"Rodeo Bucks 101" Will Lasso Native Cowpokes Into Better Managing Their Winnings

LONGMONT, Colorado (October 20, 2016) – Earlier this year, Navajo Team Roper Derrick Begay pocketed a cool $100,000 for a first-place finish at The American Rodeo in Arlington, Texas. In many ways, rodeo is more than just a sport. It’s also income for competitors and families. First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) will be teaming up with partners on November 9, 2016, to help rodeo families learn more about managing their prize money.

In partnership with Chief Dull Knife College and People’s Partner for Community Development, First Nations and the Indian National Finals Rodeo Association will host a special event for junior contestants at the 2016 Indian National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada. A fun and engaging learning experience, the “Rodeo Bucks 101” financial skills workshop will empower rodeo teens to better manage their prize winnings.

“I see great value in this workshop,” said Bo Vocu, president of the Indian National Finals Rodeo Association (INFR). “INFR is the largest and oldest Indian rodeo organization in the world. We sanction nearly 700 rodeos annually, drawing competitors from all over the U.S. and Canada. We offer more than a million dollars in prize money every year. Many of our young cowboys and cowgirls earn sizeable sums. They need to understand that there’s a business side to this sport, and financial management plays a big part in that.”

Sharon Small (Northern Cheyenne) won a top INFR prize (All-Around Cowgirl) while a college student in Laramie, Wyoming. Rodeo helped pay for her education and today she’s the executive director of People’s Partner for Community Development, a community development financial institution (CDFI) in Lame Deer, Montana.

“I never received much guidance with my winnings when I competed,” explained the former champion who came up with the idea for a financial skills workshop for rodeo youth. “My husband is also a former champion and our kids do rodeo, too. We hit about 50 rodeos a year and I see a huge need to educate rodeo families on the ins and outs of personal finance and asset-building.”

First Nations will provide the 1.5-hour interactive workshop with assistance from financial skills trainer Shawn Spruce and staff from People’s Partner for Community Development. Topics include budgeting and saving, avoiding financial fraud, and paying taxes on prize money.

“We’re thrilled to partner with INFR and First Nations,” said Chief Dull Knife College Extension Service Director Henry Thompson. “The rodeo is a fantastic opportunity to reach Native youth and their families and share the message of financial empowerment.”

"Rodeo Bucks 101" will take place on November 9, 2016, at the South Point Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2016 Indian National Finals Rodeo runs from November 8-12, 2016. For more information, contact Tommy Robinson at People’s Partner for Community Development, (406) 477-6215 x 190 or tbr@peoplespartner.org.

About First Nations Development Institute

For 36 years, using a three-pronged strategy of educating grassroots practitioners, advocating for systemic change, and capitalizing Indian communities, First Nations has been working to restore Native American control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own – be they land, human potential, cultural heritage or natural resources – and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native American communities. First Nations serves Native American communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.firstnations.org.