Colorado Springs, CO - September 19, 2006 – The Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), one of the oldest, organized women’s professional sports organizations in the country announced today it has filed for a Preliminary Injunction with respect to the creation of a competing barrel racing subsidiary by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Inc. (PRCA).
The complaint was filed in Federal District Court in Denver and alleges that the PRCA violated federal antitrust law and Colorado state law in connection with the formation of its barrel racing subsidiary.
On August 17, 2006, the WPRA received a surprise letter from the PRCA, stating it was creating a women’s professional barrel racing association as a subsidiary to the PRCA. In effect, the PRCA created this subsidiary to steal WPRA members and put the only independent professional women’s rodeo association in America out of business.
The WPRA immediately requested clarification from the PRCA of the rules for this new subsidiary. To date, the PRCA has not responded directly to the WPRA. To show good faith, the WPRA Board sent a letter to the PRCA on August 22, offering a condition of status quo for the 2007 season and the formation of a committee comprised of three Board members of each Association to reach a long-term solution. This suggestion of compromise was also rejected by the PRCA.
"This is all about a men’s organization trying to take the power, control and money away from a women’s organization." said Jymmy Kay Davis, President of the WPRA. "For almost sixty years, we have been protecting the rights of women barrel racers. Now that the WPRA has more than two thousand members and sanctions more than six hundred barrel races a year, representing total pay-offs of more than $5 million – the PRCA wants to take over women’s professional barrel racing. I find it ridiculous that a cowboys' association run by men, think that they can do a better job than the WPRA of promoting and protecting our women athletes.”
About the WPRA
The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association is one of the oldest, organized women’s professional sports organizations in the country. Founded in 1948 in San Angelo, Texas by a group of thirty-eight ladies, the primary purpose of the original Girls Rodeo Association was to give women legitimate, honest opportunities to compete in rodeo events.
In its inaugural year the GRA had seventy-four members and held sixty events across the country.
The GRA changed its name to the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association in 1981. Its purpose remained the same: to protect and promote women in professional rodeo competition.. Throughout its history, the WPRA and its members have fought for equal rights within the rodeo world. Today, the WPRA has more than two thousand members and sanctions more than six hundred barrel races a year, representing total pay-offs of more than $5 million.
