With a time of 23.58 seconds across ten head, Maddy Deerman-Jacobs secured the 2025 Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway Average Championship, worth $60,000 and bringing her overall total to $100,000 earned.
For Deerman, the win was not only lucrative, but a reminder that we are often capable of more than we think.
“I’m bad at self-doubt,” Deerman-Jacobs said following the win. “In Round 10, I just wanted to take my first good shot and be semi-fast while doing it. The cards played out and I won the average—and I’ll kick myself for ever doubting.”
Maddy Deerman-Jacobs’ Kimes Million Dollar Breakaway times
| Round 1 – 2.76 | Round 6 – 2.24 |
| Round 2 – 2.62 | Round 7 – 2.42 |
| Round 3 – 2.28 | Round 8 – 2.18 |
| Round 4 – 1.98 | Round 9 – 2.43 |
| Round 5 – 1.94 | Round 10 – 2.73 |
The numbers tell the tale. Deerman-Jacobs stayed under 2.4 seconds on all 10 head—an astounding feat in an event that often sees ropers pick up a barrier penalty or miss a calf in their quest for speed. While others jostled for position in the go-rounds, Deerman-Jacobs stayed consistent, stacking $40,000 with quiet determination.
That approach wasn’t accidental. Deerman-Jacobs admitted the nerves were there in Round 1—maybe more than most—but they faded once the first calf was behind her. From there, the job became execution.
“This event is so dang fast, and you run so many calves,” Deerman-Jacobs said. “You have to have a short horse to stay in the running, but you also have to keep them free so they’ll still run for you on the 10th one. It’s a balancing act.”
Her horse, Whopper, answered that test. By the final round, Deerman-Jacobs said she had to “get it all out of him,” but he stayed with her through every run—sharp enough to keep her competitive, steady enough to finish the job.
“My husband told me on the way up here that if I won the average, he’d come out of retirement and rodeo with me again this summer—so that was definitely some extra motivation.” – Maddy Deerman-Jacobs
The average title adds another milestone to a résumé built on doing things her own way. Deerman-Jacobs’ swing—more elbow, less wrist, a product of lessons learned from her late father, Brook Deerman—has never looked like the breakaway norm. It’s also never stopped working.
Brook, who taught her to rope before his passing when she was a teenager, is undoubtedly watching her success from above.
“When they asked me about by dad in [the tv interview], it touched that part of my heart,” Deerman-Jacobs said. “When he died, I thought my roping life was over. He was my only coach. I had to rebuild and become a new person in my roping career. It’s special knowing I’ve made it without him—and that he would be proud.”
There was pride, too, in what this win represents moving forward. Deerman-Jacobs said she prepared for Scottsdale without a WPRA world title chase in mind—just the goal of getting everything she could out of this opportunity. Now, she leaves for Fort Worth with bolstered confidence after a tough showing at the 2024 NFBR.
“I didn’t have the best showcase there last year,” Deerman-Jacobs said. “Now knowing I’m roping great, I feel confident in myself and my horses. Honestly, I probably won’t even be nervous on the first calf—I’ll just be happy with what I achieved here.”
In an event designed to reward go-round speed, Deerman-Jacobs proved that steadiness can still win big. Ten head, all clean. One average title—and a reminder that we’re capable of big things.
