young members. The Ron Fritzlan Scholarship
Foundation offers a scholarship for those students who
share the same love for rodeo as Ron did. Students who
are awarded this scholarship may use it at the college or
university of their choice.
The CPRA supports each of their rodeo committees
with professional stock contractors, announcers, timers,
judges and rodeo secretaries. Our contestants are true
professionals and together work every day to protect and
maintain the heritage and tradition of rodeo and western
way of life. The CPRA is 550 members strong and with
the recent growth of rodeos, the hope is to continue to
grow. During a recent rule change meeting the Board
of Directors voted unanimously to remove the non-
sanctioning rule, opening the door to our neighboring
States contestants to now co-sanction with the CPRA.
“This is an exciting opportunity to continue to grow while
bringing new talent and faces to Colorado’s 2018 rodeo
season” says Branden Edwards, CPRA Vice-President.
Each year a Winter Convention is held in early February
bringing together Rodeo Committees for a one-day open
form workshop under the leadership of Rodeo Committee
Representative, Jodie Calhoun. Jodie asks each
committee to submit topics and/or concerns they’d like
to have discussed, then asks the board of directors to sit
as a panel and address the committees’ questions. “The
best way to grow as a rodeo and committee is to share
the good and bad with other committee’s” says Calhoun.
The 2018 convention was a huge success, according to
the committees and all that attended. “Everyone said
they walked away with answers to their questions and
some insight into what’s being done and what’s working for
other committees throughout the State,” adds Calhoun.
Jodie’s goal of implementing and keeping an ongoing line
of communication between the board, committees and
contestants is key to successful rodeo committees and to
the overall success of the CPRA.
In addition to the yearly convention, the CPRA hosts a
Judges, Secretaries and Timers Seminar. State Secretary,
Tarah Leigh Lewis, explains the importance and details
of what is to be a CPRA Rodeo Secretary or Timer using
step by step examples from actual rodeos. “Rodeo
secretaries are the hardest-working people you’ll never
see in rodeo,” states Tarah-Leigh Lewis, CPRA State
Secretary. Secretaries prepare the entry list, tally the
results, and cut the paychecks at the end of the rodeo.
In short secretaries try to solve problems before they
become a problem.
One of the hardest and definitely most dangerous job is
being a rodeo judge. Dave Boudreaux, Judging Director,
heads up a two-day seminar for the more than twenty
the directors, the CPRA wouldn’t be possible
without a small army of volunteers including
rodeo contestants and fans from throughout
Colorado. These volunteers supply everything
from technical to legal advice in support of the
association and committees.
While the core of the CPRA is the rodeo family,
the CPRA strongly supports the youth of our
state as evidenced by our many young single
members. The CPRA provides a special
membership for high school contestants and
a college scholarship program available to our
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