by Daryl McElroy
I would like to take this opportunity and wish each and every one of the TBRA followers a Happy New Year! As the 2016 rodeo season officially kicks off this week, I would like to give a little insight into the Texas Bronc Riders Association and what we have planned for our inaugural year. Over the last seven months, I have been asked a wide variety of questions: everything from “How will you help the sport?” to “Is this just a wannabe ERA?”
First, let me say that we are not trying to reinvent the wheel. We are working with multiple associations to help promote the sport of bronc riding. Over the next nine months we will be hosting or co-sanctioning 36+ events with a season finals that should be over the top! The TBRA is working hard to preserve the classic event of rodeo, while helping today’s youth gain the knowledge and skills from some of the top cowboys in the world for free.
We have teamed up with Cervi Rodeo Company and Ace High Roughstock Academy to offer free bronc riding schools during the summer of 2016 throughout the great state of Texas. We feel that if you want to encourage today’s youth to follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest rodeo cowboys, you need to provide them with the training and knowledge to do so.
The TBRA is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and operates with a zero payroll – all the work is done by volunteers! All monies that are generated from the sale of merchandise, memberships and events go toward the multiple scholarships that will be awarded to youth bronc riders across the state of Texas. We will also be holding a scholarship shootout that will take place during the TBRA finals. The top high school bronc riders from across the state of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana will compete for a “winner take all” match up in Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Ranch Bronc riding.
We have one additional hurdle to pass and then we can start posting the 2016 dates and sponsors. I can tell you this much: the first two stops of the 2016 year will be January 22 and 23 at the Stockyards Rodeo in the historic Fort Worth, Texas Stockyards and February 6th and 7th for the CPRA /TBRA in Bulverde, Texas.
So in short, “What is the TBRA?” Well we’re just a group of cowboys and cowgirls that want to make sure that the next generation of cowboys have a better shot than we did and we are going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
I’m looking forward to meeting everybody out on the trail this year, be safe and best of luck in 2016.
– Daryl McElroy
