The PRCA Patch Program: Understanding the purpose, guidelines, and history of the PRCA Patch Program and what it does for professional rodeo athletes.
Have you ever looked at a rodeo cowboy or cowgirl in the arena and noticed all the colorful patches on their shirts? Maybe you've seen the Wright brothers in their infamous blue shirts with different sponsors displayed from sleeve to sleeve. This is all thanks to the PRCA Patch Program!
What is the Patch Program?
The Patch Program allows professional rodeo athletes to be sponsored as individuals and offers a form of representation to those sponsors.
Any athlete planning to compete in a PRCA sanctioned event is required to register all patches with the patch program. The patch program is not limited, however, to only the contestants; this also includes but is not limited to contestants (including permit members), contract personnel, clowns/barrelmen, pickup men, specialty acts, rodeo committees, and stock contractors who have full membership.
To be approved, athletes must submit an application for each individual sponsor that will have a patch. According to the Official 2024 PRCA Rulebook, any and all individuals who intend to enter a competition arena or special event that is sanctioned or approved by the PRCA, and refuses to comply with the Patch Rules, may be denied participation and/or entry, and is liable to be removed from the PRCA event. Any individual who violates these rules is also subject to be fined!
1st Offense: $1,000
2nd Offense: $2,000
3rd Offense: $4,000 PLUS a 2-year exclusion from the patch sponsorship program.
4th + Offense: DISQUALIFICATION
Additionally to this, any contestant, or individual listed previously, that is participating in the National Finals Rodeo and/or National Finals Steer Roping is requireed to wear a PRCA logo patch while at the rodeo arena and during competition on their competition shirt placket between the second and third button from the top or approximately centered on the front top third of their competition vest. (Yes! It really is that specific, even down to the measurements!)
It is also important to note that these patch rules do not apply to any Canadian Professional Rodeo Association athletes competing in Canada unless those rodeos are also sanctioned by the PRCA as a part of any tour or the Maple Leaf Circuit Rodeos.
To learn more in detail about the PRCA Patch program, including the designated locations these patches can be worn, visit the link below!
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