Entry System

[roper09]

After dealing with the cpra and its central entry system, that would be the worst thing for the upra. The people on the rsn are difficult to deal with and not helpful, they have screwed up entries many times for me and friends of mine. I know of many people that didn't get entered last weekend just because the rsn told them they didn't have enough for a slack and then ended up having. Whereas the individual secretaries usually know how many they have to have or can be able to talk to the stock contracter to see if he will take the slack. Also you still have to sit on the phone to call them, i have sat on the phone for hours trying to get into them to enter the rodeos. I have also dealt with the tcra entry system and i know many of the tcra members dislike having a central entry as well, because of the tcra's system the fees are different at every rodeo for example on of me fees over the fourth were $138, because of all the special fees that charge. But, the tcras are done by the main secretary which is better than the rsn because they know how the rodeos should run. I don't want to see a great association like the upra go to something like that.

[jhill]

After dealing with the cpra and its central entry system, that would be the worst thing for the upra. The people on the rsn are difficult to deal with and not helpful, they have screwed up entries many times for me and friends of mine. I know of many people that didn't get entered last weekend just because the rsn told them they didn't have enough for a slack and then ended up having. Whereas the individual secretaries usually know how many they have to have or can be able to talk to the stock contracter to see if he will take the slack. Also you still have to sit on the phone to call them, i have sat on the phone for hours trying to get into them to enter the rodeos. I have also dealt with the tcra entry system and i know many of the tcra members dislike having a central entry as well, because of the tcra's system the fees are different at every rodeo for example on of me fees over the fourth were $138, because of all the special fees that charge. But, the tcras are done by the main secretary which is better than the rsn because they know how the rodeos should run. I don't want to see a great association like the upra go to something like that.

Excellent Post roper09

As I sit here Monday night working on the agenda for tomorrow nights UPRA Board Meeting, I'm placing this back on the agenda, I thought we were headed to working out a solution however that has yet to materialize. I can tell everyone the phone has started to a lot with people offering solutions; we just need to find something that will work for everyone.

Jerry P.

[bellebottom]

There have been a lot of different things tried with many associations to fix the entry problems. Being on the phone is very frustrating especially if you can only go a certain way because you have entered other rodeos. I had thought at one time that the times could be split up for events. Such as calf ropers, bull doggers and team ropers call in at certain times, barrel racers and break a way ropers, then rough stock. And say if a calf roper calls and and is married to a barrel racer they can enter their spouse during their call in. But we have so many people that haul together and do multiple events this would be hard as well. Going to the Rodeo Sports Network would be a bad choice. I have dealt with them with the Tri State Rodeo Association, LRCA, and the CPRA. They are not very friendly or helpful. Plus it cost more to enter. I think that would be a bad choice for the UPRA. The only way I would do this would be if Becky took all the entries and we had a few more lines and had a couple of girls that could take entries. I am aware from being on the board though that there are some secretaries that like to take their own entries. But if we had a central office at the UPRA office and had three lines, I think it might could work. One Becky is good at taking entries and knows how to work with contractors and contestants. The girls or guys that help will know what's going on because they will be in one office. That would be worth paying more in my opinion. Even if you added 3.00 more dollars to each entry you could pay each person a 1.00 an entry. On an average rodeo they could make 250.00 or more. Not bad for a nights work answering phones. This is just an idea. It would help with getting through and things would be smoother. Another advantage to the office doing it would be if there or 2 rodeos that every year we know everybody tries to make the same night, those books could be at the same time and when we enter you would know right then which one you could go to during and which one after instead of entering one then hoping the other worked out like you needed. Just an idea. I know the board had been talking about this for several years and they want to make the right choice for the contestants and the secretaries and contractors.

[sandy]

I would love to see a Central Entry
System in place. I made 70 phone calls in a row for the last rodeo I entered. I'm sure others have made as many or more. I don't feel right asking others to call in for me very often as everyone works or is busy. Whatever it takes, I'm in.

[acherron]

There's nothing more frustrating then calling and calling and calling and never getting in and then the books are closed. I wanted slack and I'm just a barrel racer so when I called the next day to enter I was given "sorry books are closed.... period." Honestly that's not good business. I don't make UPRA rodeos a must for me because I HATE the way this association takes entries. If I were calling into a system that 1. at least gave me a conformation #, and 2. didn't tell me "absolutely not" for a slack run when I literally couldn't get through the phone line then I will make it more of a preference to enter this assocations rodeos. I enter CPRA because you get a conformation number and if you don't happen to get in I've been able to call the next day and get in the slack. I've called in before for a UPRA rodeo and when the day sheets are up find that my names not even on the draw. When there's no conformation # there's absolutely nothing you can do if they secretary doesn't want to take your entry. Thankfully when this has happened to me they've added me in the draw. I have no idea what would happen if someone in another event had that happen, because of the animals the contractor has to bring. Barrel racing is easy. No stock to haul for us. I'm a polite person so I've never had a problem w/ the RSN entry girls. I didn't get ugly w/ the secretary that told me no for the UPRA rodeo either. I think the way you handle yourself towards any secretary is a big indicator on how you will get treated back. I know there have been times I've entered and the person on the other side doesn't sound like they're in the greatest mood. Main thing is I don't take it personally. Bottom line is the current system is HORRIBLE.