15 breakaway ropers, five from each regional qualifier, will rope at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, this weekend—Friday and Saturday, May 22-23—chasing a piece of the $2 million payout.
The catch is that only those 15 girls can win $2 million. The five cowgirls invited to Saturday’s Showdown Round from the 2025 WPRA world standings—Taylor Munsell, Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, Josie Conner, Rylee George and Aspen Miller— are eligible for the $100,000 payout but are locked out of the $2 million bonus. That bonus has rolled over since 2024, and 2026 is the last year before it resets.
What it Takes
A qualifier has to finish top 5 in Friday’s one-head semifinals, then in the top 4 in Saturday’s Showdown Round of 10, then win the Championship Round.
We caught up with the 15 girls who are up to become millionaires.
EAST – Lexington, Kentucky
- Emmry Edwards | Stephenville, TX | Won East, 2.06 in finals
At 16, Edwards rode away with the first ticket to Arlington.
“It really just hit me that I was roping to get to a spot where you could rope for $2 million. That added a lot of pressure. But I trusted in myself and used that as motivation for sure.”
- Rickie Fanning | Spearfish, SD | 2nd at East, 2.4 in finals | 3x NFBR Qualifier
“The American Rodeo is one of the most iconic rodeos. Getting to go to Arlington and competing for life changing money is something we don’t take for granted. I’m excited to be going to Globe Life Field.”
- Lydia Townson | Stephenville, TX | 3rd at East, 2.66 in finals
“Being able to compete for the biggest purse ever in rodeo history—2 million dollars—is truly unbelievable. I’ve roped my entire life and never imagined I would have this opportunity. Thanks to the American, we really are living the American Dream.”
- Kelsie Domer | Dublin, TX | 4th at East, 2.83 in finals | 2024 World Champion
“I’m super excited to be able to head back to the American Rodeo this year. It’s always an honor to rope in a venue like that and get to run at that kind of money. I’m thankful for the opportunity and look forward to a fun weekend.”
- Beau Peterson | Council Grove, KS | 5th at East, 2.98 in finals
“For breakaway ropers and in any of the events, it’s a life-changing amount of money. The way the world is now, everything is so expensive. You can do so much with this kind of money as far as rodeoing and just life in general. … It’s obviously the biggest stage that we get to compete on every year.”
CENTRAL – Oklahoma City
- Timber Allenbrand | Stephenville, TX | Won Central, 2.13 in finals
Originally an all-around cowgirl from Kansas, Allenbrand has zoned in on breakaway roping and her success is showing.
“I just felt like I could go do my job and trust my horse and he was going to give me a chance.”
- Kali Jo Bannister | Jacksonville, TX | 2nd at Central, 2.34 in finals
“It is an amazing opportunity for me and other girls my age to be able to compete against the best of the best for this kind of money and I am so excited for this experience.”
- Macy Hancock | Aquilla, TX | 3rd at Central, 2,49 in finals
“I’m so excited and blessed to even have the chance to rope for $2 million. I’m very thankful for the opportunity.”
- Jackie Crawford | Stephenville, TX | 4th at Central, 3.21 | Breakaway’s first $1M ProRodeo cowgirl
“It never gets old roping for that much money. … Part of the fun is getting to dream about what you could do with 2 million, and so to have that actually come true and even just getting back in the box thinking that’s a possibility is so unbelievably fun and just indescribable.”
- Shyanne Jarrett | Comanche, OK | 5th at Central, 4.77 in finals
“I’m just trying to rope and be as accurate and precise as I can. … I feel like the girls are gonna be firing it pretty quick.”
WEST – Las Vegas
- Hadley Thompson | Yoder, WY | Won West, 1.79 in finals | 2x American qualifier
Thompson struck out in Kentucky and Oklahoma City before nailing Vegas with the fastest finals time of the weekend.
“$2 million. That’s a lot of money—I feel like compared to last year going to the American versus this time, I feel like I’ve definitely grown a lot as a roper—I have more confidence going into this one than I did last year for sure.”
- Madison Outhier | Utopia, TX | 2nd at West, 1.80 in the finals | 2019 American Champion
“I really have tried to stay the same competitor as I was then—the last time I competed at the American we were still only eligible for 100,000, so to be eligible for not only $1 but $2 million now, I’m super pumped.”
- Fallon Ruffoni | Atascadero, CA | 3rd at West, 2.27 in finals
“My main horse needed some time off, so Hank had to step up a bit lately, and I have been very proud of him. He is who I will be riding in Arlington.”
- Maddy Jacobs | Hope, NM | 4th at West 2.28 in finals
“If I am able to get a piece of the prize, it will change my life and set in motion things my husband and I have been planning a long time for our future.”
- Sutton Mang | Santa Ynez Valley, CA | 5th at West 2.48 in finals (rolled up after Crawford previously qualified through Central)
“It’s not exactly how I would have liked to qualify. I would have liked to do it on my own. But nevertheless, I am still so happy for the opportunity—a chance is a chance no matter how it happened.”
