Road to Cheyenne

An expanded rodeo schedule with an updated format will highlight the 130th Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration in 2026.


For the first time in the rodeo’s history, there will be 10 consecutive days of professional rodeo with the addition of the first Friday rodeo, from July 17 – 26.


In 2026, Cheyenne Frontier Days will increase rodeo prize money from $770,000 to $960,000 reflecting a continued investment in maintaining its elite status as one of the richest payouts in professional rodeo. CFD is also introducing revisions to the tournament style format designed to support the rodeo’s long-term sustainability.


Cheyenne Frontier Days faces challenges accommodating the huge number of modern rodeo rigs used by contestants in timed events to house both the contestants and their horses. The new format will allow road-weary contestants and their animals time to rest while on Frontier Park. It will also ease park congestion, while supporting the volunteers who are preparing for the celebration. Current challenges also exist with cattle availability, a major factor for the rodeo industry.


The updated rodeo format eliminates qualifying slack rounds for timed events the week before the official start of Cheyenne Frontier Days. Instead, CFD worked with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) to select qualifying rodeos across the country for contestants to be among the elite that compete at the Daddy of ‘em All.


In the timed events of tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, breakaway roping and barrel racing, contestants will qualify through a combination of selected qualifying rodeos, world standings and circuit qualifications. Advancement to the semifinals will be determined by performance during the first six preliminary rounds, with top competitors moving on to one of three semifinal rounds. From there, finalists will advance to championship competition, where champions will ultimately be crowned during the finals on July 26, ensuring a competitive field and strong nationwide representation inside the Frontier Park arena.


The nine WPRA qualifying rodeos from across the United States are:

  1. Lakeside Rodeo in Lakeside, California - April 23-26 - Entries Closed
  2. American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri - April 30-May 2
  3. Rodeo Killeen in Killeen, Texas - May 14-16
  4. Bill Hoy Kiwanis Rodeo in Clarksville, Tennessee - May 14-16
  5. Ag Expo Pro Rodeo in Watford City, North Dakota - May 22-23
  6. Colorado Stampede in Grand Junction, Colorado - May 22-24
  7. Home of the Navajo PRCA Rodeo in Window Rock, Arizona - May 29-31
  8. Eastern Oregon Livestock Show in Union, Oregon - June 12-14
  9. Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte, Nebraska - June 17-20


Rodeo listing for each below - simply click on button to be taken direct to rodeo listing on wpra.com

Attention Contestants!

NSD (“No Same Day”) and NSP (“No Same Performance”) Preferences

The NSD (“No Same Day”) and NSP (“No Same Performance”) preferences can ensure that a contestant will not be placed to compete at two or more different PRCA rodeos either on the same day or within the same performance time frame. For the purpose of the NSP (“No Same Performance”) preference, performance (or slack) start times will be defined as: 12:00 AM through 11:59 AM as a morning performance or slack, 12:00 PM through 5:59 PM as a matinee performance or slack, and 6:00 PM through 11:59 PM as a night performance or slack. Only conflicts with other PRCA sanction rodeos or events will be checked. Conflicts with Canadian rodeo will NOT be checked.


The contestant must give, at the time of entry, a specific performance or slack, generic slack, or the middle as a first preference to use the NSD or NSP as a second preference. Conflicts will not be checked if a contestant receives her first preference (the contestant will be responsible for not creating a conflict by giving a conflicting first preference). If a contestant does not receive her first preference, she will be placed in the first available non-conflicted position or be drawn out (if a non-conflicted position is not available), if and only if she gives an NSD or NSP as a second preference.


Only the first go-round of a two or more go-round rodeo will be checked for conflicts with the exception of back to back formats or where the second or subsequent go-round cannot be traded. If trades for subsequent go-rounds at a specific rodeo will not be allowed, conflicts will be checked for all go-rounds at that rodeo (this does not apply to progressives and finals). Where the WPRA rulebook allows, second and subsequent go-round trades will be done through the rodeo secretary. If the NSD or NSP is used while entering a given rodeo, only the original position (drawn by PROCOM) at a rodeo with conflicting dates will be checked for conflicts, if a first go-round trade has not been finalized and processed by PROCOM. Once the first go-round trade has been verified and processed by PROCOM, then conflicts with the new traded position can be checked.


If a NSD or NSP preference is used, a contestant will not be placed in a conflicted position, she will be drawn out. If any one contestant in a buddy group has a conflict, the entire buddy group will be drawn out. This does not apply to multi-event buddy groups, since the same performance or slack in all events is not always guaranteed. The contestant may receive a non-conflicted position in one event and not in another. In this case the contestant can add a parameter with her entry at the time of entry to “draw out of all events, if drawn out of one due to the NSD or NSP preferences.”


For rodeos that have conflicting dates, the entries for the rodeos with the largest amount of total added money will generally close first. Therefore, a contestant will be placed in a rodeo with a larger purse first and then placed in the rodeo with the smaller purse if a non-conflicting position is available. Contestants who give slack as a first preference are no longer required to give a performance as a second preference. Instead, contestants will also be allowed to give a specific slack, generic slack, or the middle for their first preference and another specific slack for a second preference. All other preferences and parameters that have been allowed in the past will remain the same.

Walk-Up Replacement Guidelines on WPRA.com


We have recently seen WPRA members asking on Facebook platforms about Walk-Up Replacements and we wanted to remind each and every one of you information and official guidelines on this are listed on wpra.com under the Office tab and WPRA Guidelines tab.


A few questions we have seen include:


Can I turnout and then walk-up to a later performance?

No, you must have been drawn out of the rodeo due to qualifications or a parameter, such as out if slack or not have entered the rodeo at all.


Can I move from slack to a performance?

No, you must have been drawn out of the rodeo due to qualifications or a parameter such as out if slack or not have entered the rodeo at all. If you are drawn out of the rodeo because of ineligibility, (e.g., not meeting the member dues date) you cannot walk-up and replace at that rodeo.

Qualifying Rodeos Set for 2027 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo


It is never to early to plan ahead so we wanted to make our members aware of the qualifying rodeos for the 2027 edition of Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in both the barrel racing and breakaway roping.


The champion contestant (winner of the barrel race and breakaway roping) from these 7 Texas Circuit PRCA Rodeos in 2026 that enter will be accepted (drop down until filled):


Mark your calendars now to take advantage of this opportunity.


Waxahachie, TX - March 26-28 - Entries Closed

Mineral Wells, TX - April 30-May 2

Gladewater, TX - June 11-13

Weatherford, TX - June 10-13

Cleburne, TX - June 10-13

Wichita Falls, TX - August

Denton, TX - August


Rule Spotlight


Trade Restrictions

  • 10.6.1.6. Trade Restrictions: A contestant will not be allowed to enter another contestant or herself for the sole purpose of obtaining a position in a rodeo to be used later as a first go-round trade or to affect the placement of a rodeo by PROCOM. Any contestant in violation of this offense or any contestant who willingly permits her card number to be used for this purpose, may be subject to a $10,000 fine and a possible 30-day suspension.


 

Helpful Member Tips


How To Read Rodeo Listings

Events:

LB - Ladies Breakaway Roping

GB- Girls Barrel Racing

Other Abbreviations

NPP - No Priority Positions

EOO - Entry Office Opens

EC - Entry Close

MT - Mountain Time

MDT - Mountain Daylight Time

EF's - Entry Fees

W/F's - With Finals

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