GUTHRIE, Okla. – WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance) and the Lazy E Arena have announced payout and cash bonus details for the 2023 Cinch World Championship Junior Rodeo (WCJR) presented by Montana Silversmiths. The World Championship event is set to take place July 25-29, 2023, at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
In late July, the Lazy E Arena and the WCRA Division Youth (DY) announced they were going to join forces on the 2023 World Championship Junior Rodeo. The 2023 event will have over $200,000 in guaranteed prize money and is open to any youth athlete ages 19 and under (as of the first day of competition) in the world competing in 11 disciplines which include – Bareback Riding, Ladies Breakaway Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping Heading, Team Roping Heeling, Tie-Down Roping, Ladies Barrel Racing, Ladies Pole Bending, Ladies Goat Tying, and Bull Riding.
World Champions will be crowned in all disciplines from both the Junior Leaderboard (ages 19 and under) and the Youth Leaderboard (age 13-15) with $10,000 being paid out per discipline in the Junior Division ($110,000 total) while the Youth Division will award $5,000 per discipline ($35,000 total).
The organizations also recently announced the World Champions will be crowned in all disciplines along with All-Around World Champions from both the 19 and under (19U) Junior Leaderboard and the 13-15 Youth Leaderboard. Each World Champion will be awarded a piece of the $56,000 in cash bonuses. WCJR and WCRA DY Bonus details below:
| Categories | Junior Cash Bonus | Youth Cash Bonus |
| WCRA DY Men’s All-Around World Champion | $4,000 | $2,000 |
| WCRA DY Ladies All-Around World Champion | $4,000 | $2,000 |
| WCRA DY World Champions Per Discipline | $2,000 | $1,000 |
| WCJR Men’s All-Around Champion* | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| WCJR Ladies All Around Champion* | $2,500 | $2,500 |
*Indicated two places paid
World Championship cumulative points will accrue through the entire segment (May 2, 2022 – June 25, 2023) and extend through select rounds of competition during the world championship event.
The WCJR will also serve as a Jr. Ironman qualifier with the top five advancing to Jr. Ironman Championship held during the CINCH Timed Event Championship in March 2024. The Jr. Ironman Side Pot will have $5,000 added money with the mandatory disciplines: Steer Wrestling, Tie-Down Roping, Team Roping-Header, Team Roping-Heeler (must enter and participate in all four disciplines).
DY Athletes will have two opportunities to earn a position to the 2023 WCJR with no entry fees:
- The top 16 on the DY23 Leaderboard (by age classification, by discipline)
- Generic Qualification from a DY Qualifier Series event.
DY Qualifier Series (DYQS) are a group of events held prior to the 2023 WCJR where athletes who nominate and place in the top spot in their respected discipline at the DY Qualifier Series event will earn a generic qualification with no entry fees to the 2023 Championship. All qualifier series information is found here.
Athletes can qualify for the WCJR by nominating their rodeo efforts and earning points for the WCRA DY23 leaderboard positions using the VRQ (Virtual Rodeo Qualifier). Athletes have until June 25, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. to nominate and earn points. The top 16 on the leaderboard in each discipline will qualify for the event with no entry fees.
Lastly, athletes will also be able to enter the event through open entry and take their shot by competing through the qualifying rounds. Open entry dates will be released later.
All rodeo athletes interested in learning more about the WCRA DY, the VRQ, or event format and payout details should be directed to dy.rodeo or download the WCRA DY app HERE.
