elects executive councils, and each council appoints a representative to the PRCA s Board of Directors. The executive staff of the PRCA is led by Commissioner Karl Stressman. Since 1988, the PRCA staff has been organized into two entities: Rodeo Administration, which is the nonpro t membership organization, and PRCA Properties Inc., which includes the sponsorships, marketing and promotional operations of the PRCA, as well as media relations. Both divisions are housed at PRCA headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., which is in the Mountain time zone. Understanding this division will help you know whom to call with questions (see page 2 for phone numbers): Rodeo Administration Accounting Approvals Circuits Industry Outreach Information Technology Judging Livestock Welfare Member Records PROCOM Properties Marketing ProRodeoTV.com ProRodeo FanZone ProRodeo Gear Broadcast/TV rights Sponsorship Media ProRodeo Sports News Media Relations ProRodeo.com Publications copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 3

6 part 1 PRCA BASICS Series and Circuits RAM Circuit System Since 1975, the PRCA s circuit system has offered a way for cowboys who can t or don t want to rodeo full time to enjoy the bene ts of regional and even national competition. Each cowboy declares his circuit with his yearly membership application one of the 12 RAM Circuits, which range in size from one state, like Texas and Montana, to 13 states, like the First Frontier circuit in the northeast part of the country. The system encourages contestants to go to their own circuit rodeos in pursuit of circuit awards, provides nancial and recognition incentives to cowboys, and offers chances for permit-holders to get a taste of ProRodeo. Each RAM Circuit has two champions: the cowboy at the top of the circuit standings at the end of the season, and the winner of the circuit s own nals. Those two champions qualify for the annual RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo. See the Circuits chapter of the PRCA Media Guide for contact information for each circuit director, or call the PRCA s Circuits Coordinator for more information: All American ProRodeo Series All PRCA rodeos with total added money of $30,000 or less are members of the All American ProRodeo Series. Cowboys earn points in this series both by earning money and simply competing in All American ProRodeo Series rodeos; quali ers at the top of the All American ProRodeo Series standings at the end of each season can compete in the All American ProRodeo Finals in Waco, Texas, in October. The purpose of the All American ProRodeo Series is to give emerging stars a chance at big money and to encourage contestants to enter rodeos of all sizes, everywhere they can. Contestants earn 50 points for each All American ProRodeo Series event at which they compete and a point for each dollar they win at an All American ProRodeo Series rodeo. Cowboys must compete in at least 30 All American ProRodeo Series rodeos to qualify for the All American ProRodeo Finals in Waco, Texas, in October. From the pool of quali ed cowboys, the top 30 in each event are invited to compete for $450,000 in Waco. What committees need to know about membership in the All American ProRodeo Series: Every PRCA Rodeo with total added money of $30,000 or less is included in the series. Co-sanctioned Canadian rodeos that qualify are included in the series. Additional added money for the steer roping or to make the team roping purse equal for headers and heelers will not be included in the $30,000 added-money total. Rodeos in the All American ProRodeo Series can use the Series logo on all printed materials and TV commercials. Pendleton Whisky pays entry fees for all contestants in the All American ProRodeo Finals. To learn more about the All American ProRodeo Series, contact Rodeo Administration at Xtreme Bulls Tour Feeding the sports world s appetite for bull-riding-only events, the Xtreme Bulls Tour encompasses Division I and Division II events between January and September, culminating in a championship Finale in September in Ellensburg, Wash., that pits top bull riders against the PRCA s rankest bulls. To learn more about the All American ProRodeo Series, contact Rodeo Administration at Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots The PRCA s Wrangler Million Tour presented by Justin Boots includes more than 20 Gold and Silver rodeos; committee purses range from $80,000 4 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

7 to $1 million. To learn more about the All American ProRodeo Series, contact Rodeo Administration at to PRCA rodeo the only major competitive sport that evolved from a working lifestyle. The largest gallery is the Hall of Champions, which honors contestants from each event, rodeo committees, and many rodeo notables and contract personnel a true walk through time of professional rodeo from its inception through its current Wrangler National Finals Rodeo champions. Justin Boots Playoffs The top 24 contestants in each event, based on the PRCA World Standings at a speci ed point in September, meet at the Justin Boots Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., in September. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy, in Colorado Springs, Colo., is the only heritage center in the world devoted Other areas include exhibits about the evolution of cowboy equipment, a beautiful garden studded with bronze sculptures (and a roping dummy!), a working rodeo arena and a gift shop. Check the ProRodeo Hall of Fame website for hours, which change seasonally. With advance notice, Hall of Fame staff will provide free tours for PRCA rodeo committees. Contact the Hall of Fame at for tour reservations. In 2008, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Board of Directors created a category for rodeo committees, and the 16 PRCA rodeo committees which had already been recognized by the Hall for their histories of producing high-quality rodeos were of- cially inducted in that category: Buffalo Bill Rodeo (North Platte, Neb.); Calgary (Alberta) Stampede; California Rodeo Salinas; Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days; Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Pocatello, Idaho); Grand National Rodeo, Horse & Stock Show (San Francisco); Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo; La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Tucson, Ariz.); National Western Stock Show & Rodeo (Denver); Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up, pictured here during the 2008 Induction; Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Reno (Nev.) Rodeo; San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo; Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, Texas); West of the Pecos Rodeo (Pecos, Texas); and the World s Oldest Rodeo Prescott (Ariz.) Frontier Days. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Brad Armstrong copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 5

8 part 2 resources for committees When your rodeo is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, you have access to dedicated professionals at the PRCA of ce and the resources they produce for you. A few of these resources are: PROCOM Entry System Member Relations Staff Videotape for TV Commercials Publicity and Promotional Materials Trademarks and Logos ProRodeo Programs Other Publications ProRodeo Sports News PRCA National Convention Livestock Welfare Materials and Expertise PRCA Championship Rodeo Camp Series ProRodeo Hall of Fame PROCOM Entry System The PRCA s Professional Rodeo Communications (PROCOM) system greatly simpli es rodeo production for its rodeo committees by managing entries and roughstock draws for all U.S. PRCA rodeos. Cowboys call in to enter more than 2,000 a day during summer s peak and list their preferences of rodeos, times and traveling buddies, all practical considerations which help reduce doubling up and turnouts. DAYSHEETS/ STOCK DRAWS PROCOM produces alphabetical contestant lists, stock draws and daysheets for rodeos, which you may request as ed PDFs or faxed printouts; they are free to committees, but you must call PROCOM at to request them. (See sample daysheets below.) You may reprint any or all of these items for your rodeo programs or inserts. Canadian rodeo committees should call the CPRA entry system staff at About the time your entries close, you can contact PROCOM to nd out the dates that your daysheets, contestant lists and stock draws will be available. To contact PROCOM for this or any reason, call Daysheets from PROCOM 6 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

9 Videotape for Commercials To order free 30-second TV commercials (with or without voiceover), contact PRCA Properties at or log on to ProRodeo. org and download the commercials. See the Livestock Welfare section of this Committee Guide for information on DVDs on that topic, available free to PRCA rodeo committees and the media. Publicity and Promotional Materials PRCA Properties offers additional resources to committees, including the following: Logos you can and must use on all printed materials, including ads: PRCA logos, and when appropriate, the Wrangler Gold and Silver Tour, All American ProRodeo Series or Xtreme Bulls Tour logo PRCA patches for committee member and key volunteer shirts PRCA chute decals PRCA banners PRCA ag for grand entries and victory laps 3 x 5 Also, PRCA Properties staff is available by phone or to help with speci c questions such as how to get your spots on the air and general advice on marketing and branding: The PRCA Media Department provides promotional materials such as Media Guides, media CDs and Contract Personnel Directories. You can request that copies of the Media Guide be sent to members of your local media by contacting Media Relations at You can reach Media s photography coordinator at ; he can help you with photo and lming questions like these: Finding an experienced PRCA rodeo photographer PRCA rules about who can and can t sell photos at your rodeo, or those taken at your rodeo Mug shots of any of the top 30 cowboys in each event, and many other contestants Learn more about photo guidelines and the ways PRCA Media can help you in the Promoting Your Rodeo chapter of this Committee Guide. Trademark and Logo As a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo, you can, and must, use the PRCA trademark and logo to show your market that you ll have the best professional cowboys, contract personnel and stock available for their entertainment, and that your rodeo will be run according to the most exacting standards in the industry. Displaying the PRCA PRCA logo, left, and trademark trademark and logo brands your rodeo as a turly professional production among rodeo and Western events. You can, and must, use the PRCA logo in conjunction with your own committee logos on all printed promotional material that is not offered for sale, including rodeo tickets, committee newspaper and magazine ads, press releases, program inserts and personnel ID badges and all other printed materials. The logo generally looks best centered and near the bottom of the item. You can, and must, use the PRCA logo on large displays such as billboards, signs, banners, posters and bumper stickers. The PRCA logo should be prominent and distinguishable from other symbols. You can, and must, use the PRCA trademark or logo on all TV advertisements. We ask you not to use the PRCA trademark or logo in any manner that suggests the PRCA is af liated with any event that is not sanctioned by the PRCA, such as a wild horse race or wild cow milking. If your rodeo is part of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour, you may, and should, use the appropriate logo on all marketing materials. copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 7

10 part 2 RESOURCES FOR COMMITTEES In all media, please abide by these guidelines for using the trademarks and logos: Leave appropriate space between trademarks and other graphic elements, such as type, illustrations and borders. Use a version of the trademark and logo that will contrast with the background. Several versions are available for this purpose. The background behind the trademark or logo must be one solid color. Do not redraw, modify or change the proportions of the trademark or logo. Of cial colors are Pantone Blue (PMS 2757) and Pantone Red (PMS 188), but black-and-white versions are also available. Any merchandise that incorporates the PRCA trademarks must be ordered through A3 Merchandise, the of cial out tter of the PRCA. See the Sponsorships chapter for contact information. A3 is also available to provide co-branded merchandise with your rodeo. ProRodeo Programs The PRCA offers a full-color, professional, affordable, 48-page program that you can purchase either of two ways: already stapled and ready to sell out of the box, or in ats that your local printer can interleave with your local ads and content, then trim, fold and staple to make them ready to sell. You can turn a pro t either way, but selling local ads means your programs generate revenue even before your rodeo begins! Either way, your souvenir ProRodeo Program has a custom imprint on the cover with your rodeo s name and dates. If you get a program sponsor, you can add their logo to the imprint as well, as long as it doesn t con ict with national PRCA sponsors. See the Sponsorships chapter for details. The program is designed to interest both serious rodeo fans and the multitude of rst-timers who might need some help understanding what they see in the arena. Each event is explained, with photos that illustrate championship form so the audience knows what to look for. The 2017 program also features a popular kids page, a rst-timers welcome page, a feature about rodeo openings and comments from reigning world champions, and two pages of friendly, credible information on livestock welfare. Content changes each year. Because the ProRodeo Program is subsidized by ads from the PRCA s national sponsors, it s priced within the reach of all committees, whether you want to order 300 or 3,000 copies. To order or to request samples and more information about the ProRodeo Program, call or Other PrCA Publications Among the publications produced by the PRCA, committees might nd those on the opposite page especially useful. 8 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

11 How to Order PRCA Publications Publication Cost How to get it: 2017 PRCA Media Guide Contains a wealth of information on current records for each event; the PRCA s top 300 cowboys; champions for every year of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, tours and series, all-around winners, contract personnel and livestock welfare. $30 plus $10 shipping; sent free to your local media if you call to request call PRCA Rule Book The complete reference for contestants, judges, and the informed public on how each run or ride is timed, scored and penalized $25 plus $10 shipping call ProRodeo Sports News Full-color magazine with fantastic action photos, informative features, exciting event coverage, standings, rodeo results, and the Cowboy Column and rodeo advertising $45 per year call : for committee discount info, Contract Personnel Directory Lists in phone directory format all insured (eligible to work) contract personnel members of the PRCA, grouped into categories in which they hold cards free to rodeo committees, while they last call PRCA Committee Guide Describes what the PRCA offers to its rodeos, the approvals process, PROCOM system, publicity advice, media guidance, sponsorship guidelines $10 call ProRodeo livestock video 20-minute video about the care and handling of livestock at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos free call ProRodeo livestock welfare pamphlet Tri-fold brochure brie y describes the stock contracting business, PRCA events, livestock welfare rules and approved equipment free call ProRodeo livestock welfare brochure 20-page brochure covering all aspects of the PRCA s commitment to livestock welfare from judging to fact-versus- ction free call copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 9

12 part 2 RESOURCES FOR COMMITTEES ProRodeo.com The PRCA s two websites, www. Prorodeo.com and include many pages that are helpful to rodeo committees, including: Membership: Includes a how-to manual for applying to become a PRCA rodeo Annual convention information An updated, online copy of the PRCA s Contract Personnel Directory PRCA rodeo schedule click header row to sort by city, state, or start date Press Room: media guidelines for your local press, a printable current Media Guide (including parts you can copy for your rodeo s use), an advertising kit and a Media staff directory Championship Rodeo Camp schedule ProRodeo Sports News Your committee s primary contact receives a free subscription to the ProRodeo Sports News, and an additional copy with your media packet after your rodeo appears in the magazine s long listing. Many committees place ads in the ProRodeo Sports News to advertise their rodeos and special promotions to both PRCA cowboys and ProRodeo fans. PSN ads are an economical way to draw a lot of attention to your rodeo from a very targeted audience. Call at least one month before you want your ad to appear. You can run a free, 100-word notice to contestants in the Cowboy Column several weeks before your rodeo. Call for deadline and submission information. PRCA National Convention The PRCA hosts a four-day convention in Las Vegas just before the rst performance of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER. PRCA rodeo committees can attend informative workshops as well as a trade show where they can meet with hundreds of PRCA contract personnel, vendors of rodeo equipment such as back numbers and chute pads, rodeo insurers and national sponsors. Workshop topics vary year to year. Some are conducted by PRCA staff, others by members of award-winning rodeo committees. Some of the dozens of topics have included: PRCA livestock welfare presentation Volunteer retention & recruitment Sponsorship valuation Effective livestock handling Ticketing promotions Engaging the next generation The social media buzz Website security Utilizing youth PRCA rodeo camps increasing your revenue with the ProRodeo Program Other presentation topics include livestock welfare, staying successful in the long term, and more. Convention attendees are also invited to the Gold Buckle Gala, the Welcome Reception where all Wrangler NFR contestants are announced and introduced, and the PRCA s Awards Banquet; ticket prices vary. 10 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

13 PRCA Championship Rodeo Camp Series Rodeo committees recognize the value in giving back to their communities and helping grow our sport by cohosting rodeo camps that offer free instruction to potential PRCA members interested in roughstock events and, at certain camps, steer wrestling. These camps provide instruction in a number of areas: Hands-on riding instruction (using training aids) on proper, safe technique Goal setting and achievement Getting t to prevent injury Business aspects of being a pro athlete PRCA rules and standards The PRCA Industry Outreach department links up with several rodeo committees each year to cohost rodeo camps at sites around the country. No fees are charged to committees, but committees which can provide the following are favored: Arena available at no cost to the PRCA with at least two choices of dates Hotel sponsors for instructors Lunch sponsors for camp participants A solid volunteer base interested in youth development Promotions such as free rodeo tickets Each summer, the department starts scheduling camps for the following year. If your committee is interested in co-hosting such a camp, download the application ( 2017 Host Application ) hover over RODEO on ProRodeo.com and click Youth Rodeo. If you have questions about hosting a camp, call PRCA Industry Outreach at Livestock Welfare Materials and Expertise As part of the PRCA s commitment to livestock welfare, we provide a wealth of livestock materials to committees free of charge, from brochures to a video. See the Livestock Welfare chapter of this Committee Guide for information on ordering these items. Left, PRCA Board Member and bull rider Fred Boettcher talks with a group of aspiring roughstock riders at a PRCA Championship Rodeo Camp in Dayton, Iowa, in May Right, eight-time Wrangler NFR saddle bronc rider Steve Dollarhide helps a future PRCA member understand the intricacies of adjusting the rein at an April 2010 PRCA Championship Rodeo Camp in Prescott, Ariz. PRCA ProRodeo photos by Julie Jutten copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 11

14 part 3 RODEO APPROVALS The PRCA s rodeo approvals process helps ensure that all PRCAsanctioned rodeos meet the requirements and standards of professional rodeo, have rules that are consistent with the PRCA s other rodeos and are fair to all participants, and are prepared to handle contingencies in a professional manner that is a credit to the rodeo committee, the local community, the PRCA and the sport of rodeo. This chapter will walk you through the Approvals process: Contacting the Approvals Department Timeline and Basic Steps The Application Process The Approval Process Finalization Getting the Word Out to Contestants Assistance Contacting Approvals The PRCA s Approvals department is available Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time to answer any questions about how to become a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo. Contact Approvals at or rodeo_ approvals@prorodeo.com. The Approvals Department must be able to communicate with all rodeo committee primary contacts quickly, so please select three committee members who are willing and able to read and respond ef ciently to all materials sent by , fax or post. Those three committee members should include a primary contact, public relations contact and sponsorship contact. Your primary contact is responsible for promptly notifying the Approvals Department of any corrections or changes to your rodeo application. If the primary contact for the rodeo does not have an address, we suggest you give us another committee member s address for quick contact. Note that all s from the Approvals Department will have subject lines beginning with your rodeo s city, state and rodeo number. It is crucial that your primary contact reads all such s and checks his or her junk mail and spam- ltering folders regularly so that no important Approvals-related s get sidelined there. Timeline and Basic Steps It is best to start your application process at least six months before your selected rodeo dates. Application As soon as you contact the PRCA to express interest in becoming or renewing as a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo, you will be sent an approvals packet containing an introductory letter, this Committee Guide, an application form, a sponsorship agreement, and a livestock welfare application plus brochures. You may request other helpful information; see page 10 of this Committee Guide for available materials and how to get them. Approval Once you have returned your completed application form and your ground rules have been approved, you will receive a fax or with fore sheets which your committee s primary contact must sign and return to the PRCA indicating agreement, or promptly contact the Approvals department at to request changes. Returning this signed form is the last step before your rodeo becomes approved. Finalization After your rodeo is approved, you will receive a nalization packet that includes your committee membership card, a rule book, approved fore sheets, your entry closing dates and a reminder about submitting proof of insurance at least two weeks before your rodeo s rst performance. Getting the word out A week or two after your rodeo appears in the Business section s long listing for the rst time, PRCA Media will send you one copy of the ProRodeo Sports News so you can check your listing. If you have corrections, call the Approvals Department, not the ProRodeo Sports News. 12 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

15 In the same packet, you will also receive a sample ProRodeo Program and brochure that you can order with a customized cover imprint and, optionally, insert local content and ads to increase your pro ts and professional appearance, plus two media CDs to pass along to reporters at local media outlets to encourage them to cover your rodeo. It can be helpful to your rodeo for several people on your committee to subscribe to the ProRodeo Sports News in order to stay current. Sanction About a month before your rodeo, you will receive your certi cate of PRCA sanction and a duplicate set of fore sheets. Application Process Rodeos must apply annually for approval. Rodeos which were not sanctioned by the PRCA the previous year are considered new rodeos, regardless of longevity or earlier PRCA status. Rodeos which change their dates by more than 14 days from the previous year are also considered new rodeos. Their applications must be received (not postmarked) at least 120 days before the rst performance, but we strongly suggest submitting your application earlier, both to allow time for negotiation and to get the new rodeo into the short list of upcoming rodeos in the ProRodeo Sports News Business Journal section well in advance, to encourage entries. Each new rodeo is required to put all purse money and judges fees in escrow with the PRCA one month before the rst performance. Your cashier s check or money order should be made out to the PRCA and sent to the Approvals department. Existing rodeos should use RodeoPay to inform Approvals of the amount of the total committee purse by the Wednesday before the rst performance or the rst business day after the last performance. It is helpful to include barrel racing money in that gure, because the PRCA pays those contestants through RodeoPay as well as PRCA members. A rodeo that changes its dates by more than 14 days must put all purse money and judges fees in escrow with the PRCA as though it was a new rodeo, because those date changes give it the same status as a new rodeo. Established rodeos those which were sanctioned by the PRCA in either or both of the previous two years must submit applications at least 60 days before the rst performance (received, not postmarked). The earlier you apply, the lower the application fee, the more time you have to work out any questions that may arise and the more times your rodeo will be listed in the ProRodeo Sports News Business Journal. Failure to submit a complete application (including all of the required elements: tax ID, original signatures of stock contractor of record and rst committee contact, lists of performance and slack times, purse money, ground rules, sponsorship form and any special considerations) by the deadline may result in denial of approval. The application will not be considered complete until the PRCA has received from the committee both its annual committee dues and its application fee. Applications may be sent by post or fax. Established rodeos may submit their applications on line, but new rodeos may not. Once your completed application is received by the PRCA and reviewed, you will get an or letter requesting sign-off on all items. When you sign and return that form by , fax or post, your rodeo is ready to be approved. Suggestions Your application process will go more smoothly if your committee has already thoroughly discussed performance and slack dates and times, added money per event, entry limits, ground rules and arena information. You can download an application form from the Committee Applications tab on the leftside menu of ProRodeo.com and make a copy for each person to have during your early committee meetings. It also would be helpful for each committee member to have a copy of the Rodeo Entry Information page from the Business Journal section in the back of any issue of the ProRodeo Sports News. Many established PRCA rodeo committees nd it easiest to apply for approval online. These rodeos can download a free, easy-to-understand, complete instruction manual for lling out the online application form. Hover over the word MEMBERSHIP on the ProRodeo.com home page and click Rodeo Committees. Contact Rodeo Approvals at for assistance. Events Only rodeos that include the PRCA s six standard events bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, team roping and steer wrestling will be considered for PRCA approval. You may schedule them in any order. Steer roping is an optional event. We encourage you to contact the Women s Professional Rodeo Association at for information on adding highcaliber barrel racing to your PRCA rodeo. Purse money The rodeo committee must add a minimum of $250 to the purse money for each of the PRCA s six required events, per performance, or a minimum of $500 per required event at a oneperformance rodeo. All six PRCA required events must have the same base amount of added money, unless the rodeo committee decides to feature copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 13

16 one, two or three events. In that case, the committee must double the purse money for the featured events. For more information on featuring events, contact Rodeo Approvals at The PRCA is available to consult with committees on potential improvements to the format or operation of your rodeo. For further information, call Other decisions to make well ahead of time Contract personnel part 3 RODEO APPROVALS PRCA rules require you to hire the following PRCAmember contract personnel (with minimum number in parentheses, if required): announcer (1), clown/barrelman (1), bull ghter (2), pickup men (2), laborers such as gatemen and ankmen, secretary (1), and timers (2). You may hire PRCA specialty acts to entertain your crowd. All contract personnel you hire (secretary, timers, announcers, clowns, specialty acts, barrelman, bull ghter, pickup men and other in-arena laborers such as the chute boss) must be active, insured PRCA members. See the Still and Video Photography section below for guidance on hiring photographers. Please provide a clean, secure, sheltered room or trailer with reliable electrical power for the rodeo secretary, equipped with a working, usable phone line with a telephone number. The rodeo s ground rules and its PRCA certi cate must be posted prominently where all participants can read it. A blank area of wall or a sheet of plywood at least 4 x 8 on which the secretary can post the draw is very helpful. Timers need a reserved area in the announcer s stand that has a good vantage point for both timed-event chutes and bucking chutes, and they must be able to see the entire arena anywhere the ag judge might be located. If you do not have a current copy of the PRCA s Contract Personnel Directory, see the order information page in the Resources chapter of this Committee Guide. Printed copies are mailed to all committees in November of each year but remain available while supplies last; the CPD is also available on ProRodeo.org for online use or can be printed from there. Many contract personnel seeking work place ads in the Contract Personnel Directory in addition to the complete directory listing. You also can check the ProRodeo Sports News classi ed ads for contract personnel who are seeking work in your area. Livestock and stock contractors Your stock contractor(s) must be PRCA member(s). Appoint a member of your committee to serve as livestock welfare spokesperson. As soon as he or she is appointed, this person should contact the PRCA s Livestock Welfare department at or animalwelfare@prorodeo. com to request a copy of the PRCA Rodeo Committee Guide to Livestock Welfare, which will help this person prepare to handle livestock welfare at your rodeo. This person will work closely with your rodeo veterinarian, stock contractor and the PRCA, and after your rodeo, will send the animal injury report to the PRCA. Set up a contract with a veterinarian to ensure that you are in compliance with PRCA rules requiring a veterinarian to be on site during all competitions, including slack. Give your veterinarian s name and contact information to your stock contractor. Fill out your PRCA Livestock Welfare Approval Form and return it to the PRCA with your application. Rule requires committees to have a conveyance to transport injured rodeo livestock from the arena a sled or an animal ambulance. If you do not have an animal ambulance or sled conveyance, check with your stock contractor, who may be able to supply it. Speci c information about conveyances is in the PRCA Committee Guide to Livestock Welfare; see above. See the Livestock Welfare chapter of this Committee Guide for more information on PRCA rules and policies pertaining to livestock, and helpful tips. Arena There are no xed rules for arenas for PRCA-sanctioned rodeos other than those spelled out in the rule book pertaining to bucking and timed-event chutes. However, it is very important that you work closely with your stock contractor to develop plans for setting up an arena that is safe for both audience members and the human and animal participants, and that provides maximum entertainment value. As your committee develops its application, consider using this list to plan who will be responsible for each key area: arena surface gates and chutes prep area behind the chutes bleachers and concession areas (including emergency and evacuation plans and a plan for 14 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

17 dealing with lost children) announcers stand secretary s of ce contestant seating (if offered) rst aid and lost-and-found areas (if offered) contestant and contract personnel parking lot entry and security audience parking lot entry and security hospitality tent, if offered Other operations aspects that can be handled by individual committee members include: program and daysheet sales and ad sales prerodeo publicity sponsorship coordination parking lot staf ng ticket sales, presales and comps local advertising, media outreach Judges Two judges will be assigned to your rodeo by the PRCA of cials supervisors (more if the size of your rodeo necessitates it). You may not request a speci c of cial, but you can nd out ahead of time who your judges are (for example, if you want to mention them in your program) by calling the PRCA of cials of ce at The PRCA shares judging expenses with committees; the committees share is $225 per judge, per performance, plus a per diem for any day that includes slack but no performance. Judges generally make their own arrangements for accommodations and meals, although some rodeo committees arrange for comps. All PRCA judges are trained to of ciate both roughstock events and timed events. All PRCA judges attend a judging seminar at least every other year to reinforce and improve skills and discuss rule changes; many attend yearly. Judges will arrive several hours before a performance to inspect pens, arena and livestock, and must be able to communicate quickly with the committee if any changes are necessary. The judges post-rodeo report goes to the PRCA, but a copy will be sent to you; it may include suggestions for improvement of the rodeo. Still and video photography The PRCA retains all rights to all still and moving images shot at any PRCA-sanctioned rodeo. Post a sign at your entry noting that no one may shoot still or moving images for anything other than personal use, and that unauthorized images may not be broadcast or posted on the Web or any social media platforms. Print a similar notice on your ticket; anyone who buys or uses a ticket for admittance is agreeing to those terms. Contact Properties at for current wording for ticket backs. If you intend to have anyone shooting video at your rodeo other than participants family members and professionals on assignment from local, regularly scheduled newscasts, you must contact PRCA Properties at All other video recording is strictly prohibited. PRCA member photographers can provide photos they shoot at your rodeo, but nonmember photographers may not, because the PRCA retains those rights. If you hire an of cial PRCA member photographer, only that photographer may sell photos on your grounds. If you do not hire a speci c PRCA member photographer to shoot your rodeo, then all PRCA photographers to whom you give credentials may sell photos on the grounds. If you are going to hire an of cial photographer at your rodeo, you must attempt to use a PRCA member photographer. You may use the PRCA Contract Personnel Directory or contact the PRCA s photo coordinator ( ) to nd a PRCA member photographer. Only after exhausting these possibilities are you allowed to use or hire a photographer who is not a PRCA member. For insurance reasons, only PRCA member photographers may be in the arena; however, they must not interfere with competition. They may also shoot from the stands, but must not interfere with ticket-holders sightlines. All nonmember photographers are con ned to the area you designate for photographers or the stands; they may not enter the arena. See the Promoting Your Rodeo chapter of this Committee Guide for more information about using video and photos to advertise your rodeo. Read the Media Guidelines section of the General Information chapter of the PRCA Media Guide for more speci cs about credentialing photographers and other media members attending your rodeo. Other factors to consider before applying If you are applying for approval and there is an existing PRCA rodeo in the same marketing area, we must inform them, and that rodeo may contest your application. You will be noti ed of any objection and the PRCA s decision about your application. You must have an ambulance present during all slack and performances in case of injury to a contestant or audience member. We suggest that committee members stationed at various locations during your rodeo be able to communicate with one another by walkie-talkie, two-way radio or similar device. See the current year s rule copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 15

18 book for a complete list of requirements. Call Rodeo Administration at to get a current rule book if you don t have one. Application requirements An application is eligible for approval when: part 3 RODEO APPROVALS The original application form is complete, with all required original signatures (not a scan or fax version), and was received by the PRCA by the deadlines listed on page 13. The sponsorship application is complete. Both committee fees have been paid: the approval fee, based on the date the application is received and the total purse money; and the committee dues, based on total purse money. These fees are described in detail on the application form. Approval Process The Rodeo Approvals staff begins reviewing applications as soon as they arrive. You can expect the approval process to take between three and eight weeks. A rodeo may be approved quickly, or it may be designated as pending if the application is incomplete or if the rodeo committee is in negotiations with the PRCA regarding speci c ground rules or other items. There are two rodeo listings in the ProRodeo Sports News Business Journal: short and long. The short listing shows approved rodeos with dates and purses so that contestants can make advance travel plans. The long listing shows much more detail what contestants need to know for entering. The short listing The short listing shows approved rodeos through the end of that year s rodeo season: city, dates, total purse. As soon as your rodeo is approved, it will appear in the short listing, and it will remain there until it moves to the long listing. Pending rodeos (those whose applications are not complete) will not appear in the short listing, so it is to your advantage to start the approvals process early. The long listing The long listing provides more detailed entry information for contestants everything they need to know to enter the rodeo, such as purse amounts, ground rules and competition format. About 2 ½ months before your rodeo s rst performance, your rodeo will appear in the long listing (designated as PENDING if it is not yet approved). Approval deadline Although it s to your advantage to get approved as early as possible, the absolute deadline for approval depends on the publication schedule of the ProRodeo Sports News Business Journal. A rodeo must be approved in time to be printed as approved (not pending) in at least one Business Journal with a publication date at least 15 days before the rodeo s entry closing date. You can get a list of the PSN publication dates on ProRodeo.com: hover over MEDIA, and click 2017 Advertising Kit. Finalization After your rodeo is approved, you will receive a nalization packet containing your committee membership card, a rule book (for new committees only), approved fore sheets (which show your ground rules) and a reminder about when to submit proof of insurance (at least two weeks before your rst performance). Documentation verifying approval will be sent to both the committee and its stock contractor of record. Requirements after approval Check your fore sheets immediately to be sure you understand all ground rules. If you have any questions, contact Approvals promptly at or rodeo_ approvals@prorodeo.com. Remember that new PRCA rodeos must have their purse money and judges fees in escrow with the PRCA one month before the rst performance. Any rodeo, regardless of the duration of its PRCA sanction, may be required to put purse money and judges fees in escrow with the PRCA one month before the event. Proof of insurance: documentation of public liability insurance as described in the PRCA Rule Book, bylaw B The certi cate must name the PRCA as additional insured; the policy must have minimum coverage of $1 million combined single limit, per occurrence, and $2 million aggregate. This documentation must be received at least two weeks before the rst performance; otherwise the PRCA may either revoke approval or obtain insurance and bill the rodeo committee for it. The Livestock Welfare application must be submitted before your rodeo s rst performance. 16 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

19 If Changes Are Necessary After Finalization Once a rodeo is approved, it is up to the committee to notify the PRCA of any changes to the rodeo or corrections to the Business Journal listings. The Business Journal goes to print almost two weeks before the date printed on the front of the ProRodeo Sports News it appears in, so it s best to check your listing as soon as you receive your magazine and call in corrections or change requests immediately in order to make the next issue of the magazine. Any changes in the format of an approved rodeo must be approved separately by the PRCA Approvals Department and must be publicized in the Business Journal that is printed at least 15 days before the entry closing date, which means the Approvals department must be noti ed in time to approve the changes. Documentation verifying approval of changes will be sent to both the committee and its stock contractor of record. Required Display of Sanctioning Documents Once approved, you will receive your certi cate of PRCA sanction, which you must display in the rodeo secretary s of ce with your duplicate set of fore sheets showing your rodeo s ground rules. Getting the Word Out to Contestants You are responsible for checking the information in the short and long listings as soon as they appear and calling in corrections to the Approvals department. If you would like to communicate more information to contestants than what appears in the long listing such as bonus money, hospitality tents, kids activities, host hotels, arena or contestant parking/rv hook-up information, vaccination requirements, stall provisions, or special events you may submit an item for the Cowboy Column section of the PRCA s Business Journal. Both content and length are limited. Contact the editor at If you would like information to reach both contestants and fans, if you want it to run more than once or twice; if you want to include a photo, logo or website; if you want to convey more information than we can print in the Cowboy Column; or if you want to control the exact wording of your item, consider buying an ad in the ProRodeo Sports News. Contact Advertising at Shortly after your rodeo is approved, it will appear in the schedule list on the ProRodeo. com website free. If your application lists a website for your rodeo, the PRCA schedule will include a link to it; doublecheck the spelling on your application so it will be correct on our website. For PRCA resources that can help you with general publicity, see the Rodeo Resources and Publicity sections of this publication. Some committees arrange for a local cowboy to be their ambassador among contestants contacting his friends and acquaintances and urging them to come to their rodeo because word of mouth can be a great asset in the rodeo family. This cowboy can also attend one of your committee meetings to discuss how to make contestants feel at home at your rodeo. Contact the PRCA Media Department at to nd PRCA contestants from your area. Assistance The Approvals department anticipates close contact with committees seeking PRCA sanctioning, especially for new rodeos. Contact the Approvals staff at or rodeo_approvals@ ProRodeo.com at any time, with any kind of question or concern we are here to help! copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 17

20 part 4 SPONSORSHIPS PRCA-sanctioned rodeos have increased access to certain rodeo sponsors, but must comply with PRCA rules regarding sponsorship. Everyone on your rodeo committee who is involved in sponsorship, marketing or advertising should read this section of the Committee Guide, which includes these topics: What You Need to Know about National Sponsors Three Types of National Sponsors Other Effects of National Sponsorship Exclusive Licensed Product Sales Other Licensed Products Demographics Sponsorship Agreement What You Need to Know About National Sponsors There are three types of national PRCA sponsors: exclusive sponsors rst-right-of-refusal sponsors other of cial national sponsors Each of these types of sponsors has a different relationship with the PRCA, and these relationships may affect your potential agreements with organizations that sponsor your local rodeo. It is the committee s responsibility to abide by the PRCA s national sponsor agreements. Contact information for each sponsor is in your sanctioning agreement, or you can call the Properties department at for assistance. If you have questions about what constitutes competition with PRCA national sponsors, or any other sponsorship-related issues, contact the PRCA Properties department at Three Types of National Sponsors Exclusive sponsors Exclusive sponsors have demonstrated extraordinary support for professional rodeo at the national level as well as at many local venues; their support warrants total support from the ProRodeo community. For 2017, the PRCA has two exclusive sponsors: Wrangler Justin Boots This means that rodeo committees cannot receive of cial support in any form from any company that competes with these sponsors: any company that sells Western clothing (jeans and shirts) and/or boots and footwear. Rodeo committees may approach Wrangler and Justin Boots for support for their own rodeos. However, if these national companies decline to additionally support a speci c rodeo, the exclusivity clause is still in effect; no competing company may sponsor your rodeo or display its signs or wares anywhere in the arena or anywhere visible from or adjacent to the arena seats, or advertise in your rodeo program. First-right-ofrefusal sponsors First-right-of-refusal sponsors also provide enormous support and backing to professional rodeo and deserve the opportunity to provide and promote their goods and services to and at PRCA rodeos around the country. 18 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

21 For 2017, the PRCA has four rstright-of-refusal sponsors: RAM Rodeo (trucks) MillerCoors Brewing (malt beverages) Montana Silversmiths (Western belt buckle maker) Pendleton Whisky (spirits) Resistol (Western hats) Rodeo committees that want to accept sponsorship or advertising from any organization that manufactures or supplies malt beverages, spirits, automobiles, trucks, Western belt buckles or hats must rst offer the sponsorship opportunity to the appropriate rstright-of-refusal national sponsor. Those companies have up to 30 days to accept or decline the terms. If these rst-right-of-refusal sponsors agree to additionally support a speci c rodeo, no competing company may sponsor your rodeo or display its signs or wares anywhere in the arena or anywhere visible from or adjacent to the arena seats, or advertise in the rodeo s program. If these sponsors decline the opportunity, the rodeo committee may then offer the identical opportunity to companies that provide competing goods or services. However, those companies may not oppose or demean the PRCA or any of its national sponsors in any way. If any change is made to the terms of a sponsorship agreement, the rst-rightof-refusal sponsor gets an additional 30 days to decide whether to accept or decline the modi ed opportunity before the modi ed agreement may be offered to a competing business. The rst-right-of-refusal is a cleanslate agreement; you must offer the opportunity to the national sponsor rst each year before extending it to any competing business. Other official national sponsors The PRCA encourages rodeo committees to use the following national PRCA sponsors, all of whom have demonstrated their commitment to professional rodeo and support of its goals. American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) B&W Trailer Hitches Boot Barn Boyd Gaming Cactus Gear Cactus Saddlery Cactus Ropes Heel-o-Matic Carroll Companies Hesston by Massey Ferguson LVCVA MGM Grand Mirage Hotel and Casino Polaris RANGER Priefert Ranch Equipment South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa Weather Guard Other Effects of National Sponsorship If the PRCA develops contracts with new sponsors, it will inform committees in a timely manner and work with them to resolve any issues that may arise with committees competing sponsors. No committee may accept money or services from anyone for the purpose of denying brand exposure to PRCA national sponsors at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos. Exclusive Licensed Product Sales PRCA Properties has agreements with licensees for the creation of PRCAbranded merchandise. Big Farm Toys Commemorative Firearms Purple Cowboy (wine) A3 Merchandise Rodeo committees who want to sell licensed PRCA merchandise with the PRCA trademark standard or customized for their rodeos must use these licensees. Clothing and accessories A3 Merchandise is the exclusive PRCA licensee for clothing, accessories, patches, and novelty items such as water bottles and keychains. Rodeo committees can contact A3 Merchandise directly to purchase items for resale, or can contact PRCA Properties for information on how to bring the PRCA s ProRodeo Gear retailing trailer to their rodeo. Contact information: Jon Elliot A3 Merchandise jon@way-entertainment.com Belt buckles Any belt buckles awarded or sold by rodeo committees showing the PRCA logo must be produced by national sponsor Montana Silversmiths, exclusive licensee for belt buckles. Contact information: Callie Adams Montana Silversmiths cadams@montanasilversmiths.com copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 19

22 part 4 SPONSORSHIPS Other Licensed Products The PRCA also has licensees for wine and children s toys. Contact: Terry Wheatley Purple Cowboy twheatley@canopymanagement.net Big Country Farm Toys Greg Huett greg@bcfarmtoys.com Sponsorship Agreement This is the document you ll submit to Rodeo Approvals with your application to become a PRCA rodeo; it will be reviewed by PRCA Properties. If you have any questions about this agreement, please call Demographics Rodeo committees can use demographic information to show potential advertisers and sponsors what kinds of audiences they can reach by sponsoring your rodeo or advertising in your program. For example, potential sponsors might be surprised to learn that rodeo audiences are nearly equally divided between men and women, enjoy a multitude of outdoor activities, eat out often and are technology-savvy. The table below shows 2017 data; for current demographics, please call Sample demographics You can request up-to-date demographics from PRCA Properties at ; this is a partial sample from Financial institutions and mortgage companies might be interested to know that: 51 percent of PRCA rodeo attendees report a median household income of $50,000 or more 67 percent own their own homes; 56 percent attended college Local restaurants and taverns will be happy to hear that: 94 percent of PRCA rodeo attendees ate at a fast-food restaurant in the previous month 94 percent ate at a sit-down restaurant in the previous month 17 percent drank some type of liquor and 37 percent drank a beer in the last 30 days Vehicle retailers would like to know that PRCA rodeo attendees are: 11 percent own an ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) 44 percent own trucks Retailers will want to know that PRCA rodeo attendees are: 44 percent of men have purchased men s casual clothing in the last 12 months 33 percent are from Rural C & D counties 41 percent visited a casino in the last 12 months 43 percent have gone shing in the last 12 months 20 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

23 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 21

24 part 5 PROMOTING YOUR RODEO Dedicated, organized promotion is perhaps the most important work you can do to guarantee good results at the gate. The four distinct areas of promotion public relations, advertising, publicity and online (Internet) presence are all crucial elements of a successful rodeo. Your job is to make it easy for other people to talk about your rodeo in as many places as possible. This chapter describes the many steps necessary to achieve a successful promotional campaign: Appointing a Good Publicity Director Promotion versus the Press Dividing the Workload Public Relations Advertising Generating Publicity through the Media Getting on the Internet Special Promotions Promotional Checklist Promotional Budget Ensure that all of your outreach efforts include PRCA trademarks. See the Committee Resources chapter of this PRCA Committee Guide to learn more about using the trademarks. Appointing a Good Publicity Director Too often, rodeo committees treat the title of publicity director as a gurehead, appointing a volunteer who expects to react to opportunities that present themselves rather than seeking out more and better opportunities. A good publicity director is friendly, organized, hard-working, ready to start at least six months before your rodeo and has a go-getter personality that naturally reaches out to various community organizations and entities. Your publicity director may work directly with the press or appoint someone else to ll that role, both before the rodeo and to be the liaison between the media and the rodeo secretary during your rodeo. Experience with the media is very helpful, but not necessary as long as the publicity director and media contact are willing to learn how to do the job starting with reading this chapter of the PRCA Committee Guide! Promotion versus the Press It s important that everyone on your committee understand the difference between press and promotion. The Press Press includes news coverage in newspapers, magazines, radio, television and online from press releases and press conferences to sports stories and human-interest features. You have to put in some work to initiate press coverage, and once you get the ball rolling, the press controls the content. It s free, so you want as much press as possible understanding that your well-planned actions will in uence but not control the content. Read the Generating Publicity through the Media section of this chapter to learn more about this topic. Promotion Promotion, on the other hand, is generated by you you do most, if not all, of the work, you and/or sponsors pay any costs, and you control the content almost entirely. Promotion may include: Advertising (print, TV, radio, Internet) Presence on social networks like Facebook and Twitter Government publications and websites, especially tourismrelated Public relations from 22 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

25 personal contacts to community relations Press releases Posters Flyers Store window displays Personal appearances Billboards and large signs Banners Bumper stickers Special events such as golf tournaments, banquets, parades, roundups, cattle drives, trail rides, cowboy poetry gatherings, dances and concerts Rodeo queen contests Dividing the Workload Whether you hire outside help depends on your revenue stream. Large rodeos in cities with populations greater than 100,000 often contract with advertising agencies, PR rms or freelance publicists, all of whom can draw on their long-established relationships with media. Advertising agencies primarily produce ad copy, not news releases; PR rms primarily handle publicity rather than advertising; freelance publicists can help you with both, but may not have as many resources or contacts to activate on your behalf. Some large rodeos hire full-time publicity people who work year-round for the committee; they become rodeo experts who manage advertising and ow information to media. Previous media experience, strong organizational skills and excellent writing ability are all necessary qualities. Most small rodeos use volunteer publicity committees. An effective publicity committee will have one publicity chairman who is accustomed to leading a group, has experience working with media and advertising, and is willing to put in long hours doing hands-on work as well as leading the committee. The committee should include at least three other volunteers two who write well and can deal with media, and a third person who is detail-oriented and can make sure all deadlines are met and all areas are covered. Public Relations It s important to establish positive long-term relationships with as many entities in your community as you possibly can. Developing contacts Work with your committee to make contact with local businesses, starting with those that already support your rodeo, but also setting a goal to reach a certain number of new businesses each year businesses that haven t yet gotten involved with your rodeo. You might offer them two tickets to raf e or use internally as a performance reward those folks might buy additional tickets, and they might talk up the rodeo to other rst-timers. Just be sure you offer existing supporters at least as good a deal as you offer to new businesses! Promoting your rodeo to groups Develop several educational presentations that you can deliver at a moment s notice, anytime, anywhere, anyone asks you about the rodeo or any time you can strike up a conversation! You will need 30-second and two-minute versions for informal conversations, as well as ve-minute and 10-minute versions that you can use whenever someone gives you (or others on your committee) the chance to speak at a meeting. These presentations should always start and end with your thanks for the opportunity to speak to the group, and also can include information about: how exciting the events are, and how much good, clean fun a rodeo offers national rodeo audience demographics, such as that it s the seventh-most-attended professional sport in the U.S., and 63 percent of the audience has household income of more than $50,000 ( nd more demographic information in the Sponsorships chapter of this Committee Guide) impact on local businesses multiply the number of people who come to your rodeo (audience and contestants) by how much money each one spends, on average, in town as a result of attending the rodeo gasoline, hotels, restaurants/bars, entertainment, shopping, camping, feed and veterinary supplies, auto repair, convenience stores, medical treatment, equipment, lottery tickets. If you don t have this information, conduct a survey in the rodeo audience this year to use next year if you and three other people fan out and each talk with 25 people in the stands, you ll get a decent sample then multiply the amounts by your total attendance. Also survey contestants to see how much they spend locally, on average, and include that number with your total your rodeo s other contributions to the community gifts to charities, scholarships, volunteering for other events and organizations, hosting events, and so on your rodeo s standards for professional conduct, and its commitment to and investment in livestock welfare (be speci c) copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 23

26 part 5 PROMOTING YOUR RODEO your rodeo s history within the community (should be less than one-quarter of the presentation) rodeo s family values and the Western and Americana aspects of rodeo s heritage More presentation tips If you can, develop a PowerPoint presentation that includes lots of exciting rodeo action photos and beautiful livestock/pasture photos. Many teenagers have the knowledge to help you put this together! Consider bringing some freebies bumper stickers, patches, pins, pens, koozies to give away at these presentations. Every time someone sees the item they took home, they are reminded of your rodeo. If organizations offer you a longer slot in which to speak, consider showing them the PRCA Animal Welfare video. See the Livestock Welfare chapter of this Committee Guide for information on how to get this free video. Contact area organizations starting at least eight months before your rodeo, asking for the opportunity to speak to their group and letting them know you can speak for one to 10 minutes, as long as they want. Potential groups include the Chamber of Commerce, Grange, Rotary Club, business networking groups (which often place ads in local newspapers), and Lions, Elks, Eastern Star, Odd Fellows and other fraternal organizations. If you are shy about public speaking, nd the nearest Toastmasters group and ask for help! Meanwhile, give your 30-second spiel to everyone you meet friends, teachers, work colleagues, customers, vendors, cashiers, waiters and waitresses, and especially people who work with tourists, such as hotel desk clerks and cab drivers. Consider printing simple business cards on your home computer that you can use to break the ice and start these conversations, then leave with each of these people after your discussion. Whether they stick them on their fridges or throw them away, that s at least one more time they thought about the rodeo. If you deliver your instant version to just two people a day for six months, and each of them takes home a card, you ve promoted your rodeo more than 350 times. If each of the other three people on your committee does the same, that s more than 1,400 mini-promotions that didn t cost a dime! Be prepared for FAQs Part of preparing your presentation is being ready to answer frequently asked questions. For example, a common misconception that nonagricultural people have about rodeo is that ank straps are placed around the animals genitals, so be prepared to answer that question with credibility, sincerity and possibly humor but without making fun of people who don t know much about livestock. It s best to be familiar with PRCA rules regarding livestock welfare. Your committee will receive a copy of the current rule book when your rodeo approval is nalized. Answer any negative questions brie y and sincerely, then switch to a positive aspect of your rodeo before taking the next question. It s best to practice this technique rst ask someone to toss biased questions at you so that you can get the feeling of answering brie y and sincerely, then adding a positive note. Advertising Spend your advertising dollars wisely to ensure you get the result you want greater gate receipts! Outlets for advertising Television commercials Create a TV commercial. The PRCA makes two 20-second spots with great action rodeo available for you to use in commercials. One has professional voice talent and the other is silent so that you can use your own audio; both have time for your tag information including dates, times, location and ticket sale information. You can download these spots from ProRodeo.org. Try to secure a local TV station as a sponsor the terms of the sponsorship will likely include production costs and free air time for a commercial. Make sure you have the right to use your commercial at other stations. Contact all other local TV stations and ask if they will match your air-time ad purchases with public service announcements (see below). Radio commercials Radio commercials and radio station sponsorships work similarly to TV commercials. Many also offer free space on their websites to public events. Your rodeo announcer or the talent at your local stations may be willing to help you produce a radio commercial. You can download a 30-second clip of George Strait talking about rodeo that can be 24 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

27 used in your commercials. Contact PRCA Properties at Public service announcements Especially if your rodeo is a nonpro t, local TV and radio stations may be willing to run public service announcements free of charge. You ll get six free PSAs in your marketing kit from Properties that you can use; their topics include the PRCA, ProRodeo FanZone, ProRodeo.com, ProRodeo Sports News, ProRodeo Hall of Fame and more. The stations may even record a customized PSA speci cally about your rodeo free if you provide the information they need early enough. You submit the script usually 15 seconds long, so read it aloud to get the timing right. Be sure your script includes: Name of your rodeo Rodeo dates and times Ticket price What part of the community is bene tted by the rodeo Below the script, include your contact information (phone and ) and help for pronouncing any rodeo-speci c words, such as chute ( shoot ) and Tsinigine ( sin-uh-ginee ). You may be able to record your spot on your own computer if you have software to produce.mp3,.wav or.wmv les most prefer.mp3, but check with the radio station to nd out what types of les they can accept. Give the le a descriptive name such as Rodeo_2017_PSA. If you submit more than one, name them after what makes them different from each other: Rodeo_2017_PSA_15_secs and Rodeo_2017_PSA_30_secs or Rodeo_2017_PSA_crowd_noise and Rodeo_2017_PSA_bull_riding. Newspaper and magazine ads Try to recruit your local newspaper as a sponsor; they can help with printing posters and yers, as well as producing ads. Find out whether your local newspaper wants cameraready ads or whether it will help with layout of your ads. The best way to deliver camera-ready ads is to produce a PDF or JPG of the ad in several sizes. Most people who have graphic design software on their computer, such as InDesign or Quark, or any photo-editing software, can produce one of these le formats. To place ads in the ProRodeo Sports News, the of cial magazine of the PRCA which is read by tens of thousands of rodeo fans across the country and goes to every PRCA contestant member, contact Advertising at Large ads can include action photographs, but make sure your committee owns full rights to the photo or has written permission from the photographer to use the photo in ads. See the Photographers and Camera Operators section later in this chapter. Posters, yers and other printed promos Create your own posters for display in store windows, or start with the PRCA s posters and add your rodeo s information at the bottom. Contact PRCA Properties at to request posters. Create 8 ½ x 11 nonfolding yers and put them in clear plastic display units you purchase; businesses can display them on counters. Print smaller horizontal yers on card stock and ask local hotels to put them in all guest rooms starting the month before your rodeo. Ask local restaurants to put them at tables the week of your rodeo. Some local sponsoring businesses might be willing to tuck them into customers bags. And you can recruit local boosters and school groups to put them under car and truck windshield wipers at public events all month; check state laws and city/county ordinances rst. Billboards and large signs The bigger the better! And think location, location, location. Billboards are expensive, but you might be able to nd a billboard company that will sponsor your rodeo. Some members of your committee might have land that adjoins a highway or interstate, and allow you to put up a 4 by 6 or larger sign made of lumber and plywood; smaller signs are too hard to read at highway speeds. A local sign company might come on as a sponsor in order to display some of their signmaking capability at your rodeo. Banners and bumper stickers You can make bumper stickers for your own rodeo or order PRCA decals from PRCA Properties at The longer people see your bumper stickers, the more engrained their memory of your rodeo s identity. However, it s best to wait to put up banners until a month or so before your rodeo, so they don t get tuned out. To request PRCA banners, call PRCA Properties at copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 25

28 part 5 PROMOTING YOUR RODEO Generating Publicity through the Media Publicity is nothing more than placing your rodeo in front of the public. Good publicity creates goodwill for your rodeo and your committee, and that usually equates to good gate receipts. But of the four primary areas of promotion (public relations, advertising, publicity and online presence), publicity via the media is the hardest to produce effectively. Do not expect publicity to roll in just because you have announced your event. You want to keep the media aware of your rodeo and make it as easy as possible for them to cover it without making yourself a pest. Understanding the media mindset Paying attention to deadlines All media operate under deadlines. No amount of information is helpful to them if it isn t delivered when they need it. Therefore, let the media know when and how to get hold of you, and answer their requests as quickly as possible especially requests for contestant contact information for interviews. The PRCA Media Department ( or 4746) can help arrange those interviews. Focusing on relevance Your local media do not owe you free publicity, but it is important for you to seek publicity to go along with your paid advertising. News editors are happy to cover legitimate events in their communities it is up to you to convince them that your rodeo is of vital community interest. Reporters and news editors like facts, so start with these: The number of people who attended your rodeo last year The number of community members who volunteer at your rodeo Whether any local government of cials or local celebrities will be there Local talent circuit standouts (get from the ProRodeo Sports News) and regional contestants with interesting stories Whether any nationally ranked contestants will compete there How much impact your rodeo has on the local economy How long your rodeo has been part of your community What makes your rodeo unique and distinctive from other rodeos in the area such as that it s a PRCA rodeo with national branding, sponsors, standards and contestants. Of fering basic information Very few reporters are rodeo experts. Offer your local media as much information as you can, especially about events and livestock welfare the easier you make it for them to cover your rodeo, the more likely you are to get coverage. Each of your encounters and communications with local media from phone messages to press kits should include your rodeo s name and dates and your contact information. Knowing who does what Reporters cover news and events in their communities. They are not obligated to cover your rodeo, or to cover it the way you think it ought to be handled. However, you can in uence their coverage by making sure you touch base often, offer information, and provide timely story ideas. For example, a couple of months before the rodeo, you can pitch a story about the preparations your committee is making maybe a newspaper will send a photographer to shoot your arena preparations, or a TV station will interview your rodeo president in front of some equipment you ve updated this year. The Promotional Checklist at the end of this chapter has more ideas for story pitches. Advertising representatives are salesmen and saleswomen. If they sell you a service, you are entitled to put into that ad space any legitimate information you want. The most prominent aspects of your ads should show the what/when/where of your rodeo. Although a reporter and an ad salesperson may work for the same company, they provide different services. Nothing turns off a reporter more than holding advertising over his or her head. Work with both kinds of people you need them more than they need you. Reaching out to the media Whom to target A large rodeo in a small town will have to draw its audience from a larger area, which means advertising in more areas. It also means contacting multiple radio and TV stations as well as newspapers that serve communities near your own with your story pitches and to request PSAs, and recruiting more volunteers to put up posters and signs in a large geographic area. A smaller rodeo can focus on just a 26 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

29 few media outlets, which means lower advertising costs and less geographic area for pavement pounding but if the potential market is smaller, it s even more important to completely saturate it with news of your event! Setting up meetings Don t be shy about approaching multiple people at each media outlet. If you get started three to six months ahead of your rodeo, you can set up meetings with the general managers of your local radio and TV stations and the publisher, news editor and sports editor of your local newspaper(s). You might use these opportunities to ask for: Weekly two-minute TV and radio features covering preparations for the rodeo cleaning up the arena, installing or repairing the chutes, setting up the outdoor pens (a perfect chance to showcase the care you take of the livestock), and so on A commitment to cover your rodeo s results in the newspaper s sports section, with two feature stories each day you have a performance one on all the rodeo events and one focusing on a speci c contestant from your region who is expected to do well or has a unique story A six-day package in the local news section during the week leading up to the rodeo, perhaps a half page each day, on preparations, expectations, the contract personnel who will be entertaining the crowd, a rodeo primer (the PRCA Media Department can send text that newspapers can reprint), the rodeo s economic impact on the community, rodeo royalty, and so on Remember to mention some of what s in the Focusing on Relevance section above when you request these meetings, and all of those points during the actual meetings. If you are successful in selling one of these ideas, ask for a planning meeting as the rodeo draws closer one at which the reporter, cameraman or photographer, and editor or producer will be present, along with several people from your committee, to exchange ideas, select interview subjects and arrange photo opportunities. Media folks like freebies as much as anyone else. Your committee receives two media CDs to give to local media; you can request additional CDs as well as printed Media Guides to give away at these meetings by calling the Media Department at Phone calls The key to publicity-generating phone calls is to stay brief and focused, and to make them with gradually increasing frequency rather than in a urry. Six months before your rodeo, call to introduce yourself in your role as rodeo publicist, give your contact information and ask whether they would like to receive a ProRodeo Media Guide and rodeo event information. Call three weeks later to ensure they received the materials, and every two to four weeks after that with speci c story pitches. See the Promotional Checklist at the end of this chapter for story ideas. Also, follow each press release with a phone call to your most important media outlets to make sure that someone received it. Your press releases The purpose of a press release, from your perspective as a rodeo committee, is to get your story published free. The purpose of a press release, from the perspective of the media, is to get both free content that meets their quality and editorial standards and great story ideas they can pursue on their own. Therefore, the more closely your press releases re ect what the media wants and expects, the more likely they are to use your materials. You can measure your success at writing press releases by tracking the number of times someone in the media uses them either by printing material from them or by reading parts of your releases on the air, or by calling you for more information about the topics you promoted. Not every press release will generate responses, but if none of them show results, call the people you re sending them to and ask what they want to be informed about, so you can improve. Remember, they want free content, so they probably will be happy to give you advice! A good press release includes: A heading that shows your rodeo name and dates, your own name and contact information, the date you are sending it, and the words For Immediate Release (unless you want the story held back until a date you specify like this: Embargoed until July 30 ). A brief and speci c headline describing the most exciting part of the story, because reporters are not required to read any further you must grab their attention with headlines like Rodeo adds $50,000 to local business cash drawers and Five top regional cowboys to compete here. Start your rst paragraph with a dateline (city and state) and long dash, like this: PECOS, Texas or RED LODGE, Mont. The rst paragraph of your press release, called the lead, should be only one or two sentences long, and it must clearly state the who, what, copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 27

30 part 5 PROMOTING YOUR RODEO when and where of your topic. See examples on next page. Each press release should cover only one topic (tickets going on sale, country music act booked, top-10 cowboys scheduled to compete), and should be limited to 800 words about a full page single-spaced or two pages double-spaced. If they want more information than that, they ll be writing their own story which is even more successful for your purposes than if they print your press release, because they are investing time and effort in your rodeo. In all media, including TV and radio advertisements, please use the phrase Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in the rst reference and PRCA after the rst use. Also, please use Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in rst reference and Wrangler NFR subsequently, and ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy in rst reference and ProRodeo Hall of Fame subsequently. Use a spelling checker, and double-check the spelling of every name in your press release. A reporter who gets an incorrectly spelled name from your press release may never give you another chance. Names on your PROCOM contestant lists are spelled correctly; check ProRodeo.com s Cowboy Bios section or contact the PRCA Media Department ( ) for help with contestant name spellings before you get your list. Have at least two other people read your press release before you send it, to be sure it can be easily understood and doesn t leave questions hanging. If you are successful in getting your press release used in a newspaper, you are at the mercy of an editor who may have to decide at the last minute how much of it gets used. Editors cut from the bottom, so don t put anything important at the end. When you write your release, keep in mind that they might use three paragraphs, six paragraphs, or all but the last paragraph it simply depends on the size of the hole on the page they are dropping it into. If you are successful in getting your press release used by a TV or radio station, they may call you to set up a phone or personal interview with the subject of your press release. Therefore, most of your press releases should quote someone saying something, whether it s your rodeo president talking about economic impact, your livestock superintendent talking about safeguarding the animals, or a committee member talking about which contestants are coming or the special events and promotions that are coming up. PRCA press releases Call PRCA Media PR at to ask that your local media outlets be added to our weekly press release list simply provide us with addresses. They will then receive weekly press releases that include rodeo coverage (so they learn how to write about rodeo), news and notes of general interest, and standings all year long, so it remains on their horizon. Food and free tickets Members of the media are underappreciated and often underfed. If you want to make friends, personally deliver a bag of bagels, doughnuts or cookies with two free rodeo tickets to each media outlet you are targeting. Nothing else is as effective for connecting to local media. Helping the press cover your rodeo So your media outreach has been successful, and several newspaper, TV and radio people are coming to your rodeo. Now what? Media inquiries When the media calls, respond quickly. They are almost always on deadline; if you don t return calls, you won t get coverage. If the reporter wants contestant photos, give him or her one of the media CDs your committee received, which contains: Mug shots of the top 30 cowboys in each PRCA event Reigning world champion bios, headshots and action photos that local media can use with the following credit: PRCA ProRodeo photo Miss Rodeo America bio and photo PRCA logos and trademarks If the media wants action shots you don t have, ask them to contact the PRCA Photo Coordinator at If they want to interview contestants, have them call the PRCA Media Department at or We cannot give out contestant phone numbers, but we will promptly attempt to contact the speci ed contestant(s) and ask them to call or the reporter. 28 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

31 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 29

32 part 5 PROMOTING YOUR RODEO If they want to interview contract personnel, such as bull ghters and specialty acts, or if they want to buy high-quality photographs from PRCA photographers, they can get contact information by hovering over the word MEMBERSHIP on the ProRodeo.com menu and clicking Contract Personnel Directory. Your committee also received a printed Contract Personnel Directory with this information. The Media Guide (both printed and online) contains short bios of clowns, barrelmen, bull ghters, announcers, specialty acts and stock contractors. media outlets you recognize: daily or weekly newspapers, news services, publications that regularly cover rodeo and Western events, local radio and TV stations and their national af liates and recognized Internet reporters. If you re not sure whether an applicant is from a recognized media outlet, contact the PRCA Media Department for assistance at All non-prca photographers must sign a license agreement prior to receiving credentials. Keep track of all credential applications and passes issued. Work with members of the media who miss your deadline for credentials most will have identi cation cards from their employers so you can easily verify their legitimate interest in covering your rodeo. Being prepared to issue credentials on the spot even at the front gate can avoid damage to hard-won public relations. Print credential badges or lanyard tags so that rodeo volunteers can identify the bearers and assist them with whatever they need be sure this is covered in a volunteer meeting. It s best to colorcode them based on areas where the bearers need to go. For example, you might use red for reporters (who Press credentials All major professional sports issue press credentials to identify working reporters, photographers and camera operators, and your rodeo should be no different it can be helpful to easily identify which people are accepted professionals and which are not. Follow these steps for credentialing: About ve weeks before your rodeo, let all your media contacts know that they will need to apply for press credentials to receive passes and access to contestants. You might create a form similar to the PRCA s NFR press credential application, at right. It should be due to you at least two weeks before the rodeo begins. Call each media outlet to verify that each applicant for a press credential is on assignment (that s the key phrase) to cover your rodeo. Issue credentials only to representatives of 30 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

33 need access to interview contestants), blue for pit photographers, and green for PRCA member photographers to whom you have granted arena access (see below). Photographers and camera operators Your credential form for photographers and camera operators should require the photographer to initial a clause stating that images taken at your rodeo will be used only for the speci c story and the speci c publication for which they were granted a credential. For questions regarding photography at rodeos, contact the PRCA s Photo Coordinator at Your form should clearly state the legal basis for images shot at your rodeo: The PRCA retains all rights in and to the lming, taping, recording in any media now or hereafter known, still footage/photography, radio or television broadcasting or reproduction in any manner of form thereof of any PRCA-sanctioned event. The only exception is coverage for local, regularly scheduled newscasts. Any nonlocal news outlets must rst get approval from the national PRCA of ce before they can shoot footage at any PRCA-sanctioned rodeo. For more information, contact Properties at See further rules in the General Information chapter of the PRCA Media Guide, and ask all credentialed photographers and camera operators to read the section headed Media Guidelines. Freelance photographers and videographers must be approved in advance by PRCA Properties ( ), and should be credentialed only with proof of assignment for a speci c media outlet and only after signing an agreement that limits usage of the images to the speci ed assignment. Only PRCA card-holding photographers are licensed to sell photos taken at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos. No other photographers may provide their photos or use them for any purpose other than the speci c purpose for which they were assigned and credentialed. See the Approvals chapter of this Committee Guide for more information on photographers. Because their equipment is cumbersome and can pose a safety risk, each TV crew should be accompanied constantly by a committee member. PRCA photographers vs. nonmember photographers Only card-holding PRCA member photographers are allowed to be in the arena to photograph. The only exception to this policy is a post-rodeo ceremony shot, if applicable. The PRCA Photo Coordinator reviews applications from photographers wishing to become PRCA photographers; they may contact the PRCA s Photo Coordinator at Card-holding PRCA photographers are granted arena access whenever possible, as they have the skills and equipment to put your rodeo in a good light. However, you may want to limit the number of in-arena photographers, depending on the size of your arena. All photographers except those you speci cally permit inside the arena must shoot from outside the arena fence, at the discretion of the rodeo committee. The PRCA recommends a supervised area where photographters have good sight lines and will not be bumped by audience members or interfere with audience sight lines; some photographers call this the pit. Legitimate and credentialed media photographers should not be restricted to the pit. They can shoot from behind the bucking or timedevent chutes only if that s approved by the rodeo committee and the PRCA s Photo Coordinator. Lighting your arena If you have indoor or night performances, you might want to check out ProRodeo.com s Photographers section for some helpful information on how to mount your lights. In many arenas, the problem is not the quantity of light but how that light is placed, and the PRCA website shows how crosslighting can enhance the experience for the audience as well as improve the photographs that can be used to promote your rodeo. Contact the PRCA s Photo Coordinator at Media access Any media representative reporters, writers, photographers, videographers, other radio and TV personnel may need access to contestants behind the bucking chutes or dressing room, before or after the rodeo. Make every effort to accommodate them and connect them to the people they want to interview, while supervising them to be sure they don t interfere with competition, with contestants preparing to compete soon, or with the work of committee members, volunteers or other working members of the media. Seat newspaper reporters and other writers in an area with good sight lines to arena action. Above the bucking chutes or near the announcer s stand is often ideal. Press room Most media at local rodeos will work on their stories after the rodeo and away from the arena, but if you possibly can, provide a press room with phone access or good cell phone reception and a supply of reference materials such as PRCA Media Guides, your daysheets, injury reports and so on. Access should be limited to credentialed members of the media. Water, coffee, and snacks are always appreciated. copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 31

34 part 5 PROMOTING YOUR RODEO Ideally, your press room will have excellent WiFi or other Internet access wireless or hard-wired. If not, post on the wall the location of the nearest sources of WiFi possibly the nearest public library, McDonald s, Starbucks or truck stop because media generally work on tight deadlines. More information For additional media guidelines, refer to the appropriate section of the PRCA Media Guide. After your rodeo What the media wants after your rodeo is results ideally, instantly. Well before your rodeo begins, assign one person to sit near the secretary throughout the rodeo and type up all scores, times and places as the rodeo is going on; print multiple copies as soon as the rodeo is over, and pass them out or them to all credentialed members of the media as quickly as possible, ideally within a half-hour to an hour as well as to the PRCA Media Department (fax to or to jbainbridge@ ProRodeo.com). These results should always be headlined as Unof cial Rodeo Results and should include your rodeo name and date (month, day and year). Results do not become of cial until they are audited at the PRCA. Reporters will appreciate it even more if your results are in AP format, as in the example below, although this is not necessary providing correct information quickly is more important than how you format it. Getting On the Internet How to use ProRodeo.com The PRCA maintains a full-service website that includes information you can use to help promote your rodeo: World, circuit, series and Xtreme Bulls standings, so you can include current information about which of your contestants are on hot streaks in your press releases and story pitches to local media Cowboy bios help your local media nd them to prep for contestant interviews Contract personnel bios for your entertainers in the Press Room page under 2016 Media Guide Livestock welfare information Advertising opportunities committees can purchase banner ads on ProRodeo.com (colorful, rectangular ads which pop up on the home page); these have produced a lot of click-throughs to individual PRCA rodeos websites. To place an ad on ProRodeo.com, contact PRCA Advertising at Creating your own website Even if it s just a single home page with basic rodeo information, you should have a website for your rodeo. Include its URL (eg., com) with your Approvals forms (double-checking to be sure your site name is spelled correctly) so that it will be posted on ProRodeo.com s rodeo schedule page. You don t have to be a techie to create your own website any more. Once you have all your information gathered, 32 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

35 contact the PRCA Webmaster for tips by calling Your home page should include: Your rodeo s dates, location, schedule, ticket prices and how to buy them A contact and phone number A link to ProRodeo.com (and let our webmaster, , know about it, so we can link back to you) Logos your rodeo s logo, the PRCA logo (see the Resources chapter for how to get it) and your sponsor logos If you have time to build a more elaborate site, add pages for: Contestant information like stalls, sponsoring hotels, parking, camping and maps Your contestant list A photo gallery with shots of last year s rodeo (with credits to the photographers) Photos of your specialty acts/ clowns/barrelmen and links to their websites After your website is built, put it on your ads and all promotional materials. Also, tell your local fairs, state and county tourism agencies about your website and ask them to link to it. Local newspaper and TV stations might put your link on their sites, especially if you buy ads on their websites. Facebook You can become a fan, or friend, of ProRodeo.com s Facebook page and make postings to it mentioning your rodeo which will be visible to everyone who checks our wall. Our Facebook page has, as of winter 2016, almost 500,000 friends. You must have a personal Facebook account to become our friend, although you do not necessarily need your own Facebook page for your rodeo to be our friend. You can set up a free Facebook account quite easily; it takes less than 15 minutes. To get a real Facebook presence for your own rodeo, however, you will need a Facebook page for your rodeo, with a wall on which you display your information. (Almost any teenager can help you set up a page.) Be sure your key words include your town, the words rodeo and pro rodeo, the name of your rodeo, PRCA, and all the event names, so that other Facebook users with those key words can nd you easily. You will want to monitor your Facebook page daily, so that you can answer any questions people have posted and delete any inappropriate postings such as profanity and rambling or off-topic posts. What to put on your Facebook page: Dates, times and location of your rodeo Promotions and special events Contact information Link to your website All of your press releases, so media can go back through them One great use of your Facebook page is to advertise last-minute promotions perhaps a free ice cream cone at a local shop for showing your rodeo ticket, or $1 off a rodeo ticket for showing your ice cream receipt. People tend to check Facebook for these kinds of last-minute deals. You can connect your Facebook pages to all of our Facebook pages to improve your cross-traf c, as the PRCA maintains separate Facebook pages for ProRodeo.com, livestock welfare, youth rodeo, the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Twitter If you want to send frequent, short communications to your fans, you can set up a Twitter account. Then you can send text (and photo) posts, called tweets, to everyone who has sought you out and become a follower of your rodeo. Mass posts A free Web service called Ping will allow you to post to both Facebook and Twitter simultaneously as well as Blogspot, Myspace, WordPress and many more. and text blasts If you have some way to collect your audience s addresses and/ or cell phone numbers, you can use programs such as Constant Contact to set up blasts (promotional s that can go to thousands of recipients at once) or send text messages to your cell phone contact list. This tactic is best used for concert announcements, the ticket sale opening date, and other quick hits. Special Promotions Rodeo committees have come up with all kinds of special promotions to kick off their rodeos and generate interest and ticket sales! Some popular, traditional tie-ins include celebrity golf or bass shing tournaments involving both cowboys and local celebrities, parades, trail rides, kickoff banquets or chuckwagon dinners, queen contests and post-rodeo concerts. Other committees have gotten creative: inviting an entire town to a apjack breakfast, setting up a cow pie jog or a bike, motorcycle or skateboard rodeo; organizing cowboys (in boots) versus committeemen (in cleats) for a baseball game; hosting a Western artists reception and silent auction for original art used in your posters and trophies; scheduling a groundbreaking ceremony in which local of cials toss or turn over the rst shovelfuls of dirt in the arena; hosting ice cream sundae socials; even setting up a contest among local businesses for the best rodeo-oriented display windows. copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 33

36 part 5 PROMOTING YOUR RODEO Special event ABCs Time your promotion to boost ticket sales. Effective promotions connect to community interests does your community have a lot of golfers, riders or anglers? Promotions should generate enough good publicity that local businesses who did not participate this year will want to do so next year. Rodeo is deeply rooted in family values. Keep your promotions in good taste and with an eye toward livestock welfare issues. Tie-in promotions Mutually bene cial promotions sales, giveaways or trades promote both local businesses and your rodeo. Some options include: $1 off rodeo tickets with a receipt from a local business, and $1 off purchase at that business by turning in a rodeo ticket stub Single unreserved-seating ticket given to local businesses who display your posters prominently (each person who gets one will likely bring at least one more person) Natural tie-ins include: Western apparel shops Feed stores Tack shops Sporting goods stores Auto dealers Farm/ranch equipment sales Farm/ranch suppliers Restaurants and fast food outlets Civic and municipal organizations National PRCA sponsors provide free materials and encourage their local dealers to tie into your rodeo see the Sponsorships chapter of this Committee Guide for more information about getting national sponsors involved in your local rodeo. In the Resources chapter of this Committee Guide, read about how to incorporate local ads and content into the PRCA s full-color ProRodeo Program including exchanging promotions with other local entertainment entities that encourage your fans to attend their events as well as their fans to attend your event. Promotional Checklist The following list is not comprehensive read this entire chapter, as you may nd more options elsewhere that you want to add to your checklist. Keep track of rodeo year-round Read the ProRodeo Sports News to keep current on what s happening in ProRodeo, so that you know what stories are best to pitch to your local media which contestants are on streaks or poised for comebacks, which contestants are recovering from injuries but cowboying up to compete at your rodeo anyway, which of your contract personnel have won awards in the last year or two. Your committee gets one free subscription. Pitch your rodeo to all regional and state tourism organizations and travel publications include your website address and plenty of action photos! Gather contact information for each media outlet in your region: phone numbers and addresses. Include a sports editor, news editor and features editor from each newspaper and magazine; the sports producer and features producer from each area TV station; and the promotions director at each local radio station. Prepare your publicity budget. Organize your publicity staff/ volunteers. Reach out to allied organizations such as queen/ royalty contestant directors, 4-H and FFA, charities that bene t from your rodeo and so on having breakfast together a couple of times during the off season is a great way to generate ideas. Find local, regional and state calendars on travel and tourism websites there will be dozens in most areas and get your rodeo listed on them. Many tourists plan trips using these sites. Be sure you completely understand PRCA rules about photo and video usage; read this chapter and the Media Guidelines in the General Information section of the PRCA Media Guide. 120 days before your rodeo Prepare a detailed schedule for your promotion and publicity efforts. Review this chapter to be sure that everything you want to include is in your schedule. Download your free 20-second TV commercials (with and without voice-over) from ProRodeo.org. Contact local and national sponsors to request 34 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

37 promotional assistance. Suggest a special rodeo section to your local newspaper and offer assistance with it. See the Setting Up Meetings section above. Finalize special promotions such as queen contests, raf es or silent auctions, merchant giveaways or golf tournaments. Design posters and any other custom artwork needed for your promotional plan. Design or update your website, Facebook page, and any other Internet-based presence you intend to maintain. Approach a local community college to nd an intern who can help you with some aspects of publicity many journalism, public relations and graphic/web design students would welcome the opportunity. It s best to assign one item at a time and with a short deadline. 90 days before your rodeo Contact all of the reporters and producers on your list, offering some preliminary story ideas (possibly featuring less timely topics, like the economic impact and the history of your rodeo). Ask each one about their deadlines, how they would prefer to get story pitches from you, and what kinds of stories they might be interested in as your rodeo gets closer. Print promotional posters and yers. Contact local merchants to discuss advertising tie-ins and window displays. Contact the ProRodeo Sports News Advertising Department at to place your rodeo s ad in the magazine. Coordinate with your program director, who will be gathering ads and content for your rodeo program. If you are not using the PRCA s ProRodeo Program (see Resources chapter of this Committee Guide), consider covering some of the same topics it does, including a kids page, livestock welfare, photos of great performances in each event (so rst-timers know what to look for), a rodeo ABCs page for rsttime visitors, and historical information about rodeo. Contact local organizations and ask for the opportunity to speak to their members at meetings. Ask your contract personnel if they will be available for appearances such as hospital visits. Send someone along to take photos. Update your website, Facebook page, and any other Internet-based media you created. 75 days before your rodeo Mail out a rodeo press kit introducing your rodeo to the media. Include its dates, location, ticket information, schedule of events, and its history in the local community. Also include credentialing information (see Press Credentials, above). Decide which committee members will speak to the media on which aspects of rodeo, so that you know whom to suggest for interviews on speci c topics: parade or other related events, contestant and event information, economic impact, livestock welfare, and so on. Encourage each person to develop three or four simple, quotable talking points they will bring up in every interview. Approach TV and radio stations about broadcasting live segments from your rodeo. Read the Media Guidelines in the PRCA Media Guide rst, to familiarize yourself with what you can offer to stations. Clear all TV broadcasting other than news coverage through the PRCA Properties Department at If you plan to use the PRCA s ProRodeo Programs (see Resources chapter), call to specify your cover imprint and order your programs ready to sell or ready to be added to your local content and ads by your own printer. Start compiling a list of general (nontimely) story ideas about your rodeo that you can share with local reporters who express interest top current contestants from your region, any Hall of Famers who can tell great stories and add a unique perspective, or an event that typically attracts strong response in your area. Also let local media know your own deadlines, such as when you will have a contestant roster available for them. Update your website, Facebook page, and any other Internet-based media you created. 60 days before your rodeo Verify that each media organization received your press kit. At this stage, touching base several times is very important to staying in the media s sense of what s happening locally. copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 35

38 part 5 PROMOTING YOUR RODEO Work closely with your local newspaper to produce that special rodeo section. Remember to get help from PRCA Media with photos; call Start your personal appearances at local organizations meetings. Accelerate your website, Facebook page, and other Internet-based media updates to biweekly. 45 days before your rodeo Verify that your publicity coordinator received your rodeo committee s publicity kit from PRCA Media, with media CDs. Deliver as many of these in person as you can. If your media kit hasn t arrived, call Request from PRCA Media ( ) any additional materials you might need, including extra Media Guides for press conferences or delivery to local media outlets. Announce to the press and other media your contract personnel, including announcers, bull ghters, barrelmen, clowns, specialty acts and stock contractor(s). Include photos of each one action photos in the case of bull ghters and specialty acts to try to generate early stories. Invite media to apply for press credentials at your rodeo. Write PSA scripts; contact local radio and TV stations to ask them to air your PSAs. Start changing your Web content each week. 30 days before your rodeo Begin your local advertising. Order press credentials for reporters, photographers and videographers and process their applications. Order telephones, copy machines if needed, and of ce supplies for the press room at your arena. 21 days before your rodeo Continue to pitch stories to the media about your rodeo, perhaps by sending out a press release or making phone calls with two or three new story ideas each week. Accelerate your website, Facebook page, and other Internet-based media updates to weekly. 14 days before your rodeo Begin radio and TV appearances. Get your contestant list from PROCOM, check it against the standings in the PRCA s weekly press release, and release to local media your own list of which top-ranked contestants and local or circuit standouts are scheduled to appear at your rodeo and when they are scheduled to compete; offer to arrange interviews with those cowboys a few days before your rodeo. (The PRCA s Media Department can help with this.) Distribute press credentials to approved reporters, photographers and videographers personal delivery with a bag of donut holes makes a real impression. Seven days before your rodeo Contact all the reporters on your list to see whether they need any help, and what photos they might want from you (including head shots from PRCA Media). We update PRCA standings every Monday afternoon, so Tuesday is the best day to get current standings and send them to each local media outlet with your story pitches about contestants who are coming to your rodeo. Finalize arrangements for rodeo coverage by wire services, newspapers and TV stations. Keep a list of deadlines you need to meet for each outlet. Provide your of cial PRCA photographer with a shot list of everything you want photographed prerodeo events, behind the chutes, arena-only action and/ or celebration shots, head shots of winners, contract personnel, community involvement, dignitaries in the stands, presentations whatever is important to you. Start providing daily press releases with the status of preparations for the opening of the rodeo what s happening in the committee, arena/grounds, and supporting local businesses. Send a press release about the roles your sponsors play in helping produce your rodeo; send it to local media and copy your sponsors on it. Appoint the person who will act as a liaison between the rodeo secretary and the media during and after your rodeo. 36 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

39 Promotional Budget Use the following list to help you get started, and to track actual expenditures to use for planning next year. ITEM AMOUNT AMOUNT BUDGETED SPENT 1. Paid advertising 2. Fees or salaries 3. Photographs 4. ProRodeo Programs 5. Supplies 6. Copying 7. Printing 8. Delivery service 9. Postage 10. Entertainment ITEM AMOUNT AMOUNT BUDGETED SPENT 11. Press credentials 12. Press facilities, food 13. Travel 14. Web design/ services 15. Ticket promotions 16. Signs 17. Banners 18. Promo giveaways 19. Fees or salaries Three days after your rodeo ends Send two nal press releases: one summing up charitable donations and community givebacks from your rodeo, including quotes from the recipients; and one about the rodeo s attendance, success and projected economic impact, ideally with a quote from someone in the Chamber of Commerce or similar business organization. While events are still fresh in your mind, review your publicity and promotion plans to ensure improvements for next year. During your rodeo At the beginning of the rodeo, introduce your media liaison to the rodeo secretary and explain how you want them to work together to provide results quickly to media, so that you are not adding to the secretary s workload. As soon as possible ideally within a half hour of the end of the rodeo provide your rodeo s daily unof cial results to all reporters at the rodeo as well as all your media contacts and the PRCA Media Department (fax ). Deputize one of your volunteers to keep up as each event concludes. At the end of each performance, send a press release to each media outlet with a summary of the day s events, a results list of winners including their times and scores, and a couple of highlights the biggest surprises of the day, such as an arena or attendance record, standout performance, display of cowboy grit, or fun anecdote. Photos help sell the story, but remember to stay within PRCA guidelines about photo usage! The day after your nal rodeo performance Send nal results (scores and times) and money earned by the winners in each event to each media outlet those who attended your rodeo and those who did not. Send another press release to each media outlet, vividly describing the most signi cant performances of the rodeo. Be readily available (with results in hand) if reporters call for information or clari cation. Send the PRCA Media Department any key information, such as attendance or arena records, charity donations, etc. copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 37

40 part 6 LIVESTOCK WELFARE PRCA rodeo committees should provide safe accommodations for all rodeo livestock and should be prepared to handle all livestock welfare matters and animal rights issues promptly, professionally, honestly and compassionately. This chapter offers help for: First Steps Preparing your Grounds and Personnel Preparing for Injuries and Emergencies Preparing for Security and Public Relations Issues Animal Rights and Livestock Welfare Livestock Welfare Resources Free to You After your Rodeo First Steps There are a number of steps you can include early in your rodeo planning in many cases, months before your rodeo begins that may make events easier to manage later: Appoint a spokesperson to handle all livestock inquiries, including those from television stations. As soon as he or she is appointed, this person should contact the PRCA s Livestock Welfare department at or jpugsley@prorodeo.com to request free materials that will be helpful, including the publication PRCA Rodeo Committee Guide to Livestock Welfare, which includes everything in this Committee Guide chapter and much more. Fill out your PRCA Livestock Welfare Approval Form and return to the PRCA with your application. Set up a contract with a veterinarian to ensure that you are in compliance with PRCA rules requiring a veterinarian to be on site during all competitions, including slack. Give your veterinarian s name and contact information to your stock contractor. Ensure you are aware of any local or state laws governing rodeo. There is a list in the PRCA Rodeo Committee Guide to Livestock Welfare, but it is always a good idea to do your own research for your location. California rodeo committees should pay particularly close attention to state law governing rodeos there. PRCA Rule requires committees to have a conveyance a sled or an animal ambulance to transport injured rodeo livestock from the arena. If you do not have an animal ambulance or sled conveyance in accordance with this rule, check with your stock contractor, who may be able to supply it. Speci c information about conveyances is available in the PRCA Committee Guide to Livestock Welfare. Create a written procedure for dealing with livestock injuries at your rodeo that takes into account PRCA rules and your arena facilities. Your procedure should state which persons are authorized to decide whether an animal will be transported out of the arena, what kind of conveyance will be used, where they will be transported for care, and how and by whom information about the injury will be released to the public and media afterward. Create a written procedure for dealing with any animals that may escape from the rodeo grounds. Involve local law enforcement in this plan. Make sure local law enforcement has a way to contact your committee and/or stock contractor 24 hours a day in case of an escape. With local law enforcement, create a written procedure for dealing with any animal rights protestors who may demonstrate at your rodeo and be sure your front gate and parking lot staff and volunteers are familiar with the procedure. Know your local, state and federal laws about protests. Law enforcement should handle protestors; limit your own interaction with them as much as possible, but be sure you re ready to discuss the matter with media. Stay in touch with your stock contractor regarding arrival time, feed delivery and payment, and how many people your committee will need to supply for unloading. 38 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

41 Preparing Grounds and Personnel There are a number of simple steps you can take to smooth the way. If your holding pens and chutes are permanent installations, arrange for inspection three months ahead of time, and ask your veterinarian to join in the inspection if possible. Look for anything that could be hazardous to animals or contestants broken panels, rotted wood, paint condition, sharp edges. Keep a written copy of the inspection report and notes on the actions taken, to document your work in providing for livestock welfare. Be sure that everyone your committee provides to assist the stock contractor with livestock handling is experienced and trained, and that they have agreed to abide by all PRCA rules for livestock handling. This includes those who sort stock, untie calves in the arena, assist with any injured animals, and care for stock outside the arena. Be sure your rodeo veterinarian has parking passes and a designated parking place near the arena, as well as tickets and a designated area from which to view the rodeo, so he or she can watch all participating animals and be found easily if cell phone or walkie-talkie communication fails. Post the name and phone number of your rodeo veterinarian in prominent places around your rodeo grounds so that contestants and livestock handlers will have access to this information 24 hours a day, even when rodeo committee members may not be on the grounds. Preparing for Injuries and Emergencies Be sure you have a conveyance available by a gate, with keys, during the entire rodeo and any other events involving animals, as well as personnel designated to take the conveyance into the arena as soon as the person designated to call for it does so. Check the conveyance daily to be sure it is functioning properly. Be sure your vet brings all medications and equipment to the premises so that he or she can get to it quickly. The PRCA s Guide to Veterinary Service at PRCA Rodeos lists suggested items. Have everyone involved in livestock care at your rodeo practice getting the conveyance into the arena and out of the arena per PRCA rules, and ensure they are familiar with your written procedure for dealing with injured animals. Have a designated pen out of the main traf c area with clean bedding where you can take any injured animal for treatment by the veterinarian. Designate a nearby facility, such as a stable, ranch or veterinary clinic, which will accept an injured animal which needs further care but not hospitalization. Decide ahead of time how the announcer will address the crowd if an animal is injured (neither overdramatizing the incident or downplaying it). Also designate who is authorized to take follow-up information from the veterinarian to the announcer so the audience does not leave wondering, and who will release information to the media and handle their questions. Be sure everyone on your committee understands that no one else is authorized to talk to the media about animal injuries. Decide who on your committee will act as a liaison to the stock contractor if anyone involved in your rodeo has a concern about an animal or animal treatment. Request a free copy of A Guide to Veterinary Service at PRCA Rodeos from the PRCA s Industry Outreach department: or jpugsley@ ProRodeo.com. Preparing for Security and Public Relations Issues Arrange for 24-hour security on your rodeo grounds to ensure that any attempt to release or harm livestock will be unsuccessful, and to make sure there are no unsupervised visitors (for their own safety). Prewrite a statement about the steps your rodeo is taking to provide a safe environment for livestock and the care taken, so that if the media inquires, you are ready. An example appears below. Prewrite statements about livestock injuries that will t on your rodeo letterhead with blanks that you can ll in quickly with speci cs about any injury, so that if the media inquires, you are ready. As you nish the statement after an injury, be truthful, brief and compassionate. (The PRCA Rodeo Committee Guide to Livestock Welfare includes examples.) copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 39

42 part 6 LIVESTOCK welfare Animal Rights and Livestock Welfare All members of your committee should understand the difference in perspectives between animal rights activists and livestock welfare proponents: STATEMENT ON LIVESTOCK WELFARE (NAME OF YOUR COMMITTEE LIVESTOCK WELFARE COORDINATOR) (PHONE NUMBER) (TODAY S DATE) Animal rights is the philosophy that animals have rights identical or similar to those of humans. The strictest animal rights proponents believe that humans should not use animals in any way including recreation, sport, industry or entertainment. Animal welfare, as de ned by the American Veterinary Medical Association, is a human responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal wellbeing, including proper housing, management, disease prevention and treatment, responsible care, humane handling, and, when necessary, humane euthanasia. Rodeo committees have used a number of approaches to deal with livestock welfare questions, from offering behind-the-scenes tours to give the public a glimpse of the effort committees and stock contractors put into caring for rodeo livestock to We at the Rodeo care a great deal about the health, safety and security of the livestock who participate in our sport. We meet or exceed the standards set by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the top rodeo sanctioning organization in the world. Speci cally: We set up our pens with the safety and security of both livestock and humans in mind. We have hired a stock contractor whom we believe takes proper care of their investment and will bring only sound, healthy animals. A trained judge from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association will inspect the stock before each rodeo performance to ensure they are t to participate. We have a veterinarian who will be on site during each performance to continue to address any needs of the livestock. We have trained our livestock personnel to handle livestock according to the rules and standards of the PRCA. We have a conveyance available to transport any injured livestock out of the arena humanely. feeding stories to local media about some of the individual animals coming to the rodeo your stock contractor can help you with these animal pro les. Livestock Welfare Resources Free to You For education You can request a free PRCA video on livestock welfare through the PRCA s Industry Outreach department at or jpugsley@ ProRodeo.com. Its 20 minutes of footage includes interviews with veterinarians, stock contractors and PRCA staff about the PRCA s commitment to livestock welfare. You can also request livestock welfare brochures and/ or pamphlets to pass out to members of the public and media who may have questions about rodeo livestock or you can download PDFs of these items from ProRodeo.com and print them yourself. For committee and veterinarian use You can request free copies of the PRCA Rodeo Committee Guide to Livestock Welfare and the Guide to Veterinary Service at PRCA Rodeos from the PRCA s Livestock Program at or jpugsley@prorodeo. com. The PRCA Committee Guide to Livestock Welfare is intended for use by all PRCA rodeo committees and covers the following topics: Animal Rights and Animal Welfare 40 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

43 Rodeo Committee Checklists Sample Injury Procedure Sample Livestock Welfare Statement Conveyances Guidelines for Prod Use Dealing with Activists Supporting Sponsors Working with Rodeo Judges Working with Your Veterinarian Veterinarian Checklist Being Proactive PRCA Animal Welfare Resources PRCA Animal Welfare Fact Sheet 2009, 2008, 2006 and 2004 Survey Results PRCA Rules Animal Welfare Talking Points Laws Pertaining to Rodeo The Guide to Veterinary Service at PRCA Rodeos was produced by the PRCA, the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, and is intended for use by both rodeo veterinarians and committees. It covers the following topics: The Veterinarian s Role at PRCA Rodeos Planning for the Rodeo Suggested Equipment and Medications During the Rodeo Suggested Guidelines for Handling Any Acutely Injured Animals Equine Ambulance or Removal System Euthanasia Insurance Periodically, the PRCA conducts a Livestock Welfare Survey. If you receive this survey, please work with your veterinarian to complete this survey and return it to the PRCA s Livestock Welfare department whether or not any livestock was injured. It can be faxed to , ed to jpugsley@prorodeo. com, or sent to Livestock Welfare, PRCA, 101 ProRodeo Drive, Colorado Springs, CO The information is invaluable in allowing the PRCA to continually assess our livestock welfare program. It also provides documented information from veterinarians to share with legislators, media and the public on the very low rate of injury and the high-quality care afforded livestock at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos. After your Rodeo After the last performance of your rodeo, ensure that your rodeo veterinarian has connected with the rodeo judges to sign the PRCA Of cials Livestock Report. copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 41

44 notes 42 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association

45 notes copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association 43

46 PSN is the premier rodeo magazine that brings you the best rodeo coverage and photos all season long The ProRodeo Sports News is the of cial magazine of the PRCA. Featuring: Timely rodeo coverage Exciting photography In-depth features Updated standings Results from every PRCA rodeo ProRodeo Sports News For subscriptions, call or log on to prorodeo.com. 44 copyright 2017 by the professional rodeo cowboys association