The American Semi-Finals Now a $1 Million Rodeo

November 09, 2016 01:20 PM
12441267-g.jpg

November, 9, 2016

The showdown in Cowtown Coliseum just got more exciting as RFD-TV Events president and founder Patrick Gottsch announced $500,000 in added money to the Semi-Finals for RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN, bringing the total money up for grabs to $1,000,000. This unprecedented announcement makes the Semi-Finals the richest rodeo in the history of Cowtown Coliseum – the oldest indoor events arena for rodeo in the United States. The movement of the money from the Finals to the Semi-Finals comes at the request of the cowboys and cowgirls after RFD-TV originally added the $500,000 to the “side pot” at The American. The $1,000,000 rodeo, along with a weeklong celebration of military, western lifestyle, and the cowboy culture in the FanZone will make the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards the center of the western world in mid-February.

Held February 14-17th in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards, more than 600 qualifiers will attempt to make it to AT&T Stadium where they have a chance to rope or ride for the $1,000,000 “side pot” by winning one of seven events, as they have in years past. With this announcement, big money will be won before they take the big stage. For example, it is expected that in excess of $300,000 will be paid in Barrel Racing at the Semi-Finals.

“We are proud to expand the prize money in the Semi-Finals as further evidence of RFD-TV’s commitment to take payouts to a whole new territory for the cowboys and cowgirls at every skill level,” stated Patrick Gottsch, Founder & President of RFD-TV’s The American. “Putting one-million into the purse money for the Semi-Finals will be the basis for a very exciting week of competition here in the Fort Worth Stockyards, while establishing the first new marquee annual event in support of the development now taking place in this historic district.”

The payout schedule, listed below will not only pay more overall money, but it will also pay deeper into the contestant pool. Athletes will be paid for their place in slack and their place in each performance, in addition to their place in the Shootout round.

“This addition eliminates the instance of any barrel race qualifier ever going into the American Rodeo/AT&T Stadium without ever winning a check,” said Better Barrel Racing co-founder and CEO, Robin Hoffman. “The more places and the bigger the checks are at the Semi-Finals the more it proves RFD-TV’s commitment to the success of the qualifier contestants. There isn’t another barrel racing opportunity where our contestants can compete for a chance at $1.3 Million in a single five-day per period.”

“We’ve come a long way since 1949 when the top paycheck was $179 in the Bull Riding. This will be the richest Rodeo ever held in the Historic Cowtown Coliseum in its 108 year history,” said Hub Baker, Executive Director of Cowtown Coliseum and Producer of the Stockyards Championship Rodeo. “We are pleased and honored to welcome the American Semi-Finals back to the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards. We are dedicated to preserving the sport of Rodeo and look forward to hosting the American Semi-Finals for many years to come.”

Payout Schedule

Barrel Racing:

  • Slack Round (38% of total barrel racing purse):
  • Places 1-20 pay a percentage of entry fees (14%, 11%, 9%, 7.7%, 7%, 6.5%, 6%, 5.5%, 5%, 4.5%, 4%, 3.7%, 3.3%, 2.9%, 2.5%, 2.1%, 1.7%, 1.4%, 1.2%, 1%)
  • Places 21 – 40 pay $750/each.
  • Performance Round (12% of total barrel racing purse): Each performance (3) pays places 1-5 a percentage of entry fees (30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%).
  • Shootout Round (50% of total barrel racing purse): Places 1-10 pay a percentage of entry fees (29%, 16%, 13%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%).


Team Roping:

  • Slack Round 1 (15% of total team roping purse): Places 1-10 pay a percentage of entry fees (24%, 15%, 12%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%)
  • Slack Round 2 (15% of total team roping purse): Places 1-10 pay a percentage of entry fees (24%, 15%, 12%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%)
  • Average Round 1 and 2 (13.5% of total team roping purse): Places 1-8 pay a percentage of entry fees (30%, 19%, 13%, 11%, 9%, 8%, 6%, 4%)
  • Championship Round (56.5% of total team roping purse): Places 1-10 pay a percentage of entry fees (24%, 15%, 12%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%)

Tie-Down Roping:

  • Slack (20% of total tie-down roping purse):
  • Places 1-10 pay a percentage of entry fees (29%, 16%, 13%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%)
  • Places 11-20 pay $500/each
  • Performance 1 (6% of total tie-down roping purse): Places 1-6 pay a percentage of entry fees (30%, 23%, 18%, 14%, 9%, 6%)
  • Performance 2 (6% of total tie-down roping purse): Places 1-6 pay a percentage of entry fees (30%, 23%, 18%, 14%, 9%, 6%)
  • Finals Round (48% of total tie-down roping purse): Places 1-10 pay a percentage of entry fees (33%, 22%, 15%, 8%, 7%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%)

Steer Wrestling:

  • Slack (20% of total steer wrestling purse):
  • Places 1-10 pay a percentage of entry fees (29%, 16%, 13%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%)
  • Places 11-20 pay $500/each
  • Performance 1 (6% of total steer wrestling purse): Places 1-6 pay a percentage of entry fees (30%, 23%, 18%, 14%, 9%, 6%)
  • Performance 2 (6% of total steer wrestling purse): Places 1-6 pay a percentage of entry fees (30%, 23%, 18%, 14%, 9%, 6%)
  • Finals Round (48% of total steer wrestling purse): Places 1-10 pay a percentage of entry fees (33%, 22%, 15%, 8%, 7%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%)

Bareback:

  • Performance 1 (15% of total bareback purse): Places 1-4 pay a percentage of entry fees (40%, 30%, 20%, 10%)
  • Performance 2 (15% of total bareback purse): Places 1-4 pay a percentage of entry fees (40%, 30%, 20%, 10%)
  • Two head average (55% of total bareback purse):
  • Places 1-5 pay a percentage of entry fees (35%, 27%, 18%, 12%, 8%)
  • Places 6-10 pay $375/each

Saddle Bronc:

  • Performance 1 (15% of total saddle bronc purse): Places 1-4 pay a percentage of entry fees (40%, 30%, 20%, 10%)
  • Performance 2 (15% of total saddle bronc purse): Places 1-4 pay a percentage of entry fees (40%, 30%, 20%, 10%)
  • Two head average (55% of total saddle bronc purse):
  • Places 1-5 pay a percentage of entry fees (35%, 27%, 18%, 12%, 8%)
  • Places 6-10 pay $375/each