LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assoc. (PRCA) is the highest-paying American rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions professional rodeos in 37 states and three Canadian provinces.

At each PRCA rodeo there are seven sanctioned events where cowboys can earn money and points for a good ride. Besides saddle bronc and steer wrestling, there are bareback riding, team roping, tie-down roping, women’s barrel racing and bull riding.

Marilyn Knutson began her involvement in rodeo with some breakaway roping and pole bending events back in high school. After college, although she stopped competing she became a member of the PRCA and began traveling with some girls from back home who were into barrel racing.

From then on, the extent of Knutson’s rodeo riding was when she carried a flag at the grand entry of the opening ceremonies. In 1977 Knutson was ready to try out for the Miss Rodeo Minnesota title when someone asked if she would become the secretary of the Great Lakes Pro Rodeo Circuit.

"In December of 1977 I got a call that said I had been recommended to take over the position of what they called the circuit secretary," she said. "Well, I jumped in with both feet, I guess."

In fact, it was Knutson who made the first phone calls in 1979 to North American International Live-stock Expo officials to initiate the Great Lakes Circuit Rodeo Final, which has been in Louisville during the Expo ever since.

The PRCA actually developed the rodeo circuit system in 1975 as a means of helping rodeo cowboys and cowgirls who could not devote every day to rodeo events across the country, so they could qualify for the prestigious National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December. The new Circuit System allowed so-called "weekend warriors" to have rodeo season finals in which they could qualify in order to earn money and glory.

For a rider to compete in the PRCA Circuit System Finals they must choose a home region, called a circuit, in which to compete. Each region consists of a number of states, although some such as California and Texas are one-state circuits.

The Great Lakes Circuit, for example, with its final in Louisville, consists of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Kentucky.

Circuit riders compete at sanctioned rodeos within their own region for money and points at any events of their own choosing. The top point-earners in a circuit are invited to compete in the regional finals, called circuit finals. Next, the top point winners at each of the regional finals earn a berth at the big show, called the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR).

All that said, there are a few full-time rodeo stars who ride in a circuit final and compete in the RNCFR finals, as well as qualify for the premier NFR championship event. Knutson said, "We do have people going to the NFR that will also be at the Great Lakes Circuit Finals. They have done both; they have gone to enough circuit rodeos to qualify, but they have also traveled more and manipulated (full-time) schedules."

She said at this time in the standing there is a bareback rider, a bull rider and a steer wrestler who will compete at both PRCA finals. The 36th annual Great Lakes Circuit Finals Rodeo will take place at Freedom Hall on the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville, Nov. 13-15. Tickets are on sale to the public through Ticketmaster. To learn more, visit http://glcprorodeo.com/newsletter.html