The 12 breakaway ropers competing at the 2023 Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sept. 28–30, have been announced, and it’s going to be a record-breaking rodeo.
The event is projected to pay more than $100,000 to breakaway ropers, an amount that will undoubtedly shuffle the Top 15 standings on the last weekend of the ProRodeo season.
What’s the deal on this ‘record breaking’?
Sioux Falls is among the scores of rodeos adding breakaway to their roster, many with equal added money. This year has proven itself to be the renaissance of breakaway, and has seen ProRodeo ladies like Hali Williams break records in season earnings repeatedly.
Couple the talent of the 12 roping in Sioux Falls with the massive payouts on the table, and the 2022 season earnings record of $130,303 already broken, the sky is the limit on what these breakaway ropers will accomplish between Sioux Falls and the 2023 NFBR.
Sioux Falls payout
The Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls will allow the 12 qualifying contestants to compete in Rounds 1 and 2 of competition.
Those rounds will have the following current and unofficial projected payout from the PRCA.:
- $10,000
- $7,500
- $5,000
- $2,500
After the first two full rounds, the top eight breakaway ropers on two runs will advance to Saturday’s round. In Saturday’s clean-slate round, the top four fastest times will advance to a four-man short round. The four-man shootout round will pay the following amounts as the current and unofficial projected payout from the PRCA.
- $25,000
- $19,000
- $12,000
- $6,000
- $2,555
- $2,555
- $2,555
- $2,555
How did they get into Sioux Falls?
There were two ways to advance to Sioux Falls. The first was via the Washington State Fair and Rodeo in Puyallup, Washington, and the second through the Cinch Playoff Series standings. The Playoff Series ran all year, with designated rodeos earnings points. When the qualification period closed on Sept. 16, 2023, the top eight (not including those already advancing through Puyallup) punched their ticket to Sioux Falls.
Are you watching what’s happening in the barrels? Sioux Falls is going to be interesting, with several ladies on the bubble getting a chance to take a run an NFR qualification. From BarrelRacing.com: THE 2023 NFR BARREL RACING FIELD WILL BE FINALIZED AT SIOUX FALLS—SEE WHO’S ENTERED.
How will the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls affect the Top 15 standings?
Of the 12 ropers competing in Sioux Falls, 11 are in the Top 15. The outlier is Maddy Deerman, who currently sits No. 30 with $36,350 won. The likelihood of Deerman breaking into the Top 15 (she needs $26,873 to do so) is there, but her self-reported inability to make the required 25 rodeos to be eligible for the 2023 NFBR means that, even if she earns enough to break into the Top 15, she will not bump another roper out of a NFBR qualification.
Standings inside the Top 15 have the potential to rearrange, but without an NFBR-eligible roper that’s outside the Top 15 competing in Sioux Falls, the event is mainly going to serve as a wind tunnel of flying cash where each competitor tries to gather as much as they can on the last weekend of the year.
Ropers competing toward the back end of the Top 15, such as Bradi Good (No. 13) and Kendal Pierson (No. 14) will be seeking to close the gap between them and the rest of the field, while No. 1 Hali Williams will be aiming to increase her lead on the field (which currently sits at more than $8,000 at $145,786).
The breakaway ropers competing at Sioux Falls
Hali Williams
Current standing position: No. 1
Current earnings: $145,786
Shelby Boisjoli
Current standing position: No. 2
Current earnings: $136,944
Sarah Angelone
Current standing position: No. 3
Current earnings: $114,047
Martha Angelone
Current standing position: No. 4
Current earnings: $112,562
Taylor Munsell
Current standing position: No. 5
Current earnings: $98,402
Joey Williams
Current standing position: No. 6
Current earnings: $96,799
Kelsie Domer
Current standing position: No. 7
Current earnings: $94,725
Danielle Lowman
Current standing position: No. 9
Current earnings: $82,816
Jackie Crawford
Current standing position: No. 10
Current earnings: $80,687
Bradi Good
Current standing position: No. 13
Current earnings: $74,686
Kendal Pierson
Current standing position: No. 14
Current earnings: $69,966
Maddy Deerman
Current standing position: No. 30
Current earnings: $36,350
Special thanks to Top Hand Ropes, who supports Breakaway Roping Journal‘s ProRodeo coverage.
