With The American Rodeo’s first regional qualifier quickly approaching, all eyes are turning to rodeo’s crown jewel, The American Rodeo Championship Weekend.
And the format that changed Western sports.
The countdown is on for one of the most electric showdowns in the industry. The 13th annual American Rodeo Championship Weekend returns to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on May 22–23, with more than $3.6 million in total prize money up for grabs.
Included in that purse is a massive $2 million Qualifier Bonus — formerly known as the Contender Bonus — which remains unclaimed following the 2025 edition. This life-changing payout is reserved exclusively for athletes who qualify through sanctioned events, regardless of professional experience.
In a highly lucrative and competitive setting, PRCA and WPRA athletes will face off against a field of determined qualifiers, competitors from all walks of life who earned their place on one of rodeo’s biggest stages through the qualification system.
With the first of three regional qualifiers set for April 10–11 in Lexington, Kentucky, here’s a breakdown of The American Rodeo’s qualification system and the opportunities it presents.
Who competes at The American Rodeo Championship Weekend?
The field is split into two groups: invited athletes and qualifiers.
The invited athletes include the top five athletes in the world standings in each discipline at the end of the 2025 season. These athletes have already secured their spots at one of Western sports’ most lucrative events.
Then come the qualifiers — the underdogs. These athletes earned their opportunities through a series of sanctioned events, each chasing a shot at the $2 million bonus.
Competitors advance to the regional qualifiers through wins at events such as the Resistol Rookie Roundup, Cody Johnson Championship Event and Rising Stars Breakaway, among many others. From there, they must find success at one of three regional qualifiers:
- Eastern Regional Qualifier — Lexington, Kentucky (April 10–11)
- Central Regional Qualifier — Oklahoma City (April 17–18)
- Western Regional Qualifier — Las Vegas (May 1–2)
Each regional includes all eight rodeo disciplines. The semifinals feature up to 125 athletes per event, including competitors advancing from qualifiers, athletes ranked No. 6–20 in the 2025 PRCA/WPRA world standings (with five seeded per region), and a limited number of direct buy-ins.
The finals, held during the Saturday night performance and televised nationally on FOX, feature the top 10 athletes from the semifinals, along with three advancing from the Redemption Round. Both rounds take place in the same venue on consecutive days.
More than $540,000 in prize money is guaranteed at the regional level. In total, 27 athletes leave the regional finals with $10,000 each before advancing to Globe Life Field.
Those who move on will compete head-to-head against the sport’s elite, the top five finishers from the 2025 PRCA/WPRA world standings in each discipline. That group includes athletes like eight-time world champion Stetson Wright (all-around, saddle bronc, bull riding), bareback riding champion Rocker Steiner, two-time barrel racing world champion Kassie Mowry and three-time tie-down roping world champion Riley Webb.
They’ll also have the exclusive opportunity to claim the $2 million Qualifier Bonus.
It all builds to one moment.
Mark your calendars for the regional qualifiers, where the final pieces of the roster will fall into place. From there, the focus shifts to the storylines that have been building all season, rising stars, seasoned veterans and the sport’s elite converging for one historic weekend.
The American Rodeo Championship Weekend returns May 22–23 at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, in the heart of Texas.