The Scoring Rule That Could Change Everything at the NFR

The PRCA recently announced a change in the scoring system that could affect World Championships.

Statler Wright | Nathan Meyer Photography

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association recently announced the use of the quarter-point system at the National Finals Rodeo. While other associations have embraced this before, this will be the inaugural year for the system at the NFR.

So, why does it really matter and how can it change things?

At the 2024 NFR, there were 56 instances of a tie in the rough stock events. That could have been a two-way tie or even more; this was just a simple calculation based on a tie of some sort.

In the bareback riding, there were 26 times that scores resulted in ties. The most happened in the fifth round where there were five different sets of ties. In only one round of the finals, round 8, each score was individual.

How Ties Affect Payouts

When a tie happens, the money is split among the people who scored the same. So, for instance, at the 2024 NFR in Round 5, Jacob Lees and Dean Thompson split the win. Each man received $30,155 for his efforts. This tie reduced what would have been a singular first-place check of $33,687 and increased the second-place from $26,624.

The quarter-point system is being brought into play in order to hopefully reduce the number of ties in each round.

According to the ProRodeo Sports News, the PRCA Supervisor of Pro Officials, Ron Howard said, "The ¼-point scoring system will be implemented at the NFR this year. This system was used on a trial basis at Sioux Falls (S.D.) this fall and appeared to go over quite well.  The use of the ¼-point system will allow each of the four riding event judges at the NFR to use ½ points for scoring for both the rider and the animal if needed.  This may potentially help to alleviate some ties.  The ¼-point system will also help to determine the awarding of the high marked stock scores each performance."

The quarter point comes into play because each of the four judges has the chance to use the 1/2 point. The scores are averaged, thus the possibility of 1/4 points. Reducing the amount of ties that occur throughout the 10 rounds will change the distribution of money.

The epic battle fans are excited to see in the All-Around race could be significantly altered by ties or by the absence of ties. The same is true in the saddle bronc riding, where the World Championship will be a hard-fought ten-round test.

That extra 1/4 point could make all the difference between contestants ending up in multi-way ties or taking the win all to themselves.

As with every change made, time will tell the true effects, but this feels like a step in the right direction.

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