PATRICK SCHMIEDT Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Monday, June 11, 2007 12:00 am
Kalli Collins knows the end of her goat tying career is not far away.
Although Collins is only a sophomore at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, she's completely aware that her sport will come to an end - most likely at the College National Finals Rodeo in two years.
It's a tough concept to accept, not only for Collins but for most of the nation's best goat tyers.
"You put so many years into it," Collins said. "It's a sport that's really addicting. It's so unique that you almost fall in love with it."
After college rodeo, though, goat tyer's options are as limited as the options of the goat waiting for the tether.
And as a whole, women have fewer opportunities in professional rodeo than their male counterparts.
Goat tying and breakaway roping - both part of this week's CNFR - are not sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, which oversees almost all aspects of professional rodeo in the United States.
Even barrel racing, the showcase event in women's professional rodeo, has tenuous ties its pro lifelines.
The Women's Professional Rodeo Association, which had been the organizing and sanctioning body for professional barrel racing, is currently in litigation with the PRCA. The PRCA established its own barrel-racing subdivision, Professional Women's Barrel Racing, in 2006, essentially ending the need for the WPRA's role with the PRCA.
Barrel racing is the only women's event that is part of the lucrative National Finals Rodeo, the sport's showcase event. Meanwhile, women's professional rodeo does exist, but it is much more abbreviated in its national profile and payoffs than its male counterpart.
For example, the Women's National Finals Rodeo has a total purse of about $50,000. The NFR pays more than $5 million - a total figure that includes barrel racing.
"I think if you're in the rodeo world, you just kind of know that," Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College competitor TaNaye Carroll said. " … The women's professional association has never made a splash like the PRCA, for whatever reason."
Despite any disparities, rodeo's women understand the gender framework of professional rodeo well before they enter the collegiate arena. Changing rodeo's traditions in the name of gender equity is not what most competitors want to do.
"When you're 5 or 6 (years old) watching the NFR and see women are only going in barrel racing, you kind of accept that," said Wyoming's Kayla Nelson, the defending national champion in goat tying. "For me, I don't even have an option of going to the NFR."
At minimum, women's place in college rodeo is secure. National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Commissioner John Smith said there are no plans to eliminate any of the women's rodeo events. However, there has been no discussion on adding any events, either.
Coincidentally, women's reduced role in professional rodeo has actually been a positive for some competitors. Rather than attempting to chase the glorified dreams surrounding pro rodeo, many women use rodeo as a way to attend college and gain an invaluable education.
Kirby Eppert, the defending women's all-around champion, said she has noticed women taking a greater interest in the academic end of college than her male rodeo counterparts.
"They're planners," Eppert said of rodeo's women competitors. "They think about the future. … 'This is what I have to do now to make it 10 years down the road, and to next week.'"
Collins is one of several goat tyers that has expressed an interest in running goat tying camps, clinics or private lessons. It's their way to stay involved with a sport that despite its limited opportunities, remains a lifetime live.
"For me, it's always going to be part of my life," Collins said. "This is just the competition phase."
Contact sports reporter Patrick Schmiedt at (307) 266-0615 or patrick.schmiedt@casperstartribune.net
Women have fewer and fewer options the longer they stay involved in rodeo. While at the high school level, women have almost as many opportunities as men, the disparity between genders is clearly obvious at the professional level (number of events in parentheses).
National High School Rodeo Association
Boys (7): Bareback bronc riding, bull riding, cutting, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie down roping.
Girls (6): Barrel racing, breakaway roping, cutting, goat tying, pole bending, team roping.
National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
Men (6): Bareback bronc riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie down roping.
Women (4): Barrel racing, breakaway roping, goat tying, team roping.
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Men (7): Bareback bronc riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer roping, steer wrestling, team roping, tie down roping.
Women (1): Barrel racing. Women's pro rodeo exists in other events, but in a much more abbreviated form than the men's events.