The breakaway ropers competing at The American Rodeo have a chance to win more money in a single run than anywhere else in rodeo on Saturday, Mar. 9, 2024, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Half of the breakaway roster (five ropers) advanced via the grueling American Rodeo Contender Tournament, featuring three regional finals, and half were seeded into The American Rodeo thanks to their 2023 finish in the WPRA World Standings.
Table of contents
2024 American Rodeo breakaway ropers
$1 Million Eligible
These contestants advanced through the Contender Finals Tournament, making them eligible for the $1 million payout.
Bailey Bates
Hometown: Tohatchi, NM
Breakaway resume: 2x Indian National Finals Rodeo Champion, CNFR Qualifier
Bailey Bates represents the passionate Navajo people at The American Rodeo. She currently sits No. 11 in the WPRA World Standings with $15,376 won and advanced to the short go at the 2024 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo
JJ Hampton
Hometown: Stephenville, TX
Breakaway resume: 17x WPRA Wold Champion, 3x National Finals Breakaway Roping Qualifier
With her larger-than life personality and iconic purple lid, JJ Hampton knows how to turn heads. Hampton advanced to The American via the West Region Finals aboard new gelding “Sparkplug.” When she’s not slinging ropes she’s selling real estate and is based out of horse country in Stephenville.
Jordan Jo Hollabaugh
Hometown: Springtown, TX
Breakaway resume: 2020 National Finals Breakaway Roping Average Champion, 2019 Cheyenne Frontier Days Breakaway Champion
Jordan Jo Hollabaugh’s been on fire in 2024, winning The American Contender Finals after advancing to Abilene via the West Region Finals. She won a $15,000 check at the WCRA’s Stampede At The E in January, and is currently sitting No. 9 in the WPRA world standings with $16,215 won.
Josie Conner
Hometown: Iowa, LA
Breakaway resume: 2x National Finals Breakaway Qualifier
The 2022 WPRA Resistol Rookie of the Year, competitor Josie Conner’s had her accelerator on the floor ever since she bought her ProRodeo card. Conner topped the Central Region to rope in Abilene, where she squeaked into the top 5 on some fast calves to advance to Globe Life Field.
Morgan Sparks
Hometown: Natchitoches, LA
Breakaway resume: 2022 American Rodeo competitors, 2022 LRCA Finals Breakaway Champion, UPRA and CPRA Finals Qualifier
Morgan Sparks is a college student at McNeese State University that rodeos when she can—and she made the most of The American Rodeo’s Contender Tournament system by winning the East Region Finals and finishing No. 4 in Abilene. Sparks is the only breakaway athlete that doesn’t rodeo full time (yet). Currently she trains futurity breakaway horses and plans to attend PT school upon graduation in May 2024.
$100,000 Eligible
These contestants qualified via their WPRA World Standings Top 5 finish in 2023, making them eligible for the $100,000 payout.
Martha Angelone
Hometown: Stephenville, TX
Breakaway resume: 2022 World Champion Breakaway Roper, 4x National Finals Breakaway Roping Qualifier
Originally from Virginia, Martha Angelone is one of the two sisters competing at The American Rodeo in 2024. Angelone boasts more than $500,000 in ProRodeo breakaway earnings and is always in the conversation when it comes to the Top 15 in the WPRA. She’s currently No. 13 in the world with $12,851 in earnings.
Shelby Boisjoli-Meged
Hometown: Miles City, MT
Breakaway resume: 2023 World Champion Breakaway Roper
The reining World Champion Shelby Boisjoli-Meged went on a legendary winning streak in the summer of 2023, eventually destroying the WPRA breakaway season earnings record with $197,706 won. In 2024, she’s currently sitting No. 3 in the standings with $25,275 won. Meged and husband Haven enjoy training breakaway and tie-down horses at home, and pride themselves on the futurity success their horses find.
Hali Williams
Hometown: Comanche, TX
Breakaway resume: 1x National Finals Breakaway Roping Qualifier
Hali Williams made a splash in 2023, jumping to an unprecedented lead in the breakaway world standings after winning RodeoHouston. At her first NFBR in 2023 she won two go-rounds despite an extensive right knee-and-ankle injury she is finally recovering from.
Sarah Angelone
Hometown: Lipan, TX
Breakaway resume: 1x National Finals Breakaway Roping Qualifier, 2022 WPRA All-Around Champion
The younger Angelone sister Sarah was coaxed out onto the ProRodeo road in 2023 by Martha. Usually a horse trainer and homebody, she ended up making the NFBR and won two go-rounds in the process. Now she’s hauling with fan favorite Dani Lowman for the winter rodeos and is sitting No. 8 in the world.
Taylor Munsell
Hometown: Alva, OK
Breakaway resume: 3x National Finals Breakaway Roping Qualifier
Sporting dry, witty humor and a laid-back attitude, Taylor Munsell has been a serious player in the WPRA since her first NFBR qualification in 2021. Munsell is currently sitting inside the top 10 in the World with $16,145 won.
2024 American Rodeo (Unofficial) breakaway roping draw
This was determined with the help of the posted ground rules, which read as: “The “Top 5” and five (5) Contender athletes will alternate run positions beginning with a “Top 5” athlete first. The “Top 5” will run in opposite order of the immediately preceding year’s final PRCA/WPRA World Standings rankings and the five (5) Contender athletes will run in order of slowest time to fastest time from the Contender Tournament Finals. (i.e., #5 ranked PRCA/WPRA “Top 5” athlete, followed by the 5th place finisher Contender athlete from the Contender Tournament Finals.)”
Round of 10
- Taylor Munsell
- Josie Connor*
- Sarah Angelone
- Morgan Sparks*
- Martha Angelone
- JJ Hampton*
- Hali Williams
- Bailey Bates*
- Shelby Boisjoli-Meged
- Jordan Jo Hollabaugh*
* Denotes athletes eligible for the $1 million purse
What are the rules for the Round of 4?
The fastest four ladies will advance from the Round of 10. In the case of a tie, here are the rules, per The American’s ground rules:
The top four (4) fastest qualified times in The American Rodeo Round of 10 advance to The American Rodeo Round of 4. If there is a tie for the last position, the tie breaker will be as follows:
- 4.3.4.2.4.1. If the tie is between a Contender and a “Top 5,” the tie breaker will be awarded to The Contender.
- 4.3.4.2.4.2. If the tie is between two (2) or more Contenders, the tied athlete with the fastest qualified time in the Contender Tournament Finals will advance.
- 4.3.4.2.4.3. If the tie is between two (2) or more “Top 5,” the tie will go to the tied team with the highest ranking from the immediately preceding year’s final WPRA World Standings.
Breakaway ropers will compete based on qualified times from the Round of 10, from slowest to fastest, though the round is a clean-slate. In case of a tie for first place, there will be a rope off.
American Rodeo Breakaway Roping Payout
- $100,000
- $25,000
- $10,000
- $5,000
Fifth through 10th in the Round of 10 receive $500 each.
How to watch 2024 American Rodeo
The American Performance Horseman Competition will air on Fox Saturday, Mar. 16 at 11:30 AM ET-1:00 PM ET on FS1.
The American Contender Round will air on Fox Sports 1 on Sunday, Mar. 10 at 11 a.m. EST
The American Championship Round will air on Fox Sports 1 on Saturday, Mar. 16 at 1:30 p.m. EST
Stay tuned for live updates and stories all week long at BarrelRacing.com, The Team Roping Journal, The Breakaway Roping Journal and CalfRoping.com on site and on social media.
