6 | College National Finals Rodeo JUNE 2024
direCTors
nira
T
he NIRA is the governing body of college rodeo. One of the primary goals of the
NIRA is to establish and maintain standards for conducting intercollegiate rodeo
competition. It seeks to promote intercollegiate rodeo on a national scale by
bringing national recognition as an organized and standard collegiate sport and to promote
interest, understanding and appreciation, and vigilance over Western life and culture. NIRA
student members are offered the opportunity to bring national recognition to their colleges
and universities through rodeo competition.
The NIRA is divided into 11 regions with over 125 colleges and universities having a
recognized rodeo organization on their campus. Many other colleges and universities that
do not have rodeo clubs are represented by independent members. Members compete in
approximately 10 rodeos a year trying to earn a trip to the College National Finals Rodeo.
For general information, email info@collegerodeo.com.
Membership Requirements
To be considered for membership in the NIRA a student must be attending a college or
university listed in the current publication of Accredited Institutions of Post Secondary
Education.
The student must be in good standing while taking at least 12 academic credit hours (nine
of which are passed credits) each term and maintaining a 2.0 grade point average at all
times.
A student has six years of eligibility from the date of high school graduation to purchase
four NIRA membership cards. In the case of GED certification the contestant's 18th birthday
is used as the beginning eligibility date. Contestants compete in saddle bronc, bareback,
bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping
and goat tying.
If you have any eligibility questions or would like to request a membership application,
please contact the national office at 509-529-4402.
Jim Dewey Brown
NIRA Commissioner
Sarah Neely
Director of
Public Relations & Administration
Josilyn
Fullerton
Membership Director
