National Finals Breakaway Roping Announces New Dates and Venue for 2025 Qualifiers

Don't worry fans, the NFBR will take place in 2025.

Nathan Meyer Photography

The outbreak of EHV-1 has drastically impacted many events for the western sports industry. Starting with the cancellation of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo qualifier in Uvalde, Texas, then the Barrel Futurities of America World Championship in Guthrie, Okla., many events have been postponed or cancelled.

One of the biggest events that was postponed was the National Finals Breakaway Roping that was supposed to kick off in less than a week in Las Vegas, at the South Point Arena. However, with major concerns surrounding this virus, specifically EHM, the event was officially moved.

The top 15 in the World Standings who qualified for the NFBR have been waiting for an answer as to where and when they will get their chance to battle it out for the gold buckle this year. The wait is finally over, as the ladies were handed a determination today.

There were two options laid out in front of the contestants who battled all year long to get there. 1) They could travel to Las Vegas to compete at the World Market from December 8 to December 10. 2) Wait until a later date to compete at the famous Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas.

It has now been decided that the ropers will be competing at Cowtown on December 22-23, which finally erases the doubt in people's minds that maybe they wouldn't get to compete at all.

What is EHV-1?

EHV-1 is Equine Herpesvirus type 1, which, according to UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, is also referred to as equid alphaherpesvirus-1.

Outbreaks usually occur after horses have returned from a large event and then spread the virus to their home stall and barn mates. The highly contagious virus affects horses in different ways.

Since there was a direct correlation between the horses that were at WPRA Finals and those that were dying of EHM, major travel restrictions were put into place. This makes it easy to assume that is why the NFBR was originally delayed, as all that were in attendance at the WPRA Finals were to be quarantined until December 2.

This is an extremely contagious and potentially deadly virus for the equine athletes that all rodeo competitors hold near and dear to their hearts. At the end of the day, they come first no matter how high the stakes are for the contestants.

Rodeo on SI is extending our thoughts and prayers to every single person who has either lost a loved one or has a horse that is battling this virus.

EHV-1 symptoms | The Horse

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