The 2023 First Frontier Circuit breakaway championships went to Jessie Letzelter with $16,473 in the Year-End race, while Paige Pursel secured the average with a time of 10.9 seconds on three head.

The Circuit Finals took place in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Jan. 11–13, 2024, and the two champions are now pointed toward the NFR Open in Colorado Springs in July.

First Frontier Circuit Breakaway Year-End Champion: Jessie Letzelter

Lifelong rider and breakaway roper Letzelter is familiar with the First Frontier Circuit—having first qualified for the Circuit Finals three years ago while primarily amateur rodeoing. It was in 2023 though, when a move brought her to Pottersville, New York, that she turned her full attention to ProRodeo.

“I’m really proud to have accomplished this win with everything we had going on this year—with the move and all that—I wanted to qualify for the Circuit Finals and winning was the cherry on top,” Letzelter said.

Jessie Letzelter’s 2023 First Frontier Circuit money:

• Painted Pony Rodeo Series in Lake Luzerne, New York — More than $3,700 throughout the summer
• Gerry Volunteer Firemen’s Rodeo, New York — $1,520
• Apple Hill Stables Rodeo, Levant, Maine — $2,045

She came into the finals trailing leader Emily Fabian, who missed the event due to her third trimester of pregnancy. To secure her year-end championship, Letzelter knew she had to rope aggressively and fend off any late runs by her peers.

“I was able to be 2.4 and win that first round,” Letzelter said. “Our barrier was four under, so I knew there wasn’t much [space] there and to just go at it.”

She caught a front leg in Round 2 but returned in Round 3 with a 2.5-second run to win it, amassing a total of $7,238 at the Circuit Finals.

Letzelter did it on 7-year-old grade gelding “Folsom,” who she started in the breakaway herself.

“I’ve rode him the last three years,” Letzelter said. “He’s got a huge heart and we’re smoothing out as a team. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I just have so much pride in making him into the horse he is.”

As she looks forward, Letzelter plans to up her catch percentage in 2024—a figure she said hovered around 50% in 2023. She’s also considering entering other ProRodeos like Cheyenne Frontier Days while out West for the NFR Open.

First Frontier Circuit Breakaway Average Champion: Paige Pursel

Pursel was Ms. Consistent throughout the First Frontier Circuit Finals, being the only roper to catch all three for an average of 10.9 seconds. Hailing from Danville, Pennsylvania, Pursel competed everywhere from Maryland to the Apple Hill Stables Rodeo in Levant, Maine, to qualify for the Circuit Finals.

First Frontier Circuit Finals Breakaway Results:

First round: 1. Jessie Letzelter, 2.4 seconds, $2,316; 2. Paige Pursel, 2.5, $1,737; 3. Tracey Brennan, 4.6, $1,158; no other qualified runs.

Second round: 1. Aimee Getgen, 2.6 seconds, $2,316; 2. DeNiess Kilgus, 2.8, $1,737; 3. Tracey Brennan, 3.3, $1,158; 4. Tori Roberto, 3.5, $579.

Third round: 1. Jessie Letzelter, 2.5 seconds, $2,316; 2. Shayne Vallone, 3.0, $1,737; 3. Cheyenne Chamberlain, 3.1, $1,158; 4. Tori Roberto, 3.2, $579.

Average: 1. Paige Pursel, 10.9 seconds on three head, $3,474; 2. Jessie Letzelter, 4.9 on two head, $2,606; 3. Aimee Getgen, 6.6, $1,737; 4. Tori Roberto, 6.7, $869.