In an effort to create more opportunities for all women rodeo athletes, the WCRA has launched a tiering system based on earnings and rankings in the respective disciplines at this first-ever Women’s Rodeo World Championship (WRWC). This tiering system will level the playing field by dividing the pro and challenger athletes into their respective pools in the WRWC qualifying rounds and give each group a direct path to compete at center stage.
What is a WCRA Challenger?
If you are a rodeo athlete who has won less than the totals listed in the section below, you are considered a WCRA challenger and will be eligible compete in the challenger pools at the Women’s Rodeo World Championship.
Who Can Compete in The Challenger Pool?
Athletes classified as a challenger are eligible to compete in the WCRA challenger pool. These athletes are also eligible to compete in both the open and the challenger pools. Pros are only eligible to compete in the open pools.
Why Compete in The Challenger Pool?
For the WRWC, having PRO/WCRA CHALLENGER pools competing separately in the OPEN to the World Qualifying rounds creates guaranteed advancement opportunity for the Challenger pool athletes to the Progressive Round of the event.
Based on research- At all levels of Rodeo competition, the “Professional Athlete” makes up less than 20% of the field of competition but secures more than 80% of the money. By creating “challenger pools”, it will give athletes who are classified as a challenger an opportunity to compete against others of their same caliber in a more level competitive environment.
–Earnings Classification Update–
An athlete’s status in the OPEN Qualifying Rounds will be determined based on known information as of September 16, 2020. The athlete’s status will remain following this date regardless of an athlete’s competitive efforts or earnings prior to the start of competition at WRWC.
ARE YOU A PRO OR CHALLENGER?
Equi-Stat ranking system will be used to determine Challenger Pool eligibility. The Equi-Stat database currently includes over 76,600 Barrel Racing athletes. Athletes are eligible to participate in the Challenger Pool if their earnings do not exceed the amount listed below in any one calendar year for any of the defined time periods in this section.
-
- 2020 calendar year – $30,000
- 2019 calendar year – $30,000
- 2018 calendar year – $30,000
An athlete’s status in the OPEN Qualifying Rounds will be determined based on known information as of September 16, 2020. The athlete’s status will remain following this date regardless of an athlete’s competitive efforts or earnings prior to the start of competition at WRWC.
The WRWC Competition Committee reserves the right reclassify any athlete at any time.
Rodeo Logistics Athlete Classification (RLAC) is a proprietary rankings format developed by Rodeo Logistics and based on athlete earnings derived from select national and regional rodeo associations; select stand-alone events; and WCRA earnings from the 2018-2020 calendar years. The RLAC database currently includes over 1,700 Breakaway Roping athletes. Athletes are eligible to participate in the Challenger Pool if their earnings do not exceed the amount listed below in any one calendar year for any of the defined time periods in this section.
-
- 2020 calendar year – $8,000
- 2019 calendar year – $7,000
- 2018 calendar year – $5,000
DATA Set:
- 2020 – 49 resources – 32 associations / 15 events / WCRA
- 2019 – 50 resources – 27 associations / 22 events / WCRA
- 2018 – 20 resources – 19 associations / WCRA
- 2017 – 16 associations
- 2016 – 9 associations
- 2015 – 8 associations
- Total Athletes – 1,703 on database
- Total PRO status – 217 (estimated 12.7%)
An athlete’s status in the OPEN Qualifying Rounds will be determined based on known information as of September 16, 2020. The athlete’s status will remain following this date regardless of an athlete’s competitive efforts or earnings prior to the start of competition at WRWC.
What is RLAC?
The Rodeo Logistics Athlete Classification (RLAC) comprises rankings of all rodeo athletes through incorporation and assessment worldwide of both amateur and professional events. RLAC endeavors to be the most comprehensive and accurate ranking in rodeo by effectively comparing athletes from around the world. Data is derived from public sources found HERE.
The WRWC Competition Committee reserves the right reclassify any athlete at any time.
Global Handicaps system will be used to determine Challenger Pool eligibility with the combined team ranking of #9.5 capped at straight #5 Heeler. All athletes must be registered in Global Events Management System (GEMS) for official athlete number ranking.
An athlete’s status in the OPEN Qualifying Rounds will be determined based on known information as of September 16, 2020. The athlete’s status will remain following this date regardless of an athlete’s competitive efforts or earnings prior to the start of competition at WRWC.
The WRWC Competition Committee reserves the right reclassify any athlete at any time.
FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW TO BE FIND OUT YOUR ATHLETE CLASSIFICATION: