The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association have unveiled a 3-year agreement that redefines how breakaway roping is managed in the ProRodeo setting—so what changes can breakaway ropers expect to see?
Contract overview with WPRA President Heidi Schmidt
What it does include
The new agreement sees ProRodeo breakaway roping’s membership revenue back fully back to the WPRA.
“The old contract was a revenue share, with the PRCA retaining 85% membership dues and 6% money in the breakaway roping,” Schmidt said. “So why would anyone sign that deal? In an effort to get breakaway going, the WPRA needed a partner, and the PRCA has always been our strongest partner.”
Now that breakaway roping is established, with 560 rodeos featuring the event in 2025, the WPRA is shifting their partnership with the PRCA.
“Under the new agreement, there is no revenue share at all,” Schmidt said. “We’re going to pay PRCA for services, just as we’ve done with barrel racing. So, Procom, secretaries, timers, judges. It’s all a service-based agreement, which is a lot cleaner for both associations. This contract is a 3-year contract with an option for an additional 3 years.”
What it doesn’t include
What the new agreement doesn’t include is any language about the breakaway Finals. From Schmidt’s point of view, breakaway roping needs to prove its’ ability to bring in sponsor dollars before it stands a chance being added to the Thomas & Mack.
“How Vegas is set up, it’s like the PRCA is the event producer and Las Vegas Events is the committee,” Schmidt said. “It’s an agreement between those two entities that we are not in. Could they amend the agreement to include the breakaway? I think agreements are amended all the time. Are they going to do it tomorrow? I doubt it.”
Schmidt says the WPRA’s main focus is proving breakaway’s value as an event so Las Vegas Events will take a another look at adding it.
“Making things bigger and better is a pressure we’re willing to accept.” Schmidt said.
As for the 2026 Finals location? That hasn’t been decided. According to Schmidt, the South Point isn’t off the table, and the WPRA is open to “chatting with anyone about hosting.”
Original WPRA Press Release
The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association are pleased to announce a new agreement between the two Associations to continue to bring the best in professional rodeo to members, committees, fans and sponsors.
The WPRA and PRCA have been working diligently to craft a new agreement based on today’s circumstances and tomorrow’s challenges that will work to the benefit of all of our respective constituents. This new agreement will continue for the next three years with the option to extend an additional three years in 2028.
“The PRCA is happy to execute this three-year agreement with the WPRA and continue to elevate the profile of PRORODEO moving forward,” PRCA CEO Tom Glause said.
The biggest change in the new agreement is that under the old agreement women’s breakaway roping was a revenue share between the two. Starting in 2026, that discipline will be completely under the WPRA umbrella similar to the barrel racing. Instead of a revenue share it will be a pay-for service agreement, which is how barrel racing has been for decades.
“Under the current contract, which began in 2020, the breakaway roping was a collaboration between the two entities. After the last six years of building the event together, it just feels right to have breakaway roping solely under the WPRA in the future,” stated Heidi Schmidt, WPRA President. “We are the oldest women’s sports organization in the world, so it only makes sense that women’s breakaway roping would fall under our authority. We are very appreciative of the PRCA and rodeo committees who have added this second women’s event and look to continue to grow the prize money for these ladies.”
Under the expiring agreement PRCA agreed to work to expand and develop breakaway roping at PRCA sanctioned rodeos throughout the country. In 2019, prior to the start of the agreement, breakaway roping was held at 35 PRCA Rodeos. In 2025, the event was featured in 560 rodeos.
