As the breakaway ropers enter the homestretch of the 2024 regular ProRodeo season with less than a month of competition to go, it’s worth seeing how earnings have (or haven’t) changed for the ladies in one year.
Using WPRA standings pulled after Labor Day Weekend with rodeos including Ellensburg and Walla Walla in the mix, The Breakaway Roping Journal team studied the numbers to see just how far the ProRodeo cowgirls have come, and if they missed the mark—why?
Top 20 Breakaway Earnings Comparison
Observation 1: Money is down for leading breakaway ropers in 2024
In 2023, Hali Williams and Shelby Boisjoli-Meged has $130,004 and $128,013 earned to Josie Conner and Jackie Crawford’s $125,767 and $119,188 in 2024. Why is that?
This can be attributed to several factors, but one of the biggest is the increased competition in 2024. The breakaway ropers are more familiar with ProRodeo setups, hauling patterns, more seasoned and are better mounted.
“I think it’s tougher and going to get tougher and tougher every year,” two-time NFBR Qualifier Kelsie Domer told The Breakaway Roping Journal in August. “The amount of talent and good horses is amazing, and the money and rodeos are getting better as well.”
Domer is currently sitting No. 11, compared to her No. 8 position this time last year with $81,334—and holding $1,434 more money than this time in 2023.
Similarly, Bradi Good is sitting No. 16 in 2024, while she was No. 15 this time last year. Good has also won more won than she did last year—$8,255 more.
Observation 2: Top five are closer this year than in 2023
In 2023, $32,838 separated the top five after Labor Day. In 2024, only $19,082 separate them.
“It’s going to be a really cool World Title race this year,” 2022 World Champion Martha Angelone said. “I think it’s gonna come down to the very end and somebody isn’t gonna run away with it like they have for the past couple years.”
Angelone, who currently holds the No. 5 position (same as this time last year) currently boasts more than $12K in 2024 than this time in 2023.
Observation 3: All but four places have earned more than 2023
The overall earnings are up inside the top 20. Excluding No. 1, 2, 18 and 19, all positions have earned between $1,419 and $12,037 more than this time last year. Places No. 3–5 and No. 12–17 all have larger gaps between yearly earnings, showing the growing strength of the breakaway field as a whole.
Observation 4: Earnings are up $5,697 on average per athlete
The top 20 breakaway ropers have posted $1,636,216 in 2024 compared to 2023’s $1,522,262. This averages to about $5,700 more earnings per athlete. This is a 7.48% increase in earnings across the board.
Special thanks to R. Watson Boots for supporting this Women In Rodeo month article. Look out for more Women In Rodeo content across The Breakaway Roping Journal‘s social media as well as sister brands Team Roping Journal, Barrelracing.com and Calfroping.com.
