Jackie Crawford became the $50,000 2024 RodeoHouston Breakaway Champion with a 3.8-second run in the four-woman round that saw her peers fall to dirty, diving calves.
With the win Crawford rises from No. 4 to No. 1 in the WPRA ProRodeo Standings with $73,908 earned.
“I would have never thought a 3.8 would win it,” the 23-time WPRA World Champion said. “When it’s meant to be your time, it’s your time.”
Crawford’s RodeoHouston
Roping in Super Series Five, Crawford tied for the last position to advance to the Semifinals aboard gelding CR Hasa Lotta Style, known as “Backtrack,” she purchased from Macy Young in 2023.
“Down there the box is long and wide, and the score is long so everything can really get away from you, Crawford, 41, said. “The calves we roped didn’t run hard, but they were pretty dirty. You had to make sure you could run with them left or right. Backtrack is really quick-footed and can read things well. His stride and timing makes it easy for me to place my loop everywhere and then he gets in the ground.”
Crawford and Backtrack’s first major rodeo together was the 2024 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, where they advanced to the Semifinals and earned a total of $2,500.
In the first of two RodeoHouston Semifinals, Crawford tied Taylor Munsell with a 2.8-second run. Come Short Go Sunday, Crawford was faced with a difficult decision of how to manage a tricky calf to advance to the final four.
“I didn’t love my calf,” Crawford said. “I was a mix of emotions of, ‘Do I run at the barrier?’ because I knew the girls behind me [in the round] had been doing great. So, I decided I needed to be in the barrier. I let the calf out one step and hit the line running. I felt like it was a good, solid, run and wanted to get back for the [four-man round].”
Crawford’s calf in the final four was known to dive right before the barrier rope had even broken off. She was second out, and focused on staying clean to get a check.
“I focused on getting to the pin to get all the barrier [space] I needed,” Crawford said. “I really rode to the right and get my shot off. I went further than I wanted to—and I gassed [Backtrack] to get to the calf, so he had a hard time getting in that ground when I asked because he wasn’t ready.”
When the rope snapped off, Crawford didn’t think she’d won the 2024 RodeoHouston Breakaway Championship. She was certain a 3.8 wouldn’t be enough. But the legendary ropers’ safer approach paid dividends of $50,000.
“The atmosphere at Houston is crazy. They’re so welcoming. They really make the cowboys and cowgirls feel welcome there, and they take pride in how they treat you. It’s very flattering. All the walls have murals of past champions and it’s such a cool place.” – Jackie Crawford
About that rope…
Crawford won RodeoHouston with her normal Rattler Rope Viper 10.0, but it wasn’t her rope. It was Danielle Lowman’s—the roper who’d been taking all the big winter rodeo titles up until this point. The pair had been ribbing each other on social media about who was going to beat who, making the rope trade especially symbolic.
“My rope bag was left in another rig that went to the rodeos in Mercedes and Goliad,” Crawford said. “I didn’t even think about it until I got my dummy rope out at the rodeo village out there. Every rope I had was gone. I started calling friends asking who had Vipers. Jordan Jo had some, but they were 10.25. Munsell had some, but they were 9.0. Here comes DLOW with one 10.0. She said, ‘If you win $50K with my rope I want a shoutout.’”
Well, Lowman has her shoutout and Crawford has a $20,000 lead on her in the World Standings.
Next up for Crawford is Rodeo Austin, where they paid about $10,000 to Champion Sawyer Gilbert in 2023.
