Rodeo Payouts: One Of The Greatest Dialogues?

Rodeo Payouts This is one of the biggest conversations in the rodeo industry. For some cowboys and cowgirls, competing in rodeos is how they make their living. Rodeo contestants depend on the rodeos to make money. Every rodeo association has a different payout format. Some pay out 80% and pocket 20%. Some pay out 70% and keep 30%. Most of the time when they pocket that percentage it goes towards the production of the rodeo, stock contractors, equipment, and so forth. On the other hand, some producers pocket the money and keep it. This happens more often with barrel racing producers than rodeo associations. Most competitors will only go to the rodeos that have substantial money added. What I mean by added money, is that money is added to
My rookie year, and even the year after that, I spent a lot of money where I shouldn’t have,” Champion said. “You learn to make business decisions on travel, hotel rooms, plane tickets, and what animals you’re willing to travel to get on.” The top competitors for this sport often try to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo also known as the NFR. Its a 10 day long event that takes place in Las Vegas, NV. Hundreds of thousands of people go to watch this event. At this rodeo, in every event, if you win the round you’ll get a pay check of $30,000 and the payout goes down to 5th place. These cowboys and cowgirls travel thousands of miles, spend thousands on entry fees and gas, and have hit more barrels, missed steers, and have gotten bucked off more times than they want to think of on their journey to try to make this extraordinary event. Richard Champion said it costs him about $35,000 for entry fees and travel alone each year. But also we have to realize that he is just a bareback rider. He doesn’t need to drive a big diesel truck and huge living quarters horse trailer. He could travel in a Toyota
Rough stock cowboys are bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riders. They could all travel in a car. Now, for timed event people such as the barrel racers, team ropers, steer wrestlers, and calf ropers, we have to drive those big diesel trucks with 30+ gallon tanks and big 40ft+ horse trailers. I messaged my good friend Kathy Grimes, a barrel racer that qualified for the 2017 NFR, asking her how much she spent in gas money and entry fees. Kathy replied, “I spent eleven thousand on fuel, and thirteen thousand on entry fees”. So about twenty-four thousand. Richard has about ten more thousand in expenses. But why you ask? I mean, doesn’t she pull the big trailer, drive the big truck and he drive the Prius? Yes. But Kathy had a very successful rodeo year. She did not have to travel to as many rodeos because she did very well at the ones she went to and didn’t hit many barrels along with placing well. Richard was probably having a tough go and got bucked off quite a bit, causing him to have to travel to more rodeos and spend more money on fees. So when we hit that barrel, miss that steer, or get bucked off thats money that we are missing out on for our standings. After all, they only take the top 15 in each event IN THE WORLD to