Clovis Rodeo Delivers Surprising Announcement Eliminating Breakaway Roping

The professional rodeo world received a shocking announcement on Monday, March 9, when the Clovis Rodeo shared that breakaway roping would not be a part of the 2026 rodeo. The Clovis Rodeo Board of Directors and Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) have issued statements via social media and email.

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Clovis Rodeo Statement

A roper stops her horse as the calf runs away — A breakaway roper at the Clovis Rodeo | Fernando Sam-Sin

After lengthy negotiations, the Clovis Rodeo Board of Directors, has voted to not include breakaway roping at their 112th Annual Clovis Rodeo in 2026. The decision is based on a difference of opinion regarding prize money and the term of the agreement. Breakaway roping is not a required event of the sanctioning organization Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Since first inviting breakaway ropers to Clovis, the board of directors has added more money than required and has increased added money in 3 of the last 4 years, working towards getting equal money for this event in the future. The Clovis Rodeo board of directors was also one of the early professional rodeos to get barrel racing and team roping equal money, before many other rodeos followed.

The Clovis Rodeo, April 22-26, will continue to offer bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and mutton busting at a family friendly event that has carried on the traditions of our community for over 111 years.

-CLOVIS RODEO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

WPRA Statement

WPRA Athletes,

We were saddened to learn today, the Clovis Rodeo (CA) Board of Directors voted to not include breakaway roping in their 112th Annual Clovis Rodeo in 2026. It is a disappointment for the WPRA, for the Clovis Rodeo and for our breakaway ropers. Since 2023, the WPRA Board of Directors has been implementing (and communicating), a gradual timeline to help all rodeos ramp up and provide equal added money for breakaway ropers. Some rodeos were able to provide equal added money quickly, while others worked with the timeline so they could build up to it.

To all who have stepped up, regardless of all at once or over the timeline, we are most appreciative and thank you.

Equal added money in professional rodeo has always been an important topic. The purpose is to ensure that WPRA members (and their events) are being treated equally and fairly with all the other events at approved professional rodeos. The WPRA barrel racing event achieved equal added money status in 1985. The purpose of the gradual timeline for breakaway roping was to achieve equal added money for breakaway ropers by 2027.

Again, to all the rodeos with a WPRA breakaway roping, we thank you. To all who have already achieved equal added money status, we thank you. And to those who have been and continue to ramp up to equal added money, we thank you too.

The History of Breakaway Roping, the PRCA, and WPRA

In 2019, breakaway roping was featured at WPRA and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeos for the first time in history. What began as just a handful of rodeos has now grown to hundreds across the country.

Although breakaway roping was a sanctioned event at WPRA events previously, it had not been a part of major professional rodeos. The addition of the new event has grown rapidly in entries, as committees and associations worked to build added money, so breakaway roping payouts would be equal to the other rodeo events.

In 2025, the PRCA and WPRA shared that they had entered into a new three-year contract.

Previously, the PRCA retained 85% of membership dues for breakaway ropers as part of a revenue share with WPRA. Breakaway roping is now managed by WPRA in the same manner as the barrel racing, meaning breakaway ropers pay the PRCA for services (PROCOM, secretaries, timers, and judges), like the barrel racers.