Haiden Thompson has been grinding on the ProRodeo trail in 2025, but a recent hot streak through Colorado and Wyoming has catapulted her to the top of the Resistol Rookie standings—and possibly into the WPRA Top 15 conversation.
The Wyoming cowgirl earned $21,041 in one week with strong finishes at the Rooftop Rodeo in Estes Park ($4,249), Sheridan WYO Rodeo ($2,239), Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo in Casper ($7,122), Gunnison’s Cattlemen’s Days in Gunnison ($3,290) and Cheyenne Frontier Days ($4,141). Along the way, she did a lot of driving, a little bit of sleeping, and a whole lot of winning.
We caught up with Thompson to talk about her wild week, her horses, and the Resistol rookie race she’s suddenly dominating.
@breakawayropingjournal Haiden Thompson and Katie Jolly sit atop the leaderboard following the first 100 breakaway ropers in Cheyenne Frontier Days slack with times of 4.2 seconds. @resistol1927 ♬ Raco Rabanne Why I love you Dubstep remix – h.ves ♛
Haiden, what did that week look like from the drivers seat?
Thompson: Yeah, it was wild. Martha and I started at Estes Park where I ended up winning, and she got a good check too. After that, we split rigs—she headed to Calgary, and I made my way to Sheridan and Casper. I had a solid first run at Casper, tied for fourth in the long round, then drove all night to Gunnison and won that. After that, I drove all the way back to Sheridan and finished fourth there. Then we went back to Casper for the short round and I ended up second in the round and second in the average. It wasn’t picture perfect—but it was picture perfect enough.
That sounds exhausting. Did you even sleep?
Not really. On the morning of the Casper short round, I slept all day until someone had to wake me up so I wouldn’t miss it. I had no idea what day it was most of the time—just kept seeing the same Wyoming landmarks over and over.
What clicked for you last week?
Honestly, everything just felt right. I rode two different horses—Foxy and Tom—and they both worked great. I drew some really good calves, nothing too tricky. I wouldn’t say there’s a secret formula, but my horses felt amazing and I felt sharp.
And now you’re leading the Resistol Rookie race. Has that been a goal from the start?
Yeah, honestly, that was my main goal going into the year. I didn’t get into a lot of the winter rodeos, so I wasn’t thinking about the NFBR at first. But now, after the past couple weeks, people are saying I’ve got a shot at the Top 15. I’m trying not to get too focused on the numbers—just catching the next calf. If I do that, the rest will take care of itself.
Tell us about your horses.
Foxy is “Foxy and Fancy,” and I ride her on the shorter starts—like Estes Park. Tom is grade, and I use him on longer scores like Casper and Sheridan. I’ll ride him at Cheyenne and Salinas too. We got Tom as a 2-year-old and I did everything with him—he was my head horse before I made him a breakaway horse. He’s super fast and really special to me.
Are you pretty structured in your prep or just going with the flow?
I rope the dummy and keep my horses tuned up, but I also stretch a lot. I was a goat tyer for years, so my body feels like I’m 57 instead of 21. My knees, ankles, and back need all the help they can get.
What’s next on your schedule?
This week it’s Cheyenne and Salinas. Next week I’ll be at Spanish Fork, Ogden, and Deadwood. It just keeps going!
You and Martha Angelone seem to make a solid team. What’s it like traveling together?
We’re both super competitive, but we genuinely want each other to win. I think that’s why we get along. Even if one of us is in a slump, we’re encouraging each other constantly. The road trips are full of laughs—and sometimes tears from laughing so hard.
