Fittingly, the news that the world famous Calgary Stampede had decided to add breakaway roping hit Jackie Crawford’s phone while the 23-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Champion was in the arena.
“How ‘bout that?!” she said, her big smile clearly evident through the phone. “I’m pumped.”
“A little birdie had told me a few days ago that this might be coming but when I got the text today, I told Charly and he said, ‘this is the first time I’ve actually been jealous of you guys.”
Crawford’s husband, himself a 10-time NFR header, has pretty well been-there, done-that in the rodeo business. But, as a team roper, he’s never had the shot to compete at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
But he’ll be there as a spectator come July 4-13 when Crawford and 29 other breakaway ropers compete for their share of the $310,250 total purse, equal money to the other events in the tournament-style rodeo that divides qualifiers into three pools before a Showdown Sunday that awards $50,000 to the winner. The March 12 press release also announced that the event will be sanctioned by the WPRA so money won will count towards WPRA ProRodeo Breakaway World Standings.
Official Statements
“The Calgary Stampede is proud to introduce Ladies Breakaway Roping to our daily Rodeo,” says Joel Cowley, CEO of the Calgary Stampede, in the press release. “This event celebrates the incredible talent of female ropers and our dedication to elevating women’s events in rodeo, while also offering another world-class experience for our guests. We can’t wait to see these amazing athletes showcase their skills in front of thousands of rodeo fans at GMC Stadium this July.”
“The WPRA is excited to expand our partnership with the Calgary Stampede by adding Ladies Breakaway Roping as an official event to this iconic rodeo,” WPRA President Heidi Schmidt said in the release. “Not only taking this step to add Breakaway Roping to their daily rodeo but to include it at equal money is exceptional. Showcasing our members in Barrel Racing and now Breakaway Roping in 2025 and beyond reflects our shared conviction of the importance of providing equal opportunity for women in rodeo.”
The breakaway roping is the first new event added to the legendary rodeo since the other ladies event, barrel racing, was added in 1979.
“Nevada Phipps and the Calgary committee have been great supporters of ladies breakaway,” Lynn Smith, the WPRA’s outgoing Western Region Roping Director said. “It’s such an awesome opportunity for the ropers to compete at this iconic rodeo. We all are grateful to have breakaway included. I think this will open more opportunities in the near future as an equal event at all rodeos.”
How to Qualify for the Calgary Stampede’s Breakaway Roping?
The qualifications will take from both WPRA World and Canadian Pro Rodeo standings, along with two qualifiers held on both sides of the border. The first is held in conjunction with the Western Regional Barrels and Breakaway in Salina, Utah on April 10-13. The second is slated for June 3-4 at the Nutrien Western Event Centre at Stampede Park in Calgary.
How the Calgary Stampede Added Breakaway Roping
The WPRA’s other Roping Director, Christi Braudrick, who handles the Eastern Region, pointed out the steps that have led to the historic announcement.
“Everything that’s been put into place the last two years has led up to now,” Braudrick said, noting that breakaway has been part of the Rocky Mountain Cup, along with team roping, for the past two years. That event is held in another venue during the Stampede but will move to August and only feature the team roping.
“I feel like all of that, including adding the qualifier last year, was stepping stones, that they were seeing how it would go. Those were all positive steps to get us here,” she added. “It came faster than I think we thought it would but it’s awesome that they’re adding it and with equal money.”
Perhaps more than most, Braudrick can appreciate the progression to this point. She once hauled with her coach, friend and mentor, Hall of Famer Betty Gayle Cooper to WPRA all-girl rodeos back in the 1980’s and 1990’s, traversing the country and eating up the limited opportunities to rope at ProRodeos thanks to Bad Company Rodeo and Mack Altizer.
“I was sitting at San Antonio with JJ [Hampton] and Sherri Mell the other day and we were talking about those days,” Braudrick said. “We said, if you had told us back then, in like 1992, that we’d be here someday . . . we would have just laughed.”
“It’s wild,” Braudrick continued. “And what’s going to be so awesome, the girls’ chances to earn is going to go way up and it will have a big impact on the world standings.”
Breakaway Ropers React
Calgary’s importance is not lost on 2024 WPRA World Champion Kelsie Domer, who used a $16,201 win at the Rocky Mountain Cup last summer as a springboard to the world title.
“Last year was the first time I’d been because I was still trying to figure out the road with Oakley the first year,” she said. Oakley is Domer’s now 3-year-old daughter.
“A friend of mine texted me a screenshot of the press release today,” Domer said of the news that the breakaway will now be part of the spectacle that is Calgary and the ropers are getting a raise. “I was pumped. It’s pretty special and beyond awesome.”
Like Crawford and her other competitors, Domer didn’t get to go watch any performances of the Stampede in the past because the breakaway was held in a single day, in another venue and because there were other rodeos during the busy summer run to attend.
“We ran over there and bought some Calgary gear and we did walk in and check out the arena,” Domer admitted. “It’ll be pretty surreal to get to rope there.”
Logistics may present issues for Domer again in 2025, too, but in a totally different way.
“The first thing I did was sent it to my mom and my aunt,” she laughed. “I definitely won’t have to make sure to have someone there to help me this year, I’ll have to make sure I can get everybody in!”
Inaugural Rocky Mountain Cup winner Taylor Munsell echoed the same excitement as Crawford and Domer but with a bit more disbelief.
“I wasn’t expecting it; I had no idea it was even a thought,” Munsell marveled. She roped her way to $12,500 in Calgary back in 2023 but could earn that much in just a few rounds in 2025. “I’d been looking to see when the Rocky Mountain Cup was going to be and there were no dates anywhere, which was weird because usually they send us emails with the updates. I can’t believe it. Not only putting it into the rodeo but at equal money. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”
With other rodeos to get to in the past, Munsell also never got to take in the Stampede.
“It was basically an all night drive up there to rope and the same to get back to other rodeos. We could see it over the fence from our arena but that was about it,” she joked.
“It will be awesome to get the full Calgary Stampede experience,” she said.
“It’s literally bringing two countries together and two totally different entities,” Braudrick noted.
She pointed to Canadian stars like 2023 WPRA World Champ Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and two-time National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) qualifier Kendal Pierson. “Those girls have come down here and done so well. Now, they have the chance to rope at the biggest rodeo in the world, in their home country.”
“The fact that The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth is including Breakaway Roping alongside the other major rodeo events is a huge step forward for both the sport and women in rodeo,” Boisjoli-Meged said in the release. “I can only imagine the impact this moment will have on the little girls watching us compete in the Stampede Rodeo for the first time and realizing that one day, they too could be in our place. Knowing they have something to aspire to, to dream about and to work toward is truly amazing.”
For Pierson, who is in the records books as the first Canadian Champion Breakaway Roper, roping at the Stampede fulfills a dream that seemed unattainable.
“Growing up, during Stampede time, we would always sit down and have lunch and watch the rodeo every day,” she said. “I dreamed about roping there but never thought it would happen, obviously, because breakaway wasn’t part of the rodeo.”
“I’m stoked,” she continued. “It’s two hours from home so it’s so exciting to be up there in the middle of the busy summer and go home, reset a little and get to rope at one of the biggest rodeos in the world.”
Pierson has been a spectator at the Stampede in the past, watching her sister Shelby trick ride as well as a competitor at the Rocky Mountain Cup.
“It was cool to go and watch her but now, to be in the arena, maybe both of us, that’s awesome,” she said.
“I’m super excited.”
Like Pierson, Jenna Dallyn grew up on the Stampede, living less than an hour south of Calgary in High River, Alberta. Currently ranked 12th in the WPRA ProRodeo World Standings, Dallyn finished as the Reserve Champion in the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) a year ago and has been involved in breakaway’s growth in her home country in the past few years.
“There was a small group of us when breakaway was first added to the Canadian Finals in 2021, it seemed small,” she said. “We raised our own money for the Finals and we did a lot of work to grow it up.”
“When I saw Calgary was adding breakaway, I was very excited, of course, and grateful to be doing what I’m doing in the breakaway and to see every single little step that’s happened to move it forward,” Dallyn said. “Now Calgary adding us as an equal event . . . that feels like a huge step.”
Dallyn may have an edge on her fellow ropers come July—she was part of a group of ropers who exhibitioned the breakaway at the Stampede during the COVID pandemic.
“There were like ten of us and it was more of a show or an act but we jackpotted it amongst ourselves,” she noted. “But to rope in that arena, that was super cool.”
“I never thought I would actually get to compete there,” she admitted. “The growth has been amazing.”
Dallyn pointed out that the Ponoka Stampede is also adding breakaway this year.
“Calgary isn’t a CPRA rodeo but it’s still in Canada and it’s the biggest rodeo in the world,” she said. “It’s a big year for us and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Meanwhile, fellow breakaway pioneer Crawford has been talking a slow down from the rodeo trail but the competitive fire that’s brought her WPRA World titles in the All-Around, Tie Down, Team Roping and Breakaway along with a share of $1 million at The American Rodeo and everything in between has been reignited.
“I’m glad I am only semi-retired because I will be in Calgary. They won’t keep me from there.”
“I’m already working on passports for my whole family,” Crawford laughed. “I’ve always heard Calgary was one of the coolest rodeos ever and really fun.”
“I’m so stoked to get to go,” Crawford said.
Other Reactions
The March 12 press release hit like a wildfire on social media, nearly running everyone out of adjectives and exclamation points (we see you, Hope Thompson). Here are some of the comments from more of the powerhouses of the sport.
Wow! This is amazing! Thank you Calgary!
Josie Conner, 2022 WPRA Rookie of The Year and current World Standings Leader
Thank you so much for this opportunity Calgary Stampede!
Martha Angelone, 2022 WPRA World Champion
Thank you Calgary Stampede! This is amazing!
Madison Outhier, 2021 WPRA Rookie of the Year and two-time Women’s Rodeo World Championships (WRWC) winner
Wow this is amazing. Thank you guys!
Hali Williams, two-time NFBR qualifier
Great work Calgary Stampede!!! A great step for breakaway ropers!!! Equal Money!! Calgary has always been on of my favorite rodeos excited to watch!
Linsay Rosser-Sumpter, Women’s Rodeo World Championships (WRWC) Commissioner
