Canadian Cowboys Association
The Canadian Cowboys Association (CCA) was founded in 1963, and as it was stated in its first newsletter, strives to “make a winner out of every cowboy. Its purpose is to see that he gets a fair shake –the winning will have to be done by his ability and his luck.”Back in 1963, the CCA started out with 60 members, and sanctioned 15 rodeos its first season. The very first rodeo approval went to the Sandhill Roping Club in Lancer, Saskatchewan. Things were a little different back then. There was a$5.00 entry fee, rodeo entries were taken the night before the performance, and the total purse winnings were $200.00.

Year after year the Canadian Cowboys Association grew, with rodeos springing up throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and one U.S. state. It wasn’t until 2005, when the Canadian Cowboys Association expanded into Ontario with an exciting new tour of rodeos, that it became the largest geographical rodeo Association in Canada.Today, the Canadian Cowboys Association has grown to be the largest semi-pro rodeo association in Canada. Sanctioning over 50 rodeos with memberships rising to over 900, the CCA now runs its rodeos throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Southwestern Ontario.

Annually, the CCA sanctions more rodeos than anyother association, pro or semi-pro. It is estimated that just the sport of rodeo, in Canada alone, is attended by more than 1.3 million people nationwide, with the CCA recording over 250,000 attendees at both their sanctioned rodeos throughout the rodeo season, and at the CCA Finals Rodeo in October.

The Canadian Cowboys Association Finals Rodeo is held in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, bringing in over 15,000 spectators to the venue each year.

One goal of the CCA is to promote the sport of rodeo to new members, the public and the sports media. The Canadian Cowboys Association has been a majorstepping stone for the careers of many professional Canadian Finals Rodeo and National Finals Rodeo Champions. The CCA wants to continue to offer the next generation of rodeo competitors a place to compete, to prepare them for their move to the professional arena.

The Canadian Cowboys Association office is located in Regina, Saskatchewan. It employs a number of people to administer the Association’s business, and run its central entry system. which looks after the entries for all CCA sanctioned rodeos. The Board of Directors consists of competing members, judges, stock contractors, and committee personnel, giving them all a vested interest in the long-term direction of the Association.

This year, check out the CCA Rodeo schedule. You are almost guaranteed that at some point this summer you will be in the vicinity to take part in some of the best family entertainment you will find. Check the schedule on our website or in our Bi-monthly newspaper, Rodeo News.