With $11,660 won between the Crooked River Roundup, West of Pecos Rodeo and Reno Rodeo, Haiden Thompson has moved inside the top 15 in the WPRA world standings for the first time heading into Cowboy Christmas.
“Everything’s been feeling amazing,” Thompson said. “I’ve never really been in the top 15, so to crack that top 15 was a pretty good feeling.”
Thompson’s biggest check of the run came at the Crooked River Roundup in Prineville, Oregon, where she tied Kelsie Domer for the win with a 2.4-second run, worth $5,194.
Prineville also gave Thompson one of the more unique setups of the week, with the ropers running one down the alley. Thompson had experienced something similar at Pendleton in 2025, but said Prineville was still a fun change.
“That was a blast,” Thompson said. “I hope we can go back to Prineville again next year because it was a lot of fun.”
For the Yoder, Wyoming, cowgirl, that setup came down to instinct. She watched the calf come down the lane, picked a spot and trusted her feel from there.
“Those kinds of setups are fun just because it’s kind of like your gut feeling, instinct to read the cattle type situation,” she said.
Before Prineville, Thompson was already building momentum in Pecos, Texas. She was second in the first round with a 3.3-second run, worth $1,961, then won the average with a 6.9 on two head for another $3,382.
She also picked up $1,123 in the Reno Rodeo average, finishing ninth with an 18.2 on three head.
The $11,000 run was a result of plenty of miles in the truck. Thompson went from Reno to Pecos, to Greeley, to Prineville, back to Reno for the short round and then on to Prescott.
“We made a huge, huge circle,” Thompson said. “But when you’re winning, it’s worth it.”
The timing matters, too. Thompson’s move into the top 15 comes just as rodeo’s busiest few weeks hit. For Thompson, the momentum is as important as the checks.
“It’s huge,” Thompson said. “Not only the confidence in your roping but your horses. You’re coming into pretty much the biggest two weeks of the year, so to be on a roll and have good timing and everything be going right right now is a huge, huge thing.”
As the setups change from longer scores to faster starts, Thompson said her plan stays the same.
“The game plan’s just been the same,” Thompson said. “See your start, catch the calf no matter where he is at. Hopefully get a good one, just do my job and onto the next one.”
Most of Thompson’s recent success came aboard Tom, the 8-year-old grade horse she’s had since he was a 2-year-old. With him staying in her hand and having enough speed for the bigger setups, Tom has been a key piece of Thompson’s push through Pecos, Reno and Prineville.
“He scores phenomenal, and then he’s super, super fast,” Thompson said. “I think he’s a huge advantage to all the rodeos that I’ve been to. He was great in Prineville. He’s been great everywhere. He’s super, super important to have out here on these long starts.”
Now, with her first top-15 position in hand, Thompson’s goal is to keep the momentum rolling through the Fourth of July run.
“Hopefully I can just keep drawing good calves, keep my horses feeling good, myself good, and hopefully we can have a big next two weeks,” Thompson said.
