The San Diego Rodeo and WCRA have joined forces to invite athletes from each event to compete in San Diego on Jan. 10-12, with Karrigan Cagley representing the breakaway roping.
Cagley was selected due to her position on the WCRA’s VRQ Leaderboard, and will be competing in Petco Park for a piece of the $800,000 payout.
Cagley ProRodeos on the Southeastern Circuit and college rodeos for Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi. In 2024, Cagley won Round 2 of the Women’s Rodeo Challenger Division with a 2.12-second time. Now, she’ll have an opportunity on an even larger stage at the San Diego Rodeo.
Karrigan Cagley at the 2024 Women’s Rodeo Championship
To see who’s representing the WCRA in other events, click here.
About the WCRA and VRQ system
Since its launch in 2018, the VRQ has been the driving force for qualification to WCRA major events, showcasing top athletes who have competed in rodeos such as Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, Women’s Rodeo World Championship, Rodeo Corpus Christi, Rodeo Carolina, and more. The platform has also played a pivotal role in awarding over $19.7 million to rodeo athletes, solidifying its impact on the sport.
“This marks a significant milestone for us, as it is the first time a major rodeo has remained independent while embracing our global qualification platform,” said WCRA Vice President Scott Davis. “We launched the VRQ six years ago as a points-based system that considers any ride or run, at any event, regardless of status or sanctioning body. Today’s announcement is a significant step in our mission to make every ride count. The athletes on the VRQ Leaderboard earned their spots through diverse competitions, and this invitation to San Diego highlights their achievements.”
Top athletes in the current VRQ Standings (Rodeo Corpus Christi Leaderboard) as of December 19, 2024 in each discipline will be extended an invitation to compete for their piece of the $800,00 prize money across nine disciplines which includes – bareback riding, women’s breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping (heading and heeling), tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding.
“We see tremendous value in the objectives of the VRQ, which is why we’ve invited their top athletes to compete in our rodeo next month,” said Rodeo Organizer, Josh Shockey, Outriders Presents. “Our goal is to produce the best rodeo possible, and this invitation opens exciting new doors. We look forward to exploring how the VRQ can play a role in future qualification opportunities for our event.”
Currently, the VRQ serves as a groundbreaking platform for rodeo, capable of considering results from any rodeo or single-discipline event with publicly available results. The platform has already attracted more than 27,000 registered users, showcasing its growing influence and inclusivity in the rodeo world.
Since launching in May 2018, the WCRA and its partners have awarded more than $19,700,000 in new money to rodeo athletes. Respectively, each event using the VRQ for qualification remains subject to its independent official Ground Rules. All rodeo athletes interested in learning more about the VRQ should visit app.wcrarodeo.com.
