The CPRA has announced that not only will there be three new events on the Finning Pro Tour, but the finals in Armstrong, British Columbia, will also be doubling its payout. The association says that it’s been a goal to elevate what it means to be on “the tour” and they have already seen success with these added events in 2019.

Watch the entire Finning Pro Tour LIVE on FloRodeo in 2019.

“The Finning Pro Tour is the showcase of all the premier rodeos in Canada,” CPRA general manager Jeff Robson said. “The big vision of it is: how do we continue to grow those bigger rodeos, and how do we get more exposure to those rodeos and provide them with more meaning?”

CPRA Offers Committee Assistance

So just how does that more exposure and meaning come about for the rodeos? What makes them want to up their game or entice a new committee to join the tour? 

“We signed a strategic agreement with FloSports to live stream our premier events and part of the underlying principle of that was to use the money that we received for our media rights to help those rodeos up their game,” Robson said. “So as new committees are coming along, they’re saying ‘hey, could there be some funds for us?’ Absolutely.” 

The association also once again welcomes Finning Canada as the title sponsor of the tour, putting more assistance dollars in the hands of the committees. 

“So the short answer is we have some funds available now to help promote tour rodeos, and so if you’re trying to grow your rodeo it would make great sense to want to be a part of the tour,” Robson said.

Numbers That Speak For Themselves

3 New Events

The Grande Prairie Stompede once again joins the tour ranks, the Teepee Creek Stampede upped their purse to reach tour status, and Regina joins the roster with their brand-new Pile O’Bones Rodeo.

4 Provinces

British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba will all play host to at least one tour rodeo in the 2019 season.

11 Tour Rodeos

There will be a new total of 11 rodeos on the tour this season, all of which must have at least $8,000 or more added in each event to qualify to be on the tour. You can watch all of these events LIVE on FloRodeo.

$4,800 Finals First-Place Prize

The finals purse will be DOUBLING in 2019 to now payout $4,800 to first place, with a total of a $12,000 payout in each event for the finals. 

Over $1.2 Million Purse

With the added tour rodeos and doubling the purse at the Tour Finals in Armstrong, the Finning Pro Tour boasts a purse of approximately $1.225 million in 2019.

Changing The Approach

“[If] we don’t have committees, we don’t have rodeos,” Robson said. 

Robson is an advocate for the idea that supporting the committees has a trickle-down effect that elevates the sport, something he tries to make his first premise in his role in the CPRA. 

“I think if I were a new committee trying to come on and produce a rodeo, you might ask yourself, ‘What’s in it for me other than the love of the sport?’” Robson said. “I think that worked for a long time, but I think now, we have to show, as the governing body of professional rodeo in Canada that we're trying to do something for those committees to help them build their brand and build their rodeo and I think it just helps build our story.”

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