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THE AMERICAN Challenges Tie-Down
World Champions to a Head-to-Head Competition for a Chance to Compete for Biggest
Payout in Western Sports History
Eight-time World Champion, Joe Beaver and
Eight-time World Champion,
Fred Whitfield challenged to
duke it out for a chance at the $2 million payout.
OMAHA,
Neb. –RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN,
presented by Polaris RANGER has issued
a challenge to Eight-time World Champion, Joe Beaver and Eight-time World
Champion, Fred Whitfield to compete for the exemption spot at RFD-TV’s THE
AMERICAN Semifinals on February 21-23, 2014. The cowboy who wins will earn his
spot in the tie-down roping event on March 2 at RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN,
presented by Polaris RANGER, at
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It will be a two-head match, one on
Saturday and one on Sunday night of the semifinals. The exemption winner will compete against the
current greatest tie down ropers in the world, including 2013 World Champion
Shane Hanchey, 2009 World Champion Trevor Brazile, 2012 World Champion Tuf
Cooper and 2007 World Champion Cody Ohl for the tie-down roping title for THE
AMERICAN.
The winner of the tie-down
roping match up will be the fourth athlete awarded one of the limited
exemptions. Two-time PBR World Champion Justin McBride was recently given the
spot for bull riding, seven-time World Champion Dan Mortensen was awarded his
in the saddle bronc competition and eleven-time World Champion Charmayne James
was awarded hers in the barrel racing competition. Additional exemptions will
be announced in the coming weeks.
Beaver began his career in
1985 at the age of twenty where he entered the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
(WNFR) as the youngest tie-down roper, and won the world champion title. He won
that title again in 1987, 1988, 1992 and 1993. Beaver won the All-Around World
Champion title in 1995, 1996 and 2000. In 2000, he was inducted to the Pro
Rodeo Hall of Fame, and up until 2006 was the PRCA all-time career earnings
leader.
Whitfield has remained a
strong force in the rodeo world since he joined the PRCA in 1989, becoming PRCA
Rookie of the Year in 1990. In July 2011, Whitfield became the third cowboy in
PRCA history to cross the $3 million mark in career earnings. He won the PRCA
championship titles in tie-down roping in 1991 and again in 1995, 1996, 1999,
2000, 2002 and 2005. In 1999, he won the All-Around World Champion title. In 2004, he was inducted in into the
Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame for tie-down roping. He is also an accomplished author, in 2013, he penned the
autobiography Gold Buckles Don’t Lie: The
Untold Tale of Fred Whitfield.
“It would be a huge honor for
THE AMERICAN Semi-Finals to have two of the world’s greatest tie-down ropers
ever compete for an exemption spot at THE AMERICAN. I hope Joe and Fred will accept
this offer because if you are a rodeo fan, it just doesn’t get any better and
both have always shined when they are under the spotlight”, said Randy Bernard, Rural Media Group President
and CEO. “This rodeo is about the fans and elevating western sports by showing
off the extreme level of athleticism these cowboys and cowgirls bring to the
arena.”
THE AMERICAN semifinals will
be an exciting 3 days with athletes competing for their shot at the $2 million
payout. If accepted, the match between two Pro Rodeo Hall of Famers is sure to
be an exciting addition.
The top five winners from the
semifinals will compete against the top 10 athletes from the PBR World Final
standings and WNFR final world standings. Tickets for THE AMERICAN Semifinals
in Mesquite, Texas, February 21-23, 2014 range from $14 to $30 and can be
purchased at the Mesquite Arena’s box office and at americanrodeo.com
RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN Rodeo
will be held on March 2, 2014 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It is
the richest rodeo in the history of western sports with a $2 million payout.
RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN,
presented by Polaris RANGER is being
closely coordinated with PBR’s Iron Cowboy V, which will take place on March 1,
2014 at AT&T Stadium. Combined, the events are expected to bring more than
100,000 fans and participants to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Tickets for RFD-TV’s THE
AMERICAN, presented by Polaris RANGER, and
the Iron Cowboy V are on sale at the AT&T Stadium Box Office, all
Ticketmaster locations and at americanrodeo.com. Prices
for each event range from $20 to $150, not including taxes.
###
Notes to Editors:
About
RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN Presented by Polaris RANGER:
Taking place at Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium on
March 2, 2014, with an estimated attendance of 75,000, RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN
Presented by Polaris RANGER is the
single largest 1-day cash prize event in the entire history of rodeo. With
$2-million on the line, the best athletes in the world will be gathering in
Dallas to compete in one epic day of raw rodeo will, skill and power. THE
AMERICAN is inviting the top 10 athletes in each of the traditional rodeo
sports as well as the top 10 from the PBR. The top 10 bull riding
contestants will be invited after the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, and the
remainder of the primary rodeo sports contenders, will be determined after the
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In addition to the 10 invites, THE
AMERICAN will make five additional spots available for any rodeo athlete in the
world through five regional qualifiers. If one of those athletes goes on to win
their respective event at THE AMERICAN they will split an additional bonus pool
of $1-million dollars in prize money. With the help of broadcast partners and
sponsors, RFD-TV will be broadcasting the event LIVE on the day, helping to
bring the totality of this defining western sports experience to a wide
national audience. For more information, please visit: www.americanrodeo.com and www.RFDTV.com.
Follow us on Twitter @RFDTVAMERICAN and on find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RFDTVTheAMERICAN
About Rural Media Group, Inc. (RMG): Rural Media Group, Inc. is the world’s leading provider of multimedia
content dedicated to the rural and western lifestyle. RMG is the parent company of RFD-TV,
FamilyNet, RURAL TV, RURAL RADIO on SiriusXM channel 80, RFD-TV the Magazine
and RFD-TV the Theatre. RFD-TV, the flagship network for RMG, launched in
December 2000. RFD-TV is the nation’s
first 24-hour television network dedicated to serving the needs and interests
of rural America with programming focused on agriculture, equine and the rural
lifestyle, along with traditional country music and entertainment. RMG acquired
FamilyNet, America’s trusted entertainment network dedicated to providing
wholesome and responsible viewing choices for today’s diverse family.
RURAL TV produces rural business news covering commodity markets for both cash
and futures. Daily productions include Market Day Report and the Rural Evening
News. RMG networks are distributed into more than 63-million homes worldwide by
DBS, telco and cable systems including DISH Network, DIRECTV®,
Comcast, Verizon FiOS TV, AT&T U-Verse, Mediacom, Charter, Optimum,
Brighthouse, Suddenlink, Time Warner, Cox, and more than 600 independent rural
cable systems. RFD-TV The Magazine is the print programming guide for the networks, which has attracted
over 180,000 paid subscribers. RFD-TV The Theatre is a 2000 capacity
soft seat venue in Branson, MO where entertainment programming is
produced. Corporate headquarters are in
Omaha, NE, and production operations are in Nashville, TN. For more
information, visit www.rfdtv.com, www.myruraltv.com, and www.familynet.com. Follow us on Twitter and
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