Manitoba Rodeo Cowboys Association (MRCA) Amateur rodeo roughstock and timed events.

Annual Alumni Rodeo

A new rodeo for every season!

We would like to sincerely thank the Glenwood Ag Society in Souris Manitoba for helping to make the Alumni Rodeo such a success!

This could not have been pulled off without the support of the volunteers, the stock contractors and the helpers!

Special thanks to our working volunteers!

Pick Up Men: Cam Mason & Wayne Rowe

Judges: Frank Denbow & Buck Farrant

Timers: Donna Doucette

Secretary: Marian Funk

Announcer: Ward Cutler

Music: Kurt from Shoot Out Audio

Arena Director: Jordon Park

Stock Contractors: White Line Rodeo, Prime Time Rodeo-Jimmy Lawrence,Art Francis Rodeo - Donald Helmeczi , Mike Morrison, Chad Stiles, Alistair & Erin Hagan, Duane Caumartin, Steven & Katie Cowan, Chad Stiles, Kevin Williams

All the people who jumped in to pull latches, push steers, set up timers,and a special thank you to all the contestants who entered and helped us to show how much support there is for rodeo growing in Manitoba!

We all want more good rodeos to go to in a season and this year on July 11th 2010 in the town of Souris MB, we will add 1 more to the season, the 2010 fundraiser, and alumni rodeo.

We all remember last year in Oak Lake MB, the fresh, new but yet simple and smart idea that was the “Fundraiser Rodeo”. Each and every non-profit association must fundraise to survive and what better idea to raise money to help our own sport grow but to get together on beautiful summer day and have a rodeo? When I first heard the idea at Brown’s kitchen table I thought it was perfect. After a ton of volunteer hours spent both organizing and countless hours of physical labour from too many people to mention, we all pulled together on July 1st 2009 to raise an amazing $20,000 for the continued growth of our sport.

When the topic of the fundraiser rodeo came up this spring it became evident that we were going to be short the unbelievable amount of volunteer power needed to pull of the same type of fundraiser. It was also unanimous with everyone involved that we needed to figure out some way to have not only a 2010 fundraiser rodeo but to find a way to create a sustainable model that could be held each and every year, so we were back to the drawing board. Whenever we are brainstorming as a group there is another topic that is always talked about, the ever dwindling rodeo schedule and how can we as a governing body can not only combat this issue but also help to promote and create new rodeos. Like they say “Sometimes the best defence is a strong offense” over the years we been informally approached by communities and asked what we could do to help them get started to organize or build a new rodeo. Despite our best efforts we have always seemed to struggle to have an answer for these potential new rodeo committees and that has been very frustrating for all of us on the board. That is until now!

Now let me introduce the new model for the annual fundraiser, alumni and promotional rodeo. We will look to host a 1 day rodeo in a different community each year with the intention that community will host their own rodeo the following year and hopefully for many more to follow. This will be the answer to what can we do to help a new committee start up. We as the association will administrate the rodeo organize the stock and the local committee will handle the advertising as well as all of the physical labour on the weekend etc. and we will both make money

With this new idea we have addressed a lot of pressing issues;

*we are helping a new rodeo committee to get started

*we are meeting the dwindling schedule head on

*we are giving our members another rodeo to compete in

*we are creating a wonderful environment to promote our sport to new fans and sponsors alike

*we are raising money for our association without having each member selling anything (from candies to calendars etc.)

*we are raising money to help our sport

*we are providing a great environment for stock contractors to meet a new committee and potential customer

*we are creating a great environment for new contestants to start and or old ones to re-start their career

*we are creating away for everyone to give back, including those who are to busy to volunteer

The MRCA will once again award double your points in each event; this will once again also be an eastern tour rodeo and will count as 1 of the 8 total rodeos needed to make the finals hosted by the Wheat City Stampede. Each and every $50 entry fee will go towards raising money for the MRCA, what better way for us to give back to the sport we all love so very much? Everyone who has heard this idea so far has just loved it and the board is very excited about what it can do for the future of rodeo. We have already had interest from three different committees who wish to host this rodeo in the future! Maybe my favourite thing about this new fundraiser model is the fact that it will give us a great opportunity to show a new committee of different volunteers each year who want to put on a rodeo for us just how much we love this sport and how committed we all are to see it grow! I sincerely hope to see you all there, remember the more entries we get the more money we raise and the more our sport will grow. See yall in Souris and thanks to everyone for all your work so far and big tip of my hat to all who had a hand in getting this all started last year in Oak Lake.

Thanks Alistair Hagan

The MRCA approves amateur rodeos in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan and in North Dakota, USA. During the rodeo season, volunteer rodeo committees provide the manpower and facilities to produce each rodeo while local businesses sponsor prize money for the events. Stock contractors coordinate the rodeo contestants, provide bucking horses and bulls for roughstock, and cattle to rope for timed events. Amateur rodeos provide good family entertainment for each town and surrounding community. View the MRCA amateur rodeo schedule for rodeos coming up in your area!

MRCA amateur rodeo includes the following events:

During the season, rodeo competitors collect points for their placings at each rodeo. The top 10 in each event at season end are invited to compete at the "Sudden Death" MRCA Rodeo Finals. Finalists compete to earn the year end Championship titles, trophy saddles, buckles and prize money at this prestigious event.

The Cowboy
Official MRCA rodeo newspaper.
All classifieds are posted on the MRCA website for bonus exposure.

Deadline to submit tenders is Wednesday, June 30th, 2010. Tenders may be submitted by fax, email or mail. Please note: If submitting tender by mail, allow sufficient time, as any tenders received after the deadline will not be considered. For more information contact the MRCA at office@mrcarodeo.com