Kelsie Domer is the 2024 WPRA Breakaway World Champion following a near-flawless performance in the South Point Arena Dec. 3–4, earning the average title and finishing the year with a total of $168,758.
“It’s surreal,” Domer, 34, said. “It’s exciting. I can’t wait to hug my mama’s neck. I thought I may have [lost it] when I dropped the ball in the tenth round but it turned out in my favor. I’m proud of the last few weeks I’ve had, and I’m dang sure proud of the last few days I’ve had.”
Sitting No. 4 entering the competition, Domer had to earn at least $13,628 to overtake Shelby Meged, Josie Conner and Jackie Crawford, each of whom were gunning for their own success.
In all, Domer earned $34,221 at the 2024 NFBR, $16,914 of which was awarded for the average championship, which she claimed with a time of 22.0 seconds on nine head.
“I knew I had a chance at the world title, and this is the first year I’ve been to a Finals where I’ve had a chance,” Domer said. “So that was in the back of my mind. I wanted to give myself that chance by the tenth round. I didn’t want to chance anything once I got here. I just wanted to stay aggressive and rope my game.”
For some context: Domer earned the inaugural Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway Average Championship (winning a total of $95,000) on Saturday, Nov. 30, making 10 full-contact runs across three days on gelding “Little Man.”
The pair headed to Vegas and roped in the calf break-in on Monday before competing in the NFBR on Tuesday and Wednesday—pulling off another 10 intense runs. Little Man never wavered in the box or never shorted Domer on a run, showing his breakaway peers exactly why he won the WPRA award “Horse with the Most Heart.”
Kelsie Domer’s NFBR
Domer’s NFBR started off with a surprise when she came across the barrier line and tore a hole in the crotch of her jeans in Round 1. She was able to stuff breakaway flags into her pants for Round 2 as husband Ryan made a run for their hotel room upstairs.
By Round 3 she was wearing some new jeans and reminded her peers just how deadly she can be with a rope, topping the go-round with a 1.9-second time for $6,197.
She finished out day one staying quieter in Rounds 4 and 5, working herself to No. 2 in the average standings behind Macy Young.
Find complete 2024 NFBR results here.
Round 6 was where things started to get interesting. The ladies were roping calf “pen three,” which they’d roped in Round 3. These calves were on the larger end of the stock and a tick softer. It’s possible that the combination of ropers gunning for the go-round money and the softer calves resulted in seven no-times and two barrier penalties. Young was amongst the no-times, moving Domer into the driver’s seat. From there, it was time for Domer to play her game.
“I stayed focused,” Domer said. “I prayed for concentration and stayed my course. Not let the outside things get to me. I’ll let the positive things in, but not the negative. Because there are so many good girls now, that if you start trying to go toe-to-toe with Dani or Martha, you get away from your game.”
Kelsie Domer’s NFBR times, money
- Round 1: 2.4, $534.19
- Round 2: 2.8
- Round 3: 1.9, $6,196.58
- Round 4: 2.4
- Round 5: 2.9
- Round 6: 2.7, $2,991.45
- Round 7: 2.3, $3,525.64
- Round 8: 1.9, $2,991.45
- Round 9: 2.7, $1,068.38
- Round 10: NT
- Average: 22.0/9, $16,913.63
From there, the rounds flew by, with Domer steadily adding checks as Conner, Meged and Angelone duked it out for a chance at the No. 1 spot. Angelone won two go-rounds, earning $12,393.
“Round 8 where I was 1.9 was really special,” Domer said. “I knew there were some calves I’d drawn that I could take advantage of, and try to go at ’em, and when I got that time I was pumped. Little Man was feeling so good. He fired hard, he stopped hard, he did his job. He was a rockstar, like always.”
When Round 10 came, the math said it was Domer’s title to lose. A clean catch would undoubtedly secure her the average win, tipping the World Champion domino, too. But the calf ducked hard after Domer sent her loop flying—resulting in it coming up empty. The South Point arena seemed like all the air had been sucked out of it. Even the announcers took a few moments before moving to Crawford, who was preparing to back in the box.
Fingers and keyboards tapped as secretaries and fans alike ran the numbers. Domer’s main threat Conner couldn’t mathematically surpass Domer in the average, meaning Conner would need to finish at least No. 2 in the round to give her the $3,254 boost needed to catch Domer.
Conner posted a 2.1-second run for $1,068.38, finishing No. 6 in the Round, and Domer’s titles were secured.
The long ProRodeo road to Vegas
The breakaway ProRodeo experience isn’t just a two-day affair—it’s a year-round hustle to round up enough money to be inside the Top 15.
Domer’s winter rodeo season included a $11,495 payday at the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo and $5,010 win at the Woodward Elks Rodeo in Oklahoma.
From there, Domer’s next big payday was at the Calgary Stampede Rocky Mountain Cup, where she won the rodeo and $16,021. She tied Coti Fuller for the win at the iconic Pendleton Round-Up—worth $11,588—and picked up an additional $33,500 at the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls to wrap up the regular season.
“This year was a grind all summer,” Domer said. “I hit good here and there, but finished really strong. I felt like I finished the [regular] season strong and it carried over here.”
Domer thanked her extensive support system for “Sacrificing so that I can chase my dreams.” She named Ryan, daughter Oaklynn, rig-driving mom Lisa and her aunt as some of the key components.
According to Domer, this win doesn’t change anything for her. She says it’s a new belt buckle to wear, a new title to say, but she’s going right back to the grind. She and NFBR peer Taylor Munsell are headed to Hawaii just days after the NFR to teach a roping clinic, while Little Man stays home, rests, and visits with his tiny human Oaklynn.
