30 Years Strong: Building a Crisis Fund, a Championship, and a Community
The American cowboy has long been the symbol of hard work, self-reliance and a deep connection to the land. Yet for years, the true working ranch cowboys—the men and women who tend to the livestock, steward the land, and keep the tradition alive—didn’t have a body to represent them. That all changed in 1995 with the founding of the Working Ranch Cowboys Association (WRCA), dedicated to preserving the lifestyle of the working ranch cowboy and providing support for ranching families in need.
Humble Beginnings
The idea behind WRCA was conceived in the heart of Amarillo, Texas, when famed cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell had a conversation with eventual founders Gary Morton, Randy Whipple, and other ranchers about the need for a crisis fund to assist working ranch cowboys and their families. Life’s curveballs are often amplified on ranches, where occupational wrecks, natural disasters, and rural distances can leave families particularly vulnerable.
“If somebody’s needing help, we’d have a crisis fund,” Mitchell explained. “But how were we going to make money to make this crisis fund?” The answer, they decided, was to hold a ranch rodeo that would both celebrate the skills of working cowboys and raise funds for a foundation dedicated to helping those hit by an unexpected misfortune.
“There was no association like ours,” Morton said. “That first year, we did everything on a shoestring. We raised the money ourselves and pulled off that first rodeo. It worked. And it’s been working since.”
Mission: Accomplished
WRCA’s mission is straightforward: to promote ranching and preserve the lifestyle of the working ranch cowboy. Through its events and outreach efforts, WRCA ensures that the cowboy way of life remains relevant and thriving in a society that is increasingly disconnected from where its food comes from and from the people who make that food possible.
The pinnacle of WRCA’s efforts is the annual World Championship Ranch Rodeo, held every November in Amarillo. This year, the event, taking place Nov. 13-16, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. To qualify for the championship, ranch teams must compete in WRCA-sanctioned ranch rodeos held across the country. The teams who punch their ticket to the big show compete in ranch bronc, stray gathering, team penning, team branding, and the fan-favorite wild cow milking for the ultimate bragging rights.
As for spectators, the World Championship is an unparalleled opportunity to watch the best hands in the game, enjoy authentic Western tunes, shop an incredible variety of cowboy wares, and experience the camaraderie of the friendliest fans there are.
“I like to say it’s a family reunion,” Morton said. “You may not have met the family yet, but we’re all family.”
A Hand Up
All the rodeo fun and fanfare have a greater mission: supporting the WRCA Foundation, the benevolent arm of the association. The mission of the WRCA Foundation is to provide financial and other assistance to working ranch cowboys and their immediate families who are suffering from significant hardships.
As WRCA Foundation Manager Kaycee Hooper explained, “You never know when you ride off if you’re going to be home for dinner or calling from an emergency room wondering how you’re going to pay for everything. We’re supposed to be there for people, and that is what the Foundation is about. That’s the cowboy way, to always help your neighbor when needed.”
To date, the Foundation has given “a hand up, not a hand out” of nearly $6 million to cattle ranching families from Florida to California and everywhere in between. Those funds have helped purchase wheelchair-accessible vehicles, funded transportation for routine long-haul hospital visits and helped families start over after devastating natural disasters.
The organization also awards multi-year scholarships to cowboys and their immediate family members for collegiate, trade or vocational programs.
In 2025, the WRCA Foundation reached a milestone, awarding 81 scholarships totaling approximately $127,000 for the 2025-2026 academic year—the highest number of scholarships in its history. These scholarships help students from cattle ranching backgrounds pursue their educational dreams, ensuring that the future of ranching is in good hands.
WRCA has come a long way since its founding in 1995. What started as a small rodeo to raise funds for a crisis fund has grown into an organization that touches the lives of cattle ranching families across the country.
WRCA’s work is more than just rodeo; it’s about community, support and ensuring that the cowboy way of life endures for future generations.
“This tradition is worth hanging on to,” Mitchell said. “This tradition tells us who we are, who we should be and who we can be, and that’s pretty good for a tradition, ain’t it?”
—WRCA—