2009 Heartland ProRodeo Championships Dates: Oct. 9-17 (Steer roping championship on Oct. 13.) Location: Waco, Texas Arena: Heart O’ Texas Coliseum Payoff: $471,000 Field: Top 30 qualifiers (teams in team roping) in the Heartland ProRodeo Series standings as of Sept. 15. Schedule: Performances are 7 nightly (CT), except on Sunday, Oct. 11 when the rodeo begins at 4 p.m. (CT). Rodeo finals: 7 p.m. (CT) Oct. 17 Steer roping finals: Action begins 8 a.m. (CT) on Oct. 13 Livestock draw: (Will be available on Oct. 8) Stock Contractors list: Click here (.pdf) Contract personnel list: Click here (.pdf) Contestant list: Click here (.pdf) Steer roping contestant list: Click here (.pdf) About the series: Now finishing its second year, the Heartland ProRodeo Series consists of PRCA rodeos with committee purses of $30,000 or less. Money earned at those rodeos counts for the Heartland ProRodeo Series standings, with qualifiers advancing to the season-ending championship based on those standings. Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo Web site http://www.hotfair.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A loaded 30-man field will compete in the Heartland ProRodeo Steer Roping Finals Oct. 13 at the Heart O’ Texas Coliseum in Waco. Action begins at 8 a.m. (CT). The lineup includes defending Heartland champion Cash Myers of Athens, Texas. Myers will be roping against 18-time World Champion Guy Allen of Santa Anna, Texas, along with two-time and defending World Champion Scott Snedecor of Uvalde, Texas. Nine-time World Champion Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, also is competing in the Heartland Steer Roping Finals. In fact, the entire Top 15 in the PRCA Steer Roping World Standings are among the contestants in Waco, so expect plenty of heated competition.

Naming a favorite is next to impossible with all that top talent. However, Allen is among those with a lot to gain. He is in 18th place in the world standings, and the Top 15 in the world standings after Waco will advance to the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, Nov. 13-14, at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. Allen is about $1,900 from the 15th spot. Myers, 13th in the world standings, also has ambitions of moving up to ensure a sixth NFSR qualification. Snedecor, with $61,839, leads the world standings by about $12,000 over Rocky Patterson in the No. 2 spot. A total of $32,000 is up for grabs in Waco. The format features four rounds with an average winner and no finals.