Breakaway Goes Pro: Joe Beaver Discusses New Event at The American
New and exciting changes are coming in 2019 to RFD-TV’s The American—already the world’s richest one day (now two-day) rodeo, where contestants battle it out for historic prize money. Now, the event is adding breakaway roping, a #9 team roping, and a second day of competition. Consequently, a lot more loot will be up for grabs.
According to RFD-TV, “The richest one-day rodeo now becomes a two-day event, spanning the weekend of March 2 and 3, 2019. And with an additional $355,000 in prize money, the pot grows to more than $2.3 million.”
Held each year in Dallas, Texas, the event has also secured a new five-year deal with AT&T Stadium and is now a PRCA-sanctioned event as well, “with a new, richer, deeper prize money package that pays the top four contestants in each category. This change in particular will affect rodeo athletes in a big way, in that money earned at the American will impact contestants aiming to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.”
Just how that will look, and ultimately contribute, isn’t quite clear yet according to PRCA CEO George Taylor.
“The dollars are going to count something toward the NFR,” he explained. “We are going to include The American as part of the NFR system. What we must figure out is how to translate that exactly. We are looking at points, we may have a division factor or something along those lines, but we are definitely going to include the money won (at The American) as a factor into the NFR standings.”
Seventeen-time world champion breakaway roper Jackie Crawford is one of many pros who are ultra-excited about the debut of breakaway into an already stellar lineup, and with good reason. According to RFD-TV, “The addition of breakaway is expected to bring in another 1,000 qualifiers for The American and give athletes the chance to compete for a payout they can't get anywhere else.”
Legendary roper Joe Beaver, who will be hosting some breakaway qualifiers for The American at his events, said the addition of breakaway will be phenomenal for the industry as a whole.
“Adding the ladies’ open breakaway will bring the female factor back into the event,” he explained. “It gives us something else to sell to the public and opens up a whole other avenue of people who are eligible to compete for the big money in their individual event. You have to go to the American qualifiers, which will be all over, and if they get the numbers they are expecting at the qualifiers the breakaway will pay around $150,000! Who wouldn’t want to breakaway for that!” he said. “It brings back the ladies who maybe had breakaway as their main gig in college, but then wondered what they would do next. Well guess what, now they can go to The American, rope in the semi-finals for $30,000 or $40,000 and maybe win $150,000. That’s even competitive money for the guys who make a living rodeoing!”
But how do you qualify to run at that kind of cash? Beaver shared an example.
“My Labor Day roping has an open ladies’ breakaway, and the side pot is an American qualifier. You have to enter the original jackpot first, then if you want to get in the side pot you pay the additional entry fee. Part of that goes to The American, part goes to the pot at the event, and part goes to the semi-finals. So, it all goes back to the ropers. Then from whatever average it is—two head, three head, whatever the individual event is—the top 10 will go to the semi-finals,” he explained.
“The American is a big event, a great event, and we are just getting more and more to offer. I know girls that win $30,000 or $40,000 a year breakaway roping so why not let them showcase their talents with the best of the business at The American? And overall, this just opens up more business for the industry from ropes, saddles, gear and horses. This gives the ladies that rope great a chance to rope for real money,” he continued. “You can be a school teacher and rope. I know ladies who teach, and coach, and rope, and now they have the chance to do all of that in one week and earn major money. That kind of puts it in perspective for me. It is time for breakaway to bust open and I’m proud to be a part of it!” he concluded.
#9 Team Roping
The other major addition will be the #9 team roping, which will also encourage more local ropers to take a swing at some big money.
According to the PRCA, “The World Series of Team Roping will bring a #9 handicapped Championship Team Roping event to The American with a minimum guaranteed $100,000 in prize money. The #9 team roping will be the culmination of several qualifier events with the finals being held at AT&T Stadium on March 2.”
As usual, the event will boast impressive payouts. The top four places will receive prize money, and the long round conducted on March 2 will pay $50,000. Listed below are the new total payouts for each event in The American finals.
• First Place $100,000
• Second Place $25,000
• Third Place $10,000
• Fourth Place $5,000
