The Lincoln County Rodeo Association, Inc. (Wisconsin River Pro Rodeo) would like to announce that they have been awarded the prestigious honor of being selected as the Small Committee of the Year (added money of $5,000 or less) by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) for 2017.

Winning for the second time in the Small Rodeo Committee of the Year is the Wisconsin River Pro Rodeo (Merrill). They last won the award in 2011. There are 572 rodeos’ in 3 categories, small, medium, and large based on the added purse money provided by the rodeo that compete for these awards.  Since our category is the largest, it makes it tougher to win awards.  According to the WPRA, there are 467 Small Rodeos, 48 Medium Rodeos, and 57 Large Rodeos. What makes us stand out from the other rodeos?  According to Margo Ransom, Circuit Director for the Great Lakes Circuit, it’s our friendliness, our hospitality, and the way we maintain our grounds, from the arena to the parking area.  Contestants feel comfortable in Merrill because of the way we treat them. Knowing that our contestants spend a lot of time on the road, we want our contestants to feel at home and try to provided them with anything they need from home-cooked meals to feed and bedding for their animals.

Association President, Bryan Bloch had this to say about the award; We are honored to accept this award at the WPRA Star Banquet this December out in Las Vegas.  It is a tribute to the work our all-volunteer committee, volunteers, and the community put into making this rodeo happen.  We would also like to thank our sponsors, fans, and contestants for making this all possible.

The Wisconsin River Pro Rodeo is a professional rodeo sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA). We are entering our 30^th year of bringing quality, family entertainment to central and northern Wisconsin.  Join us June 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th, 2018 at the Merrill Festival Grounds for another great weekend of family entertainment.

For more information on our rodeo, go to our website www.wrpr.org, follow us on Facebook, or call the Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce 715.536.9474. You can also contact Bryan Bloch, 715.257.7645 bryanbloch@hotmail.com