Cassidy Kelly traded in her team ropes for a calf rope, picked up the International Professional Rodeo Association’s Rookie title at 44 years old, and is looking to compete in her first WCRA major event.
It’s all a part of the medical professional’s new breakaway roping venture. After decades of spinning steers, she’s turned her attention to the fastest sport in rodeo.
“The last couple of years I’ve been trying to breakaway more,” the Sulphur Oklahoma cowgirl said. “Last year was the first year I went hard all year in the IPRAs. I won the Rookie title in the IPRA and ACRA, and made both of those finals. I joke with everyone, I’m the oldest rookie ever.”
Kelly is making waves in the WCRA, too, currently sitting on the bubble to make it into WCRA Rodeo Corpus Christi, where the No. 1 and No. 2 finishing breakaway ropers will join the WCRA’s Free Riders team.
The Breakaway Roping Journal wanted to catch up with this new face on the WCRA Rodeo Corpus Christi leaderboard.
BRJ: You mentioned you work in the medical field. What do you do?
Cassidy Kelly: “I’m an x-ray and CT tech. I do travel jobs, kind of like travel nursing. Right now I’m working nights. I work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. And then I have the rest of the week to rope… until Monday afternoon. It’s tough but it’s worth it for now.”
Do you think your history in team roping helped your breakaway?
I think my experience and age helps a lot, but it’s different too. When I was heading I felt like I just had to go knock them down, but with [breakaway], you’ve got to be able to adjust quick and throw fast.
Tell us about your horsepower.
I have two that I’ve been riding since they were 2-year-olds, and they’re 6 now. It’s been challenging—I feel like all the horses I’ve ridden so far have been ones I’ve made.
My gelding Taco is a Meteles Cat, and we’ve just worked our way up. Taco is a personality—he’ll eat anything. He’s always untie himself and escape. But he can really get across the line, he’s probably one of the most athletic horses I’ve ever ridden.
I have a mare I call Scarlet too, and I’ll use her on shorter setups. Taco just has more miles on him so he’s my go-to right now.
Do you haul with anyone?
I hauled by myself all last year. Just me and my dogs… they go everywhere with me. Bella the Pitbull and Rider the Jack Russell. I feel like a lot of people just know me for my dogs, because they’ll go up in the bleachers at jackpots and sit.
When did you start getting involved with the WCRA?
I really started nominating to the Women’s Rodeo and WCRA last year, and I competed at the Women’s deal in Fort Worth as a Challenger. I also made it to Rodeo Carolina last year and when that was cancelled, so I rolled [my points] to Corpus. I am really working on nominating to make sure I get in.
What do you like about the WCRA?
For the amount of money [you spend] you get an opportunity to go rope in the exciting things with the Kid Rock Rodeo. I just feel like there’s so many opportunities, and it gives everybody a chance to be able to go rope for big money they add at those events.
