IPRA Will Implement Instant Replay at IFR54

The IPRA will implement the Instant Replay Review Challenge for the International Finals Rodeo in January 2024.

IPRA Photo

The International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) has announced that the Instant Replay Review Challenge (IRRC) will be implemented in the upcoming International Finals Rodeo (IFR), scheduled for Jan, 11-14, 2024 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. This means that athletes participating in the IPRA's World Championship event will now have the opportunity to use the IRRC, which has been included in the IFR54 event Ground Rules.

According to IPRA General Manager Dale Yergian, "The IPRA believes that with advancements in media coverage and with this event having World Championship implications, it's time for us to lead into the future of rodeo." 

The IPRA will invest in additional equipment and cameras to provide better support to athletes and officials during the event.

Instant Replay Review is a common feature in sports leagues such as NFL, MLB, and NBA. However, it is not typical in rodeo and western sports events. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) were the first to introduce this concept in competition. In 2006, during the PBR World Finals, Luke Snyder challenged that he slapped Frontier Rodeo Company's Silent Angel during his ride. The call was reversed after a review, and Snyder was awarded a score of 80.50 for his effort. This was the first time Instant Replay Review Challenge was used in western sports.

In 2016, the now-dissolved Elite Rodeo Athletes (ERA) launched a televised tour that used the Instant Replay Review Challenge. This was the first tour or series of events in Rodeo to do so. Recently, in 2018, the World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) was launched, and Instant Replay Review Challenge was implemented for all events and televised rounds of competition.

"Instant Replay Review has been in practice consistently in rodeo since the WCRA launched. It's time we at IPRA use the tools already in place with our growing media coverage to get it right when we can," added Yergian. "Instant Replay does not solve every problem, but if it could help our athletes and officials, we have to act."