FORT WORTH, Texas — Premier Women’s Rodeo (PWR) is excited to announce that pole bending will officially join the competitive lineup at the 2027 PWR Championship, taking place May 13–16, 2027, at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas.
The addition of pole bending aligns with PWR’s mission to expand opportunities for women in rodeo, diversify competition, and continue growing participation across the sport. As the organization continues to evolve, the addition of another discipline represents a significant step forward in showcasing the full spectrum of elite women’s western sports.
PWR currently features competition in breakaway roping, barrel racing, team roping, goat tying, ranch bronc riding, and bull riding. The addition of pole bending further strengthens PWR by creating more competitive opportunities for female athletes and expanding the pathway to compete on one of women’s rodeo’s biggest stages.
Pole bending is one of rodeo’s premier timed events, demanding exceptional speed, agility, horsemanship, and precision. Fans can expect to watch the world’s top horse-and-rider combinations navigate the iconic six-pole pattern while competing for their share of the championship purse.
“The addition of pole bending represents exactly where Premier Women’s Rodeo is headed,” said PWR Commissioner Linsay Rosser Sumpter. “Our mission is to continue expanding opportunities for women by creating a championship that represents more of the incredible talent across our industry. Every new discipline we add opens another door for deserving athletes and builds a more inclusive home for cowgirls who are passionate about competing at the highest level.”
Athletes will begin qualifying for the inaugural PWR Pole Bending Showcase through the Virtual Rodeo Qualifier (VRQ) beginning July 1, 2026.
Competitors may nominate approved pole bending events through the VRQ platform to earn points toward qualification. As with PWR’s existing disciplines, nominated performances throughout the qualifying season will count toward earning an invitation to the PWR Championship.
Athletes interested in competing for a spot at the 2027 PWR Championship must first purchase a 2027 PWR ID Card through NextGen before nominating eligible pole bending events at vrqapp.com. Nominated performances earn points toward PWR Championship qualification. To learn more about the nomination process and how points are earned, visit: https://www.premierwomensrodeo.com/how-points-work/.
Additional qualifying details, approved event information, and the official Pole Bending Showcase format will be announced in the coming weeks through PWR’s official communication channels.
About PWR (Premier Women’s Rodeo)
PWR is a new women’s rodeo brand owned and operated by PBR – the global leader in bull riding and part of TKO – built to become the premier business and competitive platform in women’s rodeo. A rebirth of the Women’s Rodeo Championships, which launched the Women’s Rodeo World Championship in 2020, PWR brings proven momentum, having paid nearly $4.5 million to women athletes, delivered the highest-rated rodeo telecast in history on CBS, and produced the richest women’s rodeo event in the world with $1.25 million in payouts in 2025. PWR is the only all-women, multi-discipline championship featuring Breakaway Roping, Barrel Racing, Team Roping, and Goat Tying, with equal payouts across disciplines and a tiered Pro, Challenger, and Limited classification system that creates true competitive parity and accessibility for athletes ages 13 and up. Through year-round qualification via the Virtual Rodeo Qualifier, championship competition in iconic venues like AT&T Stadium alongside the PBR World Finals, and national broadcast exposure, PWR removes traditional barriers while leveraging PBR’s unmatched marketing, media, and storytelling power to build star athletes and elevate women’s rodeo to a mainstream sports audience.
For More Information Contact –
Brittany Rader – PWR – brittany.rader@pbr.com
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