The 2024 Women’s Rodeo World Championships is off and running, heading towards an epic conclusion at AT&T Stadium during the PBR World Finals on Saturday, May 18.
But first, 2024 WRWC breakaway ropers must navigate two wolfy progressive rounds, semifinals and a Showdown Round at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth. Wednesday, May 15 started at 9 a.m. with barrel racing and team roping, saving the best for last. Find the full recap on Rounds 1, 2 and the Semifinals below.
Table of contents
Round 1
2024 WRWC Breakaway Challenger Round 1
Just because it’s the “Challenger” division doesn’t mean the competition wasn’t stiff inside the short setup at Cowtown. In a field littered with youth that have won from The Patriot to the WCRA to the NHSFR, it was Madison “Madi” Stanley of Lufkin, Texas, that stopped the clock the fastest with a time of 2.44. The Texas High School Rodeo Region V competitor rode buskin gelding (aptly named “Bucky”) to the $2,500 round win.
Other names still in average contention include triple threat Wylie Jo Hodges, who team roped, barrel raced and breakaway roped in Round 1. Hodges is already locked in for the 2025 WRWC, too, thanks to a qualification at The Cowgirl Gathering earlier in the week.
Rounding out the top handful of times was Kieley Walz of Ainsworth, Nebraska, who is already seeded into the WRWC Semifinals. 2023 NHSFR Breakaway Champion Walz has arguably already had the week of a lifetime, finishing No. 4 at WCRA Rodeo Corpus Christi and beating Jackie Crawford in a tie breaker for a spot to compete at Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo on Friday.
| Madison Stanley | 2.44 | $2,500 |
| Shayla Smith | 2.5 | $1,000 |
| Wylie Jo Hodges | 2.57 | $500 |
| Alissa Erickson | 2.73 | |
| Kylie Reininger | 2.81 | |
| Jordan Dildine | 2.86 | |
| Kieley Walz | 3.01 | |
| Sadie Grant | 3.03 | |
| Lexey Williams | 3.32 | |
| Maddie Bews | 3.4 | |
| Rylee Payne | 3.42 | |
| Annie Vick | 3.77 | |
| Shannon Hughes | 4.04 | |
| Lauryn Wilson | 4.26 | |
| Kelsie Reininger | 7.36 | |
| Bucki Shepherd | 7.54 | |
| Kirsten George | 7.55 |
2024 WRWC Breakaway Pro Round 1
The WRWC breakaway professional round looked like the National Finals of Breakaway Roping, with one ProRodeo gal after another knocking each other off the leaderboard.
2024 American Rodeo Champion Sarah Angelone was the first player to make a big move, roping in 2.33 seconds on mare “Wilma.” Following Angelone was futurity player Brandi McDowell, who roped in 2.27 seconds on “Metallic Rio” she won $3,800 on at the Gold Buckle Futurity in Ardmore this past weekend.
Taylor Munsell was the next to shake up the leaderboard with a 2.25-second time on “Colonel.” But as the draw dwindled, it was Cowgirl Gathering Open Breakaway Champion JJ Hampton that shot to the top with a 2.19-second run on gelding “Sparkplug.”
Names like Danielle Lowman, Lari Dee Guy, Cheyanne McCartney and reigning World Champion Shelby Boisjoli-Meged are still well within striking distance in the average, though, all roping in less than 3 seconds.
While there were a lot of experienced ProRodeo competitors in the “Pro” division, there were some sharky youth playing too. The 2023 WRWC Challenger Champion Rylie Romero hung tough alongside peers including Maelee Wade and Bleu Hall. Each of them posted sub-4-second runs, a seriously respectable showing considering their competition.
| JJ Hampton | 2.19 | $2,500 |
| Taylor Munsell | 2.25 | $1,000 |
| Brandi McDowell | 2.27 | $250 |
| Jackie Crawford | 2.27 | $250 |
| Sarah Angelone | 2.33 | |
| Shelby Boisjoli-Meged | 2.35 | |
| Lexie Russell | 2.5 | |
| Cheyanne McCartney | 2.52 | |
| Kendal Pierson | 2.61 | |
| Kaylee Billingsley | 2.75 | |
| Amy Ohrt | 2.89 | |
| Lari Dee Guy | 2.97 | |
| Danielle Lowman | 2.99 | |
| Jordan Jo Hollabaugh | 3.17 | |
| Makayla Boisjoli | 3.34 | |
| Rylie Romero | 3.37 | |
| Maelee Wade | 3.76 | |
| Taylor Raupe | 3.79 | |
| Bleu Hall | 3.89 | |
| Beau Peterson | 6.98 | |
| Kassidy Dennison | 7.77 | |
| Natalie Steed | 9.51 |
Round 2
2024 WRWC Breakaway Challenger Round 2
The Challengers were ready for Round 2, with eight ropers stopping the clock in less than 3 seconds, and 8 more stopping it in less than 4 seconds.
Kentwood, Louisana’s Karrigan Cagley went 2.12 seconds, the fastest time of the rodeo in the Challenger division. Her effort was fueled by a no-time in Round 1, meaning she had to land in one of the top two spots in the round. Her time held throughout the Challengers, and she brought home $2,500.
Other standouts included Kieley Walz, who made a 2.27-second run to garner second place, $1,000 and a trip to the Semifinals.
| Karrigan Cagely | 2.12 | $2,500 |
| Kieley Walz | 2.27 | $1,000 |
| Kashlee Schumacher | 2.31 | $500 |
| Bucki Shepherd | 2.43 | |
| Colee Cox | 2.53 | |
| Mindy Elrod Wells | 2.55 | |
| Madison Stanley | 2.67 | |
| Shayla Smith | 2.73 | |
| Kelsie Reininger | 3.04 | |
| Jessica Gunsch | 3.06 |
2024 WRWC Breakaway Pro Round 2
Running in reverse order from Round 1 on Monday, Round 2 proved even faster inside the Cowtown Coliseum. Martha Angelone came out swinging for the fences, roping in 2.17 seconds. (Which, at the time, was the fastest run of the pro division).
But her lead didn’t hold long, with Taylor Munsell hammering a 2.15-second run and taking the lead in the average with a 4.4-second time on two head. Jackie Crawford threw up a 2.65, making for a 4.92-second composite and neatly landing herself in the mix for the Semifinals.
The jaw-dropping moment of the day came when Cheyanne McCartney backed in the box, though. Riding the Davis’ family gelding “Yogi,” McCartney took two swings before firing one off and stopping the clock in 1.86 seconds.
“I’ve very thankful the family has allowed me to show him at two futurities and ride him at some rodeos,” McCartney told BRJ in April following their RFA Derby win. “He does everything you need a breakaway horse to do. He’s stands in the box as long as you ask him to, leaves off your hand flat footed, runs hard, rates, and breaks the string off fast.”
| Cheyanne McCartney | 1.86 | $2,500 |
| Taylor Munsell | 2.15 | $1,000 |
| Martha Angelone | 2.17 | $500 |
| Sarah Angelone | 2.24 | |
| Shelby Boisjoli-Meged | 2.27 | |
| Rheagan Cotton | 2.33 | |
| Taylor Raupe | 2.39 | |
| Amy Ohrt | 2.57 | |
| Jackie Crawford | 2.65 | |
| Lari Dee Guy | 2.74 | |
| Jordan Jo Hollabaugh | 2.76 | |
| Kaylee Billingsley | 3.32 | |
| Harley Pryor | 4.28 | |
| Kelsie Domer | 4.42 | |
| Rylee George | 6.80 | |
| Maelee Wade | 7.22 | |
| Mallorie Fewell | 7.49 | |
| Brandi McDowell | 9.07 |
Semifinals
2024 WRWC Breakaway Challenger Semifinals
The cream rose to the top in the Challenger Semifinals, with another eight ladies posting sub-3-second times. From there things dropped off rapidly—with ropers either falling victim to the 5-second barrier penalty or gunslinging for one of the advancing spots and missing their calf.
Colee Cox of Tell, Texas, was the No. 1 cowgirl in the Semifinals with a 2.05-second time, earnings herself a trip to the Showdown round where the top three will go to AT&T Stadium. (See advancement chart below.) Behind her was reining NHSRA Breakaway Champion Kieley Walz, who roped her way into the Showdown Round, too, thanks to a No. 1 finish in the average.
| Colee Cox | 2.05 | $1,000 |
| Kieley Walz | 2.22 | |
| Sadie Grant | 2.35 | |
| Karrigan Cagley | 2.38 | |
| Kelsie Reininger | 2.39 | |
| Wylie Jo Hodges | 2.6 | |
| Jordan Dildine | 2.69 | |
| Shayla Smith | 2.71 | |
| Rylee Payne | 3.52 | |
| Shannon Hughes | 5.08 |
2024 WRWC Breakaway Pro Finals
It was all about the Angelone’s in the Semifinals of the 2024 WRWC, with birthday girl Martha looking for some more cash (since she was already seeded into the Showdown Round thanks to her No. 1 position on the WRWC points leaderboard) and getting $1,000 in diesel money with a 2.27-second run.
In hot pursuit was Sarah, who’s been having a consistent week in the breakaway. Both Angelone sisters will return for the Showdown Round.
| Martha Angelone | 2.27 | $1,000 |
| Sarah Angelone | 2.32 | |
| Kelsie Domer | 2.44 | |
| Taylor Munsell | 2.48 | |
| Amy Ohrt | 2.63 | |
| Josie Conner | 2.64 | |
| Jordan Jo Hollabaugh | 2.83 | |
| Lari Dee Guy | 7.08 | |
| Kaylee Billingsley | 7.53 |
Average Results
WRWC Breakaway Challenger Average Results
| Athlete | Time | Money | Advancing to Showdown |
| Kieley Walz | 7.5 | $2,900 | Yes |
| Shayla Smith | 7.94 | $2,400 | Yes |
| Sadie Grant | 8.78 | $1,900 | Yes |
| Rylee Payne | 10.27 | $900 | Yes |
| Shannon Hughes | 12.36 | $500 | No |
| Wylie Jo Hodges | 12.75 | $400 | No |
| Colee Cox | 4.51 on 2 | Yes, Fast time | |
| Kylie Reininger | 2.81 on 1 | Yes, Seeded |
WRWC Breakaway Pro Average Results
Taylor Munsell was a bridesmaid throughout the week at the WRWC, but now she’s the bride. Munsell garnered $2,900 for her effort, posting times of 2.25, 2.15 and 2.48 seconds. In all, she’s won $4,900 at the Cowtown Coliseum this week. She did it riding Hotrod Song, known as “Colonel.”
“He’s a great rodeo horse,” Munsell said at the NFBR in 2023. “He’s what you need. He scores, runs and is strong. He stops super hard and can be fast. In breakaway you don’t want your horse super tight, but sometimes they have to be to get those sub-two-second runs.”
Munsell told BRJ she’d either be hitting the Abbyville, Kansas ProRodeo or the WRWC Finals. At this rate, she won’t be making the trip to Kansas.
| Athlete | Time | Money | Advancing to Showdown |
| Taylor Munsell | 6.88 | $2,900 | Yes |
| Sarah Angelone | 6.89 | $2,400 | Yes |
| Amy Orht | 8.09 | $1,900 | Yes |
| Jordan Jo Hollabaugh | 8.76 | $1,400 | Yes |
| Lari Dee Guy | 12.76 | $900 | Yes |
| Kaylee Billingsly | 13.6 | $500 | No |
| Martha Angelone | 4.44 on 2 | Yes, Seeded |
Advancement Chart
This is where the Challenger and Pro divisions end, and every lady is in the same group with a clean slate format ahead of them. The field of 12 will be reduced to three, and those three will head to AT&T Stadium for the $60,000 Championship.
Showdown Round Results
The Showdown Round started off rocky on Thursday, May 16, with three no-times leaving the door open for the remaining ladies to take their shot at being inside the top three. The pace picked up throughout the round, with Amy Orht posting the leading time with Martha Angelone and Jordan Jo Hollabaugh still waiting in the wings. The calves were tricky in the four-under setup at the Cowtown Coliseum, but when the dust settled, the final three were Orht, Angelone and Hollabaugh.
Find the full story on the three ladies roping at AT&T here.
| Athlete | Time | Money | Advancing? |
| Amy Ohrt | 2.05 | Yes | |
| Martha Angelone | 2.08 | Yes | |
| Jordan Jo Hollabaugh | 2.36 | Yes | |
| Rylee Payne | 2.63 | $10,000 | |
| Taylor Munsell | 3.74 | $7,500 | |
| Kieley Walz | 3.44 | $5,000 | |
| Kylie Reininger | 7.13 | $3,500 | |
| Shayla Smith | 7.21 | $2,500 | |
| Lari Dee Guy | NT | $1,500 | |
| Sarah Angelone | NT | $1,500 | |
| Sadie Grant | NT | $1,500 | |
| Colee Cox | NT | $1,500 |
WRWC Finale at AT&T Stadium
| Athlete | Time | Money |
| Amy Ohrt | 1.76 | $60,000 |
| Martha Angelone | 1.96 | $25,000 |
| Jordan Jo Hollabaugh | 2.64 | $15,000 |
