A month ago right now, the opening round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo was in top form in Las Vegas.

Now I’m already thinking of the next major championship event, the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, set for March 31-April 4 at State Fair Arena (or Jim Norick Arena) in Oklahoma City. It will feature the top to contestants in each event from each of the 12 circuits, and it will decide the national champions in the circuit system of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

It’ll be nice to return to my old stomping grounds. I worked in Oklahoma for eight years, six in the state’s capital city for its largest newspaper. It’s nice to see the PRCA championships returning to the area, which hosted the NFR for many years and still hosts some outstanding Western championships — from the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping to the International Finals Rodeo to the AQHA World Show to the USTRC National Finals of Team Roping, just to name a few.

People around Oklahoma City know their rodeo, and they seem to treat it like a wine connoisseur does his drink — they only want the very best. The national circuit finals will bring that.

Now we need to make sure the fans get to see it.