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Rule Book

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Missouri Rodeo Cowboy Association, Inc.

Rules & By-Laws

2009

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS. 2

ELECTION OF OFFICERS & DIRECTORS. 2

TRIAL BASIS CONTRACTORS. 6

OFFICIAL RODEO RULES. 6

CONDUCT OF RODEO.. 8

CONTESTANT DISQUALIFICATION.. 9

JUDGES AND JUDGING METHODS. 9

SECRETARY AND RODEO OFFICE. 10

DRAWING STOCK OR POSITIONS. 11

DRAWING OUT AND ENTRY FEE REFUND.. 12

PAY OFF. 12

POSTING OF MARKINGS. 13

GENERAL RULES, ROUGH STOCK.. 13

DISQUALIFICATION’S. 14

BAREBACK RIDING.. 14

DISQUALIFICATION’S. 14

SADDLE BRONC RIDING RULES. 15

DISQUALIFICATION’S. 15

BULL RIDING RULES. 15

DISQUALIFICATION’S. 15

GENERAL RULES, TIMED EVENT. 15

PENALTY.. 16

COWGIRL’S BARREL RACING RULES. 16

PENALTY.. 17

DISQUALIFICATION’S. 17

RE-RUNS. 17

CALF ROPING RULES. 18

DISQUALIFICATIONS. 18

PENALTY.. 18

Over 40 CALF ROPING RULES. 18

BREAKAWAY ROPING RULES. 19

STEER WRESTLING RULES. 19

DISQUALIFICATION'S. 20

RE-RUNS. 20

DALLY TEAM ROPING RULES. 20

Legal Catches and Disqualifications. 20

PENALTY.. 21

HUMANE RULES FOR THE TREATMENT OF STOCK.. 21

FINALS RODEO RULES. 22

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

1. The officers of the Association shall be as follows: President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer and a board of eleven (11) directors, one chosen from each of the following events: Bareback Riding, Calf Roping, Breakaway Roping, Over 40 Calf Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Girls Barrel Racing, Team Roping, Bull Riding, Judges, plus a Stock Contractor Director. The Personnel Director shall be a two (2) year term like all other board positions and shall be a voting position. Field Representatives shall be appointed by the President.

2. The President shall preside at all meetings of the MRCA and Board of Directors.

3. In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall perform his duties.

4. Any officer of the Association will have the authority to represent any event or contract in the absence of the duly elected director.

5. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the minutes and other official reports of the Association, He (she) shall conduct its official correspondence and shall keep all records, books, documents and papers relating to the Association as such place as shall be designated by the Board of Directors.

6. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep account of all monies received by him (her) and shall deposit it in the name of the Association. He/she shall not pay out or disperse any of the money of the Association except by check and only for the members, he / she shall make a statement of the current financial condition of the Association and a detailed report of its condition for the preceding fiscal year.

7. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be bonded and the cost of the bond to be borne by the Association.

8. All Officers and Directors shall serve without salary, except the Secretary who shall receive an amount which shall be determined by the Board for expense. Expenses other than attending meetings, incurred by Officers or Directors directly concerned with Association business may be turned in and if approved by the board, will be paid.

9. Officers and Directors may be removed at any time by a majority of the Board of Directors for infraction of rules or by-laws.

10. All Officers and Directors shall be contacted through the MRCA office before all board meetings for time and place.

11. Officers and Directors who miss two (2) consecutive meetings without good cause are automatically dropped from the board.

12. Resignation of Officers and Directors must be presented to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may fill any vacancies among officers or directors by vote of a majority of directors attending a meeting where a quorum is present.

13. Board members cannot serve on the Board of two (2) associations with the exception of Little Britches, High School, or N.I.R.A.

14. The Board of Directors shall have authority to make final decisions or interpretations regarding association rules or business.

15. Courtesy cards will be given to all past Presidents.

16. No two (2) immediate family members may serve on the Board of Directors at the same time.

17. Officers and Directors who are removed from the board for any reason, will be responsible for paying the membership dues for the year in which they were serving. If the dues are not paid, and they continue to compete or are active in the MRCA in any other capacity they will be placed on the suspended list for the amount of the dues that are owed.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

1. Officers may be nominated by any member in good standing.

2. Officers and Directors will be voted on by a majority vote at the annual meeting.
A. Election of directors to the board shall be voted on by only those members in the respective events. The entire assembly will vote on President, Vice President, Stock Contractor, Judging & Personnel Representative.

3. Terms of Officers and Directors shall be two (2) years.

4. Any member must have served as an Officer or Director before he/she can be elected President.

5. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be hired by the Board and shall have no vote. Secretary-Treasurer will not be a yearly application, but be a yearly evaluation

6. A Director or Alternate must be an active member in his or her event.

MEMBERSHIP & DUES

1. Dues shall be set by the Board and approved by members each year. Cards will be dated effective the date they are received in the MRCA office unless they are sent in with rodeo results, they will then be dated the date of the first performance of that rodeo.

A. Members shall carry same membership card number each year. Number to be retired if member does not continue membership.

B. An “A” card will be issued to all MRCA members who have never had a bad check with the MRCA allowing them to write checks for entry fees.

C. A “B” card will be issued to any previous MRCA member who has bad checks and has put up a $100 dollar bond.

D. A blank card will be issued to any new member or any previous MRCA member who has had bad checks and has not put up a bond. Entry fee must be paid in cash only.

E. A “C” card will be issued to contractors and must be purchased by May 1 to be eligible for current year finals.

1. Each contractor will be required to have one card. Cards will be the same price as the personnel cards.

2. A package will be offered to cover the contractor and six named personnel (excluding judges) at a reduced cost to be set by the Board.

F. A “P” card will be issued to personnel and must be purchased by May 1st to be eligible for current year finals. To work an MRCA first approved or MRCA straight approved rodeo, all rodeo personnel must have a current MRCA Personnel card. Any stock Contractor using personnel not having a current card may be fined. The fine will be equal to the cost of the personnel card and a fine for each person working the rodeo in an official position.

G. All membership cards must be purchased by June 1st to be eligible for current year finals.

H. Any member upon attaining the age of sixty (60) years or older having been a current member in good standing for a minimum of five (5) active years, just prior to their birthday will be eligible for gold card membership at the beginning of the new season following their birthday.

2. Annual dues shall be due December 31 for the following year.

3. Renewal dues shall become delinquent after December 31.

4. All officers and directors shall receive an honorary membership card while serving their term.

5. Any member under 21 years of age must have a notarized waiver on file with the MRCA Secretary.

6. Any person becoming a member of this Association shall comply with all of its rules and decisions, and shall be bound by same.

7. Full time Armed Service, High School Rodeo or N.I.R.A. members may compete at MRCA approved rodeos without a membership card, but may not compete at Finals unless they buy a card.
A. Proof of membership in the above listed groups will exempt the entry from the charge of a “local fee.”

8. Each contestant will be issued a “Buddy Pass” for every paid membership. The use of this “Buddy Pass” must be recognized by all rodeo committees.

9. All active contestants in the MRCA must send full information with black and white head shot by August 1, if requested.

10. Memberships can be sold at rodeos at secretaries option, with one dollar ($1.00) office charge added.

11. All members must show proof of residency in Missouri and valid Drivers License upon request. Only Missouri residents may have membership in the MRCA and will compete for year-end awards.

12. Place of Residence: For the purpose of the state, “place of residence” shall mean a locality in which the contestant maintains a regular physical presence and has, at a minimum, a dwelling unit where the contestant indefinitely keeps his personal effects and to which, whenever he is absent, he intends to frequently return and remain for undetermined periods of time. In determining whether a contestants place of residence is within Missouri the following factors shall be taken into account: (1) Location or place of employment, (2) Place where state and local income taxes are paid, (3) State and locality where motor vehicle registration is made, (4) State and locality where voter registration is maintained and (5) locality where residential property is owned or leased. Additional factors to be considered shall include but are not limited to : (a) Mailing address for federal income tax purposes, (b) State and locality where drivers license is obtained, (c) Places where bank accounts are obtained, (d) Places where local phone directory listings are maintained, (e) If married, place where spouse ( and minor children if any) live permanently, and (f) Place where real property taxes are paid. If challenged, the burden of proving place of residence and satisfaction of the state rule shall be upon the contestant, and the contestant shall have the responsibility to provide documentation and other evidence satisfactory to the MRCA to support by a preponderance of the evidence the contestant’s claimed place of residence as of the time dues are paid.

13. Any member requesting to have their membership cards replaced due to loss, misplacement, destroyed or a stolen current card will pay for the issuing of a new card. The cost of the replacement to be set by the board of directors.

MEETINGS

1. Director’s meetings shall be held each month during rodeo season, place to be designated by Board of Directors.

2. All officers except the President and Secretary have a vote, and the President will break ties. Field Representatives have no vote.

3. Special meetings may be called by the President or upon request of three (3) or more directors.

4. There shall be no alcoholic beverages used at any business meetings, directly before or during such meetings and at rodeos.

5. Directors meetings are open to any bona-fide member of MRCA, with no voice and no vote, but can be closed in cases of reviewing a suspension. An alternate may sit in on a meeting with no voice if the director is there, without vote and at their own expense.

6. Board members may appoint an alternate to represent them in a meeting. They will carry same vote and will receive expense, if given.

7. There shall be two (2) general membership meetings.

A. Fall Convention shall be for the purpose of electing officers, directors and reviewing proposed rule changes and general Association business.

B. Spring Convention shall be for the purpose of reviewing proposed rule changes and general Association business.

8. All decisions regarding rule adoptions, amendments or deletions must be approved by the Board of Directors before said rule shall take effect.

A. Rule changes must be submitted in writing to the Board 30 days prior to the Fall or Spring convention. It will then be voted on by the members at the general membership meeting.

B. All rule changes will take effect at the first rodeo after the Finals.

9. A member must be present at a meeting or a letter of acceptance must be in the office at the time of nomination to be nominated for officer or director, if not, nomination will not be accepted.

10. Directors and Officers shall have the privilege of drawing up on the day of a meeting.

11. A quorum must be present at all meetings which will be defined as:

A. Board of Directors: 50% plus 1 (Majority).

B. General membership: 10% of paid members.

FINES

1. Any member who breaks the rules shall be fined.

A. Anyone harassing, threatening, disturbing judges or trying to fix draw, will be subject to a $50.00 fine and if forcible attempt, i.e., pushing, shoving or striking judge, during or after the rodeo, there will be a 30 day suspension from competing in any MRCA Rodeo and all other MRCA events, effective immediately, or until he appears before the Board at a normal scheduled board meeting. Guilty party will be subject to fine and suspension immediately, and without written notification. Verbal notification by any secretary when calling to enter, or by MRCA Secretary, judging representative or officer is considered proper notification.

B. Any officer or rodeo official that is aware of any infraction pertaining to judging that does not turn guilty party in, will be subject to a $50.00 fine, subject to impartial Board of five (5) people.

C. Definition of people qualified to turn in for rule infraction would be any MRCA officer, judging representative, rodeo secretary, stock contractor, judge or anyone officially on rodeo committee.

D. Any member capable of being mounted and participating in Grand Entry may be fined twenty-five ($25.00) dollars for not doing so.

E. Long sleeve shirts rolled down and western hats must be worn at all times when in the arena. Twenty-five dollars ($25.00) fine for noncompliance.

F. If the above offenses are not taken care of within ten (10) days of notification by the Secretary, the members name shall appear on the suspended list. Exception would be rule 1A, which is immediate suspension.

G. Any member appearing on the suspended list will forfeit their points accumulated to that time.

2.   Any fine may be appealed to the Board of Directors.
A.    Any person appearing on the suspended list shall not have the right to appeal the payment of the imposed fees or fines incurred if they have remained on the suspended list for a period of six (6) months or longer from the date of the infraction.
B.    When making an appeal you must put the appeal in writing and send with a good cashable check, money order or cashiers check to the MRCA Secretary for consideration by the Board of Directors. This appeal to be sent to the MRCA Office postmarked within 10 days of the date of the notification. The fine money will be returned if and when the fine decision is overturned by the Board of Directors.

3. Any member who writes a bad check to the MRCA, a rodeo secretary, stock contractor, or rodeo committee for entry fees, cash or prize money in conjunction with an MRCA approved rodeo or any other MRCA event, or any such check to any business establishment in or near the town of and during the time of a MRCA approved rodeo or event will be subject to the following fines and penalties:

A. First Offense: $25.00 fine, plus amount of bad check, loss of “A” card status and ineligibility to compete in any MRCA rodeo or any other MRCA events following notification of the infraction until such time as the amount of the bad check and corresponding fine is paid in full.

B. Second Offense. $50.00 fine plus the amount of bad check and ineligibility to compete in any MRCA rodeo or any other MRCA events following notification of the infraction until such time as the amount of the bad check and corresponding fine is paid in full.

C. Third Offense. Ineligibility to compete in any MRCA event for a minimum of (30) thirty days following notification of the infraction, and for such longer period as the Board of Directors may determine appropriate. Any member suspended under this rule who wishes to be reinstated shall make application in writing to the Board of Directors within twenty days following notification of the infraction. A favorable majority vote by the Board of Directors shall be required for such member to be reinstated. Any expenses of special meetings requested by a member for the purpose of reinstatement shall be paid by the member.

4. Any member receiving overpayment of prize money must repay amount of overpayment within 10 days following notification or shall pay a $25.00 fine plus the amount of the overpayment and shall be ineligible to compete in any MRCA rodeo or any other MRCA event until the amount of the overpayment is paid in full. Members will be notified by certified letter.

5. Where a specific penalty is not fixed for the violation of the Articles, by-laws, or MRCA rules, the Board of Directors by majority vote, may issue a reprimand; impose a fine not to exceed $500.00; declare the member ineligible for a period of not more than five years or any combination of such penalties. In the event that the Board of Directors finds the conduct of the accused to be severely damaging to the MRCA, its members, the sport of rodeo, the Board of Directors, by three-fourths vote may expel such member from the MRCA indefinitely. Any member accused of an act or conduct for which he or she may be expelled shall be given the opportunity to have a hearing before the Board in which that member may have an opportunity to refute, deny, defend against, or oppose any and all charges.

6. Any member appearing on a suspended list will not be allowed to compete or participate in any fashion at any rodeo until suspension is cleared.

7. Any member receiving notice from an “Association Secretary” will abide by the notice. This applies to a rodeo whether it is MRCA first or second sanctioned.

POINT SYSTEM

1. This point system is set up solely to determine Association champions for each year.

2. There will be one (1) point awarded for each dollar ($1.00) won at MRCA approved rodeos in each of the nine (9) standard events. (This includes prize money and entry fees)

3. The high point winner in each of the nine (9) standard events will be named the champions. Cut-off date for points shall be no less than 14 (fourteen) days from the start of any rodeo until the completion of the State Finals.

4. The high point winner who has won points in two (2) or more events will be named the All-around Champion.

A. All Around Cowboy.

B. All Around Cowgirl.

5. Finals qualifiers in each event must compete in all go rounds at the finals in order to receive year end awards, unless excused by the Board of Directors.

6. Team Roping points will be allowed to the individual for highest placing in each go-round in all-around standings. All places will count in the team roping standings.

7. Rookies of the year. Rookies of the year will be a girl or boy under twenty-one years of age, or a first year contestant who is a “true rookie” in that event nominated by the event director, who in their first year of competition has won the most money.

8. In the event that a rodeo has a performance and one or more performances are canceled, the points for that rodeo will not count, excluding postponement.

9. A contestant cannot accumulate points towards the finals to qualify for the All Around in the Calf Roping and Breakaway Roping or in the Calf Roping and Over 40 Calf Roping. All points accumulated in each event will count in each events standings. Contestant must designate which of the events may qualify for All Around standings if qualified in other events. Designation to be at the beginning of the season.

10. A member will be placed on the suspended list if any fine, fees, or notification is not taken care of within 10 days of the notice. This will result in lose of accumulated points to that time. Points will not be given back after suspension is cleared. Points will begin as of the date the payment or suspension is cleared along with current membership.

11. Members that do not have membership renewed by December 31 will lose all accumulated points for the season to that point in time. Points will begin accumulating again upon proper renewal for the current year.

AWARDS

1. In the selection of top stock of the year, members may vote for stock only in events he/she works.

2. Each contractor eligible for the finals shall be eligible to have his event stock considered for Stock of the Year awards.

A. Awards will be given for best event stock of the year in each event.

B. Each contractor shall nominate one (1) animal from each of the rough stock events. An award will be given for best individual animal in each rough stock event.

C. Stock of the Year must buck at the Finals Rodeo in order to receive any Stock of the Year Awards. The exception to this rule would be a vet release or being excused by the Board of Directors.

3. Stock contractors and committee producing the best MRCA Straight Approved Rodeo of the Year, MRCA Co-Approved Rodeo of the Year with a large and small division (divisions to be at Board discretion), and New MRCA Rodeo of the Year will all receive awards. All rodeos must be first sanctioned MRCA to be eligible for awards.
A. To be eligible for “New MRCA Rodeo of the Year”, the rodeo committee/location may not have had an MRCA sanctioned rodeo in four (4) years previous.

4. Year-end awards for high point winners will be established yearly by the Board of Directors.

5. Year-end event high money rookies will be awarded a one (1) year association membership and a plaque recognizing their accomplishment.

6. The Overall Rookie Cowboy and Cowgirl will receive a trophy buckle. Overall Rookie defined as the Rookie Cowboy and the Rookie Cowgirl who wins the most money in their rookie season.

7. All voted in personnel and hired personnel for the MRCA finals will be issued a one (1) year personnel membership for the upcoming season.

8. All-Around awards will be presented to any contestant competing in two or more events throughout the season. Contestant must qualify in at least one event and compete at the finals to receive awards. Contestant must win a minimum of $500. in each event to qualify in all-around standings.

RODEO APPROVAL

1. To gain MRCA approval, a contractor must submit the Association rodeo approval form to MRCA Secretary at least forty-five (45) days prior to the first performance of that rodeo.

A. One hundred ($100.00) dollars must be added in each standard event except at winter rodeos, from October 1 to May 1, fifty ($50.00) dollars must be added.
B. Equal added money for each roper in the team roping at all rodeos. You may enter only 1 time in team roping.

C. All MRCA sanctioned or MRCA co-sanctioned rodeos must have all 9 of our standard events.
D. Standard events are listed below: Bareback Riding, Calf Roping, Breakaway Roping, Over 40 Calf Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Barrel Racing, Team Roping, and Bull Riding.