WCRA DY EXPANDS OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH RODEO ATHLETES AND OFFERS TOP HAND BONUS AT THSRA STATE FINALS
The World Champions Rodeo Alliance Division Youth (WCRA DY) is bringing a new opportunity to the Texas High School Rodeo Association (THSRA) State Finals with the Top Hand Bonus, rewarding top athletes with cash prizes and VRQ (Virtual Rodeo Qualifier) Bucks. The top ten competitors will have a chance to walk out of Taylor Telecom Arena with their part of a $10,000 cash payday and $2,500 in VRQ Bucks.
To be eligible for the Top Hand Bonus, athletes must:
- Nominate Segment DY25 in the VRQ before the first round of competition
- Select the disciplines they want to be considered for.
- Nominate multiple disciplines to increase their chances of securing the bonus.
Nominating with WCRA, an athlete’s performances are tracked through the VRQ system, allowing them to earn leaderboard points and qualify for WCRA DY events, where they can compete for substantial cash payouts and championship titles.
The THSRA Finals Top Hand Bonus will reward the top 10 athletes with cash prizes and VRQ Bucks. The Top Hand Champion will take home a one-time $5,000 bonus, while the runner-up secures $3,000 and third place earns $2,000. In addition to these cash prizes, fourth place will receive $1,000 in VRQ Bucks, fifth place will earn $500 in VRQ Bucks, and those finishing in sixth through tenth place will each be awarded $200 in VRQ Bucks to use toward future nominations.
VRQ Bucks are redeemable towards the purchase of Nominations with WCRA. When you nominate, they are redeemed on the WCRA App on the pay screen.
The 2025 WCRA DY season features two major events where athletes can earn big money and world titles. The $55,000 CEAT Rodeo Corpus Christi Division Youth Showcase will take place on May 6, 2025, at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. This event will feature the top eight athletes from each discipline on the DY Junior Leaderboard as of April 10. Athletes can qualify by nominating in the VRQ and accumulating leaderboard points. The champion of the event will earn $2,000, $1,500 will be awarded to second place, $1,000 to third place, and $500 to fourth place.
The Cinch World Championship Junior Rodeo Presented by Montana Silversmiths returns to Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, from July 22-26, 2025, with an estimated $400,000 payout, including $215,000 in guaranteed added money. The event will feature both Junior and Youth Divisions, with the Junior Division offering up to $15,000 per discipline in added money and the Youth Division offering $5,000 per discipline. In addition, $56,000 in bonus payouts will be awarded to competitors, including World Champion, Event Champion, and JR Ironman bonuses.
The World Championship Junior Rodeo is open to athletes ages 13-19 in the Junior Division and13-15 in the Youth Division. Competitors must be 13 to nominate through the VRQ by June 22, 2025, to earn leaderboard points toward the DY World Championship bonus payout. Early bird entry opens on March 17 with a $100 discount on each entry. Open entry is available for any athlete age 10 and above.
The THSRA State Finals will be held June 5-14 at the Taylor Telecom Arena in Abilene, Texas, bringing together the top high school rodeo athletes from across the state for an action-packed week of competition.
Since its inception in 2019, WCRA DY has awarded nearly $1 million in new money to youth rodeo athletes.
