Rules & Regulations

All contestants must be female. No membership is required to compete unless otherwise specified for a particular qualification pathway, sidepot, or partner program.

Contestants must qualify through an approved qualification pathway:

• Kimes VRQ Leaderboard
• Scottsdale First Chance Qualifier
• Coastal Qualifier
• Canadian Qualifier
• Oklahoma’s Richest Qualifier
• Scottsdale Last Chance Qualifier
• Buy Back Round
• Premier Women’s Rodeo Challenger

All entry fees and other required fees must be paid in full before a contestant may compete.

Contestants must remain in good standing with the Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway, CN Productions, its producers, and applicable qualification partners.

Contestants are responsible for confirming that their entry information, classification, horse information, and qualification status are correct before competing.

Contestants must wear their assigned or provided back number while competing. Failure to wear the assigned back number will result in disqualification.

Contestants must wear full western attire while competing. Unless otherwise announced, required attire includes:

• Western hat or approved protective helmet
• Long-sleeved western shirt
• Western jeans
• Western boots

Contestants must be mounted, prepared, and ready to compete when called. Failure to report when called may result in a no-time.

A contestant has a maximum of 25 seconds to complete a run.

The official time stops when the rope breaks away from the saddle horn.

Event officials may use flaggers, backup timing devices, or video review to confirm a time when necessary.

A contestant who breaks or beats the barrier will receive a 10-second penalty.

A designated judge may assess a 10-second penalty if the judge determines that the contestant clearly broke or beat the barrier.

Contestants may not rattle, strike, or manipulate chute gates, roping box gates, or barrier equipment.

The back arena gate will remain open during all breakaway roping competition.

A contestant may remain in the roping box for no more than 45 seconds after all of the following have occurred:

• The calf has been loaded
• The barrier has been pinned or properly set
• The arena has been cleared for competition

No outside assistance is permitted other than:

• One authorized calf pusher
• One roping box helper

The roping box helper may assist the contestant or horse before the contestant calls for the calf.

Once the contestant nods or calls for the calf, the helper must immediately release all contact with the contestant and horse.

Any prohibited assistance after the contestant calls for the calf may result in a no-time or disqualification.

No person may intentionally influence the horse, calf, barrier, chute, or contestant during a run.

Contestants are permitted **one loop only**.

A dropped loop is considered a throw.

No second loop or additional throw is allowed. Once the contestant has made one cast of the rope, the run is complete.

Any attempt to throw a second loop will result in a no-time.

A bell-collar catch is mandatory for a qualified time.

The legality of the catch will be determined based on the position of the loop at the moment the rope breaks away from the saddle horn.

To be considered a legal bell-collar catch:

1. The loop must pass completely over the calf’s head.
2. No appendage may remain inside the loop.
3. The loop must be above the calf’s knees.
4. The loop must be in front of the calf’s hip bones.
5. The loop must draw tight around the calf.
6. The loop must cause the approved breakaway string to break from the saddle horn.

Contestants must use the breakaway string supplied or approved by event management.

Nylon string will be used unless event officials determine that cotton string or another approved string is necessary.

Contestants may not alter, weaken, replace, or manipulate the approved breakaway string.

An approved flag or marker must be attached to the end of the rope secured to the saddle horn. The flag must be clearly visible to the designated official or timing system.

Contestants may not break the rope or breakaway string from the saddle horn by hand.

Any equipment determined to be altered, unsafe, or noncompliant may result in a no-time or disqualification.

If a calf ducks back before the score line, falls down before the score line, or fails to break the neck rope at no fault of the contestant, the contestant will receive an automatic penalty-free rerun.

If a contestant is fouled by the neck rope on the calf, the contestant will receive a rerun.

If the contestant breaks the barrier during this situation, the contestant will have a 10-second penalty applied to the rerun option, and a lap-and-tap start will be used.

Event officials and judges will determine whether circumstances warrant a rerun. Their decision is final.

Livestock will be chute-run or selected through a random draw based on the event’s approved stock-draw procedure.

The stock draw will be conducted under the supervision of event management, arena officials, or designated judges.

If an animal is removed from competition for health, safety, or performance reasons, event officials will determine the appropriate replacement or rerun procedure.

Decisions regarding livestock suitability and removal are final.

All livestock and horses must be handled according to professional rodeo animal-welfare standards.

Contestants must maintain reasonable control of their horses and equipment.

Excessive jerking, striking, whipping, spurring, or other mistreatment of an animal is prohibited.

Contestants may not intentionally injure, endanger, or mistreat livestock, horses, or other animals.

A judge or event official may immediately stop a run when animal welfare or safety is at risk.

Any contestant found to have abused or mistreated an animal may receive any, some, or all of the following:

• A warning
• A no-time
• Removal from the go-round
• Disqualification from the event
• Forfeiture of earnings
• Suspension from future events

Serious animal abuse may result in immediate disqualification without warning.

Professional and sportsmanlike conduct is required in and out of the arena.

The following conduct may result in penalties or disqualification:

• Abusive or threatening behavior
• Harassment of contestants, staff, volunteers, officials, or spectators
• Intentional interference with another contestant
• Altering equipment or official results
• Misrepresentation of eligibility or qualification status
• Refusal to follow the instructions of an official
• Conduct that creates a safety risk
• Conduct deemed detrimental to the event

Cheating or attempting to gain an unfair competitive advantage will result in immediate disqualification.

Disqualification may include forfeiture of entry fees, positions, points, qualification berths, and prize money.

All Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway Roping management and judges have the right to issue an automatic disqualification for misconduct in or out of the arena.

Instant Replay Review will be in effect during the Million Dollar Breakaway Roping 10-Round Finals.

An Instant Replay Review Request may be made only by:

1. A Million Dollar Breakaway Finalist Contestant
2. The contestant’s designated helper
3. An official Million Dollar Breakaway judge

Review requests must be made immediately.

All reviews will be evaluated by two official judges.

The judges’ decision following review is final.

An official judge retains the right to decline a review request.

Stall cancellations and entry changes will be accepted until the published deadline.

Entries or stalls canceled before the applicable deadline will be eligible for a refund in accordance with the published refund policy.

Late approved changes may be subject to the following fees:

• $50 for approved online changes
• $100 for approved on-site changes

Event management reserves the right to deny changes submitted after the published deadline.

Contestants must comply with reasonable interview, awards, autograph, media, and promotional obligations communicated by event management.

Contestants are expected to cooperate with reasonable requests associated with event production, awards presentations, interviews, and promotional activities.

Contestants must comply with the instructions of event management, judges, arena officials, and other designated event personnel.

Judges and event officials have the authority to assess penalties, award reruns, issue no-times, stop runs, or disqualify contestants when permitted under these rules.

Decisions made by event management and designated judges regarding competition matters, livestock, penalties, reruns, equipment, and contestant conduct are final.

The Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway reserves the right to amend, clarify, interpret, or supplement these rules when necessary.

Any material changes will be communicated to contestants before the affected competition whenever reasonably possible.

Event-specific ground rules, contestant communications, posted notices, and instructions issued during contestant meetings will be considered part of the official rules.

When an event-specific rule conflicts with this document, the event-specific rule published or announced by Million Dollar Breakaway management will govern.