When the Cowboy Chanel aired the live announcement of the NFR Playoff Series Governor’s Cup in late 2022 about the event set to pay $1 million across eight events in 2023, barrel racers had questions—we have answers.

What is the NFR Playoff Series?

For a full rundown of the NFR Playoff Series, click here.

First thing’s first. The NFR Playoff Series is the most recent incarnation of what has been known by various names in recent years, but was called the ProRodeo Tour in 2021. Standings are kept throughout the season and there is a championship event at the end of the year.

According to the WPRA, these are the remaining rodeos in the 2023 Playoff tour.

How do athletes accumulate points?

NFR Playoff Series standings are points based. There are three levels of points based upon the total purse money of a given rodeo.

•      Top Tier —more than $650,000 total purse
•      Middle Tier — between $649,999 and $325,000
•      Bottom Tier — less than $324,999

Points are distributed to each rodeo down to 40th place based on the fastest time or highest score. For rodeos with multiple rounds, the points are calculated based on the average. Tournament rodeos are more complicated, but points are assigned based on how far each competitor advanced through the tournament.

Get all the scoop on points here.

What is different in 2023 with the Playoff Series?

The 2022 NFR Playoff Finale took place in Puyallup, Washington. You can read about the event format and Margo Crowther’s 2022 domination here. In 2023, the PRCA announced that the top 24 athletes from the 2023 NFR Playoff Series will compete in Puyallup at the Washington State Fair on the weekend of September 7-10. But that isn’t the close of the Playoff Series, like it was in 2022.

Enter…..Sioux Falls Governor’s Cup

After Puyallup, the barrel racers who finish in the top four in Puyallup will meet up with the top eight in the 2023 WPRA Playoff Series standings (on the year) and head to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for the 2023 Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup.

What is the Governor’s Cup, and why does it matter?

The Governor’s Cup takes place September 28-30, 2023 and offers a payout across eight events of $1 million.

The close of the PRCA and WPRA regular seasons is September 30. That means that the following massive payouts will hit during the final days of the season and it will have an impact on who makes the National Finals Rodeo in December as the buzzer sounds.

Governor’s Cup Format

The Governor’s Cup will allow the 12 qualifying contestants to compete in rounds one and two of competition.

Those rounds will have the following current and unofficial projected payout from the PRCA.:

1. $12,099
2. $9,166
3. $6,599
4. $4,399
5. $2,566
6. $1,833

After the first two full rounds, the top eight barrel racers on two runs will advance to Saturday’s round. In Saturday’s clean-slate round, the top four fastest times will advance to a four-man short round. The four-man shootout round wil pay the following amounts as the current and unofficial projected payout from the PRCA.

1. $16,355
2. $12,266
3. $8,177
4. $4,008

Here’s the NFR Playoff Series standings as of August 3, 2023 by points and number of rodeos attended (source: WPRA.com).

Comparatively, here’s how the WPRA world standings are shaping up as of August 08, 2023.

BarrelRacing.com will continue covering the NFR Playoff Series standings and will provide more information on Puyallup and Sioux Falls as concrete information becomes available from the PRCA and WPRA.