The last Circuit Finals of the 2024 season is the Montana Circuit Finals, where Joey Williams finished as the year-end champion and average co-champion, while Shelby Meged matched her in the average race, securing her spot in Colorado Springs.

In a circuit filled with athletes with resumes including 2023 World Champion (Meged), 2022 NFBR Average Champion (Cadee Williams) and 2023 Cheyenne and Pendleton Champion (Joey Williams), it’s a knife-fight to even pull a check in the go-rounds.

2024 Montana Circuit Finals Year-End Champion, Average Co-Champion: Joey Williams

Finishing the year with $28,396 in Montana Circuit money, Williams is slated to make her third trip to the NFR Open in Colorado Springs. She did it riding stand out mare “Baybe Bullet,” who’s been Williams’ main rodeo mount for the last five years.

“It’s the most I’ve ever won on the Circuit,” Williams said. “I’ve actually never had a very good Circuit Finals before. I’ve won go-rounds a few times in the past but this is the first time I’ve caught all three calves. Getting ready for it, I was focused on getting average money, because I knew Cadee and Shelby weren’t going to make mistakes.”

Williams secured her goal of average money—finishing in a tie for the No. 1 position with Meged—both roping in 7.1 seconds on three head and earning a total of $8,983. To do it, she roped in 3.2, 2.1 and 1.8 seconds. This is her first Circuit Average Championship.

“That [arena] isn’t very big, so even with the great calves we had this year, you have to be in the barrier because you start running out of room [otherwise],” Williams explained. “I really executed in Round 3—I was 1.8.”

Joey Williams’ big Montana Circuit wins:

• Missoula Stampede, Missoula, MT — $3,376
• Bear Paw Roundup, Chinook, MT — $2,582
• Last Chance Stampede, Helena, MT — $2,497
• Northeast Montana Fair & Rodeo, Glasgow, MT — $2,367
• Bozeman Stampede, Bozeman, MT — $2,119
• Cascade Pro Rodeo, Cascade, MT — $1,823

Williams says that while some people may view her 2024 season as unsuccessful because she didn’t make the NFBR, she feels good about the year overall.

“In my mind I went to less rodeos and had a great year. With kids and stuff, I go to what I can get to and capitalize while I’m there. This year, I’m taking it day-by-day. If [I make the Finals] in the rodeos I get to, that’s great, and if not, I’m at peace about it.”

For 2025, Williams is hitting three major winter rodeos; Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio before heading back up North to Volborg, Montana.

2024 Montana Circuit Finals Average Co-Champion: Shelby Meged

Meged has been roping on the mare that started it all for her—Sexy Lil Blue Blood—and the duo found sweet victory at the Montana Circuit Finals with an average co-championship, roping three head in 7.1 seconds.

“Onna had a tear in her check ligament in her left front,” Meged explained. “She was really sound, too. You could just see she was a little off when she was going in a circle, so it was really tough leaving her at home. But the vets said is could tear more so I opted to let her rest.”

So “Rootbeer” got the call. The pair stopped the clock in 2.2, 2.2 and 2.7 seconds, rounding up $7,517 at the Circuit Finals.

“I’ve only been in the Montana Circuit for two years, and I thought this was an extremely tough circuit finals,” Meged said. “There were a lot of girls who caught three calves clean, and even the rounds were pretty aggressive.”

Despite the tough competition Rootbeer, who Meged’s now owned for 11 years, delivered.

“From the corner to the calf, Rootbeer is the easiest horse I’ve ever ridden,” Meged said. “I think Onna pops the rope faster and is a little more aggressive, but I’ll throw my rope in two swings on Rootbeer a lot more than I will on Onna. Onna is a big, heavy mare, and leaving the box on her beats you up. She pulls so hard with her front end that leaving the box is rough and you’re battling to stay at the front of your saddle. On Rootbeer you just feel like you’re floating. She’s really easy that way, and scores really well too.”

Meged’s 2025 plan is to focus more on rodeo and less on futurities. In 2024 she struggled to practice for herself, opting to ride the fun, young prospects instead of rodeo and practice horses that would let her hone her roping.

Now, almost a month into the New Year, Meged says she’s riding more horses daily than she ever has, and always makes sure she gets some runs in for herself at the end of the day.

2024 Montana Circuit Finals Breakaway Results

First round: 1. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Cadee Williams, 2.2 seconds, $2,567 each; 3. Jacey Fortier, 2.4, $1,467; 4. Anna Callaway, 2.5, $733. 

Second round: 1. Georgia Orahood, 1.9 seconds, $2,933; 2. Joey Williams, 2.1, $2,200; 3. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Celie Salmond, 2.2, $1,100 each. 

Third round: 1. Joey Williams, 1.8 seconds, $2,933; 2. Sarah Verhelst, 2.2, $2,200; 3. Brooklyn Berg, 2.3, $1,467; 4. Tiffany Ogren, 2.6, $733. 

Average: 1. (tie) Joey Williams and Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 7.1 seconds on three head, $3,850 each; 3. Cadee Williams, 8.4, $2,200; 4. Celie Salmond, 8.5, $1,100.