Shelby Boisjoli-Meged is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having won the 2023 WPRA Breakaway World Championship, but found herself wanting more from her breakaway roping technique throughout 2024.
But Meged wasn’t content with past success, and after undergoing a challenging 2024 season that still included highlights such as a win at Cheyenne Frontier Days, it was time for a makeover.
And the results are already showing. In July 2025, Meged roped her way to the top at the Calgary Stampede—the first year breakaway was added to its main rodeo—earning more than $60,000. She now sits No. 2 in the WPRA World standings with a sharp edge that’s more than just rope-deep.
“I feel like this winter was probably the craziest winter we’ve ever had, and it’s probably the hardest I’ve ever worked at it in my entire life,” Meged said. “I really tried to change my style.”
The “problem”
Meged’s former technique—riding on her pockets and “jumping over the top of my horse”—had worked for her, but she saw the writing on the wall when it came to sustainability.
“I just kind of realized my style that I had wasn’t going to work for longevity,” Meged said. “Obviously, I could be competitive with it, but if I wanted to ride the same horse for the next five years, I was going to have to do something different. You’re not going to keep a breakaway horse working when you have to go two swings, ask ’em to run as hard as they can for three jumps and then pull on their face. So I had to figure out how to keep that going for a lot longer.”
The solution
So, Meged shortened her spoke, switched back to a longer rope with a bigger loop, and focused on staying forward and riding all the way to the calf. She also began riding more aggressively through her entire catch—something she rarely did in the past.
A major gear shift accompanied her technical evolution. In 2024, Meged signed on with Fast Back Ropes and now swings their “Edge” calf rope—a move that’s aligned with her fresh, more aggressive approach.
“I never used to kick my horses hardly at all,” Meged admitted. “So I worked on just riding a lot more aggressive. Jumping over your horse and asking them to stay running every single time just doesn’t hold up.”
Meged credits part of her progress to studying two of breakaway roping’s most technically sound competitors—Josie Conner and Cheyenne McCartney, and learning from mentor Joe Beaver and husband Haven Meged.
“Josie and Cheyanne are so correct, and they ride their second stride out of the box so well,” Meged said. “They ride all the way through their catch and ride their horses all the way to the calf.”
The changes have lent themselves to Meged catching and pulling her slack better than ever before, and sharpening up those neck shots.
Now, with her new swing, fresh gear, and refined mindset, Meged is not only preserving the longevity of her horses—she’s making a statement.
