National Western kicks off new rodeo season

The first of the rodeošs 22 performances is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, in the Denver Coliseum. The 780 contestants, including the nine newly crowned world champions from the 2002 Wrangler NFR, will be competing for $466,340 in prize money.

In addition to being one of the highest-paying and most respected PRCA rodeos of the year, the National Western also serves as the first of 10 stops on the Winter Series of the PRCAšs ProRodeo Tour, where cowboys and WPRA cowgirls vie for Tour points. Following the winter series, only the top 12 contestants in each event qualify for the ProRodeo Tour Finale, June 12-14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The Tour round, scheduled for 2 p.m. (MST) Jan. 26, will feature the top 12 cowboys and cowgirls who had the best scores and times in the rodeošs earlier rounds. The Tour scoring system has been expanded for the 2003 ProRodeo Tours. Contestants now earn Tour points in every round of a rodeo that concludes with a Tour rodeo.

The contestant who wins the Tour round is that Tour stop's event champion. Previously, Tour points were only awarded to those in the Tour round.

The Tour round at Denver also kicks off the Outdoor Life Networkšs (OLN) coverage of the PRCA ProRodeo Tour and other big PRCA rodeos.

Last year, Trevor Brazile won the all-around and calf roping average titles in Denver, giving the Texan $12,838 and a quick jumpstart on the season. Brazile ultimately won his first world all-around title in 2002, besting roughstock hand Jesse Bail by $14,052.

Before Brazile will defend his titles, he will serve as grand marshal of the 20th Annual Downtown Denver Stock Show Parade. Festivities are scheduled to start at noon Jan. 14 at Union Station. The parade will continue down 17th Street and conclude with a barbeque lunch at the Wells Fargo Bank at 17th and Lincoln.