Day 1 results from the 2022 National Finals Breakaway Roping presented by Teton Ridge is in the books, and the top 15 breakaway ropers brought the heat to the South Point Arena. 

Round 1: Monster’s Back

Taylor Munsell was back aboard her grade, bay gelding known as “Monster,” and looked as comfortable as ever right from the start. 

On “The Breakdown”: “It is What it is. Let’s Run Another One.” —Taylor Munsell discusses how she battled back from team roping injuries to become one of the top breakaway ropers in the world.

“Yeah, Monster gives me a little confidence,” Munsell said. “He was the most important key to my day today, and my whole career. I was really excited to ride him here. He deserves to be here.” 

Munsell took the lessons learned in her 2021 NFBR—where she aimed for the aggregate and fought her head—and decided to put a new plan to the test in 2022.  

“I was like, ‘Heck, I’m going to go try to win the first round and get on a heater for the rest of the rounds; and, if I don’t win the first round, I know I’m going to win one of the next nine,’” Munsell said. 

It worked to the tune of 2.3 seconds for the Alva, Okahoma, native, and was followed by two solid placings for Munsell and total earnings of $8,408 on Day 1. 

NFBR Round 1 Results:

1. Taylor Munsell, 2.3 seconds, $5,080.08
2. Shelby Boisjoli, 2.6 seconds, $4,204.20
3. Erin Johnson, 2.8 seconds, $3,328.33
4. Cadee Williams, 2.9 seconds, $2,452.45
5. Jordi Edens, 3.0 seconds, $1,576.58
6. Beau Peterson, 3.1 seconds, $875.88

Rounds 2 and 3: Fulton’s Upset

In the second round, four cowgirls were locked in a tie at the top of the leaderboard with 2.2-second runs. That is, until Samantha Fulton—the last cowgirl in the round—backed into the corner. Fulton turned in a 2.0-second run and took her victory lip with an ear-to-ear grin. 

“I decided to go for it,” Fulton said. “I drew two good calves, made two good runs and it worked out.” 

Read: Samantha Fulton and CY Christensen Win the 2022 Badlands Circuit

She returned in the third round to drop the flag at 2.1 seconds and add another $5,080 check to her stack. At the bottom of the third round results, Cheyanne Guillory snagged a check and prepared to make her fourth-round move. 

NFBR Round 2 Results:

1. Samantha Fulton, 2.0 seconds, $5,080.08 
2/3/4/5. Martha Angelone, 4.4 seconds, $2,890.39
2/3/4/5. Taylor Munsell, 4.4 seconds, $2,890.39
2/3/4/5. Shelby Boisjoli, 4.4 seconds, $2,890.39
2/3/4/5. Josie Conner, 4.4 seconds, $2,890.39
6. Joey Williams, 2.3 seconds, $876.00

NFBR Round 3 Results:

1. Samantha Fulton, 2.1 seconds, $5,080.08
2. Shelby Boisjoli, 2.2, $4,204.20
3/4. Lari Dee Guy, 2.3, $2,890.00
3/4. Rickie Engesser, 2.3, $2,890.00
5. Joey Williams, 2.4, $1,576.58
6. Cheyanne Guillory, 2.5 $875.88

Round 4: New Horse, New Hardware

Round 4 got salty. Period. 

Three 2.3-second runs were sitting on the board beneath a 2.1-second run by Joey Williams. Then., Cheyanne Guillory backed in the box and made a nearly flawless 2.0-second run that cashed her second check of the finals at $5,080, bringing her day earnings up to $5,955. 

Guillory made a major change just before the NFBR—she’s got new horsepower beneath her. Making adjustments each round helped Guillory work her way from the outside looking in to No. 1 on the payout sheet.

“I rode a new horse today that I’d probably taken to about six jackpots before this,” Guillory said. “The first two runs I just knocked them down. I just wanted to be solid in the average, but I got a little closer to the barrier and was 2.5 in the third round. I nailed the barrier in the fourth round and felt a lot more confident coming across there and I had a really good calf.”

NFBR Round 4 Results:

1. Cheyanne Guillory, 2.0 seconds, $5,080.08
2. Joey Williams, 2.1 seconds, $4,204.20
3/4/5. Beau Peterson, 2.3 seconds, $2,452
3/4/5. J.J. Hampton, 2.3 seconds, $2,452
3/4/5. Josie Conner, 2.3 seconds, $2,452
6/7. Martha Angelone, 2.4 seconds, $2,452
6/7. Taylor Munsell, 2.4 seconds, $2,452

Round 5: Team Rickie Gets Rowdy 

If there’s one thing that can be counted on, it’s that Rickie Engesser comes out swinging—hard— when the big money’s on the line. The talk of the back number ceremony was Engesser’s win in Greeley, Colorado, where she jumped on her young horse, Copper, and roped a calf that ducked hard to the left with a missile of a delivery.

For Vegas, Engesser decided to get on her faithful “Rollo,” but nearly switched things up after posting two no-times in the first and fourth rounds. 

“I’m glad I stuck it out,” Engesser said.

Engesser’s friends and family took up their own section in the South Point Arena. Their bright yellow shirts and boisterous cheering lightened the mood in the arena each time Engesser backed in the box, and they had her smiling and confident by Round 5, even with two misses on the books.

“I am so blessed with the family that I have and everyone in it,” Engesser said. “They’re not afraid to yell and cheer no matter how you do. They’re one of my biggest blessings and it makes going out there and roping even more fun. Yeah, I want it for myself, but I want it for them, too.” 

Round 5: Rickie Engesser

Round 5 Results:

1. Rickie Engesser, 2.1 seconds, $5,080.08
2/3. Shelby Boisjoli, 2.2 seconds, $3,766
2/3. Jordi Edens, 2.2 seconds, $3,766
4. Cadee Williams, 2.4 seconds, $2,452
5/6. Josie Conner, 2.6 seconds, $1,226
5/6. Lari Dee Guy, 2.6 seconds, $1,226

Aggregate Watch: Onna’s On

Shelby Boisjoli got No Wimpy turns, her 2015 mare she calls  “Onna,” back after fighting injury for a large part of 2022.

Yes, the 2021 Horse of the Year, Onna. And Onna did what Onna does—she set it up each round for Boisjoli to knock down her runs. After five runs, Boisjoli leads the aggregate with 12.4 seconds and has already pocketed $15,064 between four placings.

Montana’s all-around talent, Cadee Williams, sits behind Boisjoli in the aggregate with a time of 14.7 seconds on five head. Williams stayed well behind the barrier and took conservative shots through the rounds on Day 1. 

Average:

1. Shelby Boisjoli, 12.4 seconds on five

2. Cadee Williams, 14.7 seconds on five

3. Erin Johnson, 23.4 seconds on five

4. Lari Dee Guy, 24.3 seconds on five

5. Joey Williams, 30.6 seconds on five

6. Taylor Munsell, 9.8 seconds on four

7. Josie Conner 10.4 seconds on four

8. Cheyanne Guillory, 11.4 seconds on four

9. Beau Peterson, 21.1 seconds on four

10. Samantha Fulton, 7.1 seconds on three

World Standings Update

So, Martha Angelone’s still in the lead in the world standings race—by a long shot—despite Johnson, Guy, Munsell and Boisjoli’s best efforts to upset. Angelone added $3,328 to her earnings for good measure thanks to her placings in rounds two and four.