Posted June 2, 2006

Women’s National Finals Rodeo to be held with Women’s Pro Futurity Finals

In a landmark statement, the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association announced June 1 that the Women’s National Finals Rodeo and the Women’s Pro Futurity Finals will be held together in 2007. The kaleidoscope event that will showcase All Women’s Rodeo along with Divisional Tour and Pro Futurity Finals will take place at the Diamond W Arena in Alvarado, Texas January 17-20.

The Women’s Pro Futurity Finals was originally scheduled for the following week, and the Women’s National Finals Rodeo has traditionally been held in November, so the decision to combine the two events is big news in the rodeo world.

Women’s Pro Rodeo Association President Jymmy Kay Davis said, "We are excited to announce the dates and new location of the WPRA's premier events. Combining our All Women's Finals, Wrangler Divisional Tour Finals and our first-ever WPRA Pro Futurity Finals is the logical thing to do to bring all facets of our membership together for one super finale. Alvarado is a great facility and we hope to cater to our members, sponsors, fans and vendors for a fun and entertaining week of exciting women's rodeo and barrel racing action."

Kelly Lawrence, WPRA All Women’s Rodeo Director, said, “We’re glad to have a clear direction for both events and I’m looking forward to working with Cheryl Magoteaux and Kim Thomas to present All Women’s Rodeo - along with Divisional Tour and Futurity Barrel Racing - as an exciting and entertaining event.”

Magoteaux is owner and President of Pro Management, Inc., the company that will publicize, promote and manage the event, and Kim Thomas is the WPRA Pro Futurity Director. The Pro Futurity Program was Thomas’ brainchild and she is thrilled with the opportunity to combine the first-ever Pro Futurity Finals with the excitement of the Women’s National Finals. Thomas noted, “We’re looking forward to a great event in a first-class facility. I think that having both events together is a great move.”

Cheryl Magoteaux, like Lawrence and Thomas, is eager to begin making preparations for the January extravaganza. “We’ve gotten somewhat of a late start because of the steps that had to be taken to combine these events, but we’re excited about the project and will be working hard to make the entire show enjoyable for the participants as well as exciting and fun for the fans. We’ll be firming up schedule and ticketing details as well as securing sponsorship support over the coming months.”

“It has truly become an event of national status,” Magoteaux added. “The top finishers in Profession Women’s Rodeo National Standings qualify for the Women’s National Finals in events as diverse as roping and bull riding. The top four women from each of the WPRA Circuits qualify throughout the year for the Divisional Tour Finals. Add that to the women qualifying for the Pro Futurity Finals and you get an idea of the scope of this event. It will be great for spectators and participants and I think a lot of people will come to compete in the Open 4D Challenge and stay to watch the WNFR, Divisional Tour and Pro Futurity Finals.”

The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association is the governing body for professional barrel racing. It began in 1948 as a group of Texas ranch women who wanted to add a little color and femininity to the rough-and-tumble sport of rodeo, and has now grown to a million-dollar industry with women athletes riding well-conditioned race horses. Today, the WPRA has approved barrel races in hundreds of rodeos sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association each year with total barrel racing prize money totaling in the millions. For information on the WPRA, visit www.wpra.com. For information on the WNFR and Women’s Pro Futurity finals, contact wpra@magoteaux.com.