DODGE CITY, Kan. – Dollars make sense in rodeo.

Unlike other professional sports, cowboys and cowgirls do not receive guaranteed contracts. Contestants only earn money at rodeos by beating most of the field. On top of that, they cover their own traveling costs and pay a fee in order to compete.

Volunteers with Dodge City Roundup Rodeo recognize that and have made adjustments to the event’s portion of the purse in time for this year’s event, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 29-Sunday, Aug. 2, at Roundup Arena; Dodge City Xtreme Bulls is set for 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 28.

“We agreed to and raised our ‘added money’ to $30,000 per event, which is an increase of $6,500 each,” President Steve Deges said, noting that Roundup’s portion is mixed with contestants’ entry fees to make up the overall payout. “We also wanted to add $50,000 to our finals to celebrate our 50th anniversary, divided nine ways for each of the events, but the PRCA didn’t approve it.

“Our alternative was to pay each champion of the 2026 Dodge City Roundup Rodeo a $5,000 bonus, including steer roping to make that bonus for all 10 events. It’s our way of giving that money back to the contestants.”

It’s an incentive that officials hope will continue to drive contestants to town each summer.

“The way the format exists for rodeos with a short round is that $5,000 of the purse is set aside for that round in each event,” said Rod Swafford, a longtime Roundup director. “We wanted to make the short round pay around $10,000 per event. That would have been great for the contestants, but I think giving the bonuses to the winners is a good adjustment.”

While those bonuses won’t count toward the world standings, it offers a nice bounty to each event’s champion. With no guarantees, all travel and living expenses come out of the players’ pocket. It’s a far cry from other professional athletes, who receive millions in salary and bonuses, and all travel expenses are covered.

“With the price of diesel and the cost of life in general, it takes a lot more money to get up and down the road,” Deges said. “I think everyone is going to see that we are trying to help the contestants.”

That’s important. The economics of rodeo are changing. In most events, it took more than $100,000 in earnings to qualify for the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. It takes more to make more, so cowboys and cowgirls pay attention to the “added money” when it comes to entering specific rodeos.

These are big moves for the industry. Last year, six men left the NFR in Las Vegas with more than $500,000 in season earnings, led by all-around world champion Stetson Wright, who earned $941,429 riding broncs and bulls. He was $200,000 ahead of the No. 2 man in the all-around, Wacey Schalla, who rode bareback horses and bulls.

That’s why the Roundup committee has upped the ante with $115,000 in “added money” and bonuses for 2026. It’s a big step, one that is drawing attention.

“I love the ‘added money,’ and I love the short round there,” said Coleman Proctor, a nine-time NFR qualifier from Pryor, Oklahoma.