Permit Holder Advice

Several guys have filled their permits recently and have asked my opinion on whether they should get their cards now or wait and run for the rookie award next year.   We’ve had some great rookie of the year winners in the past but the thing you need to remember is that only one person can win it each year and that person has to:#1:  get in some good rodeos and
#2: stay relatively healthy.   If you convert to a card now it will cost you another $250.  Ranch Headquarters can fax you a form for you to sign and get notarized… you fax it back—they give you a new number and presto—you’re ready to roll.   EXCEPT… there may be few places to roll since you probably aren’t going to make the qualification percentages.   Most likely the places you can get in—you’ll probably get in with a permit anyway.

An advantage to converting now is that you can write checks for your entry fees.    And people won’t spit on you and stuff.

Unless you live in a circuit which just doesn’t take many permits generally my advice is if you fill after June you may as well wait. 

Any money you win on your permit will count toward next year’s qualifications and this year’s circuit finals.   You can actually start rodeoing on your new card October 1.  To get that done you’ll want to have all your paperwork into Ranch Headquarters and have them paid two weeks prior to that.   For the guys who do convert prior to that there is a glitch in the computer whereby when it goes to figuring the qualficiations next season it will only see the money you won as a card holder.  The money you won on your permit will count but you’ll need to tell PROCOM (I guess) every time you enter.  It would be good to maybe drop them a note as soon as you convert.

As for making the qualification percentages for Denver, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston, this year to make the World % it took:

Denver: $12,950… Fort Worth $9,838…. San Antonio $7,901… and Houston $21,590.   If those rodeos are in your circuit you’re probably going to make it in on the circuit percentage if you convert now or wait until October.   We also take a small percentage from the new year’s standings (check with Procom but I think it’s still money won up to 14 days prior to entry opening except at Houston which is money won up to entry close time) at those rodeos and this year it took:   Denver: $212   Fort Worth:$137   San Antonio: $133  and Houston: $2,195.    For a new guy or old guys who have been hurt who want to get a jump on making the quals going to everything in the new season in November and December is a good strategy.  Just a couple of day monies might get you into two huge rodeos.  If you can get in some rodeos in January it might help you make it into Houston.   January can be tough unless you get lucky and get in on the random draw.   That can be slim pickings at rodeos with 50-60 contestant limits.   With such a big NFR qualifier turn over they often eat up a lot of the random holes with NFR exemptions. 

Otherwise, for a guy who doesn’t live where there are some big rodeos early in the year that he’ll likely get in on the permit money you won this year—if that guy really wants to run for the NFR next year—he’s going to have to get his card right now and hit the road.  He’s going to have to really go the extra mile trying to find rodeos that he can get in.   It’s going to be expensive and you’re going to have to win another $10,000-$12,000 in the few months.   That’s a hard thing to do at the size of rodeos you’re going to get in ($1,000 added).

CARD HOLDERS:  To qualify for an injury exemption you can’t have ENTERED 20 rodeos the previous year and have been out at least 6 months (don’t have to be consecutive months).  Two weeks prior to entry opening PROCOM will need a letter from you stating that you’re applying for an injury exemption and stating that you didn’t enter 20 rodeos (they check)… and a letter from a doctor stating the nature of you injury and that you were out at least 6 months  (they also sometimes call the doctors).   If you are granted an injury exemption they will go back to your previous year’s earnings.  Therefore if you’re a card holder just getting healthy and you had a lot won last year (at least enough to make the big rodeo quals), it might be smart to not enter 20 rodeos, get your exemption, and be ready to roll next season.   Be aware that you have to tell the operator you are entering as an injury exempt EVERY TIME you enter a rodeo.   So do all other exemptions.  

Hope this helps.   You have any questions you can E Mail me at the website.

Bryan McDonald
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