Taylor Munsell topped the Reno Rodeo in commanding fashion, roping three head in 8.0 seconds, rounding up a total of $13,582 and sliding neatly into No. 2 in the WPRA World Standings with approximately $76,250 won.
For Munsell, the win was a long time coming.
“I’ve made Reno Rodeo short round every year—so four years now—and I always felt like it was a rodeo I should be able to excel at, and I’d never got it won,” Munsell, 27, said. “So, I decided that this year was going to be my year.”
Munsell roped her calves in 2.4, 2.4 and 3.2 seconds for the win, carving herself a sizeable chunk of Reno’s $70,000 in added money for the breakaway ropers.
“I knew I wanted to go at every calf,” Munsell said. “That start is my ideal start, and my horse worked outstanding. I drew a slow calf in Round 1, strong calf in Round 2, and my short go calf ducked pretty hard right on me, but my horse Ray let me get them roped.”
Munsell noted the top tier atmosphere at the Reno Rodeo, too. The rodeo’s tickets sold out for every performance, and the event organizers ended up putting on a watch party at another arena in the complex.
Taylor Munsell’s Pals Star Shine, “Ray”
Munsell’s star of Reno was old faithful “Ray,” a 15-year-old palomino gelding her family raised.
“I say Ray is the grunt horse,” Munsell said. “He does all the work and gets none of the glory. People don’t realize how much I actually win on that horse… he’s the one that pulls the weight and gets me to the NFR every year. I’ve had some of my biggest wins on him like Calgary and now this.”
Ray was one of the last horses Munsell’s grandparents bred, and he was trained by Munsell and her father. She said Ray didn’t start out a star… needing plenty of miles he got throughout college rodeo at Northwestern Oklahoma State. But now, he’s a trusted member of her team.
“He’s nothing special with how he works, he lets you win, and I think that’s super important while rodeoing,” Munsell said.
“I have three really special horses, and I know some people don’t like having that many, but with Ray and Monster, I’ve had them for so long that I know where they excel, and I can pick and choose. And Colonel, he’s a freak of nature. He’s the most talented horse I’ll probably ever ride.” – Taylor Munsell
Ray’s win at Reno came with some extra special (and scary) context, having recovered from an intense bout of strangles over the winter.
“Ray was in the ICU for almost a month at Outlaw Equine,” Munsell said. “He got a bad strain of strangles that never burst, so they had to flush his guttural pouches every other day. It got down into his throat and lungs, and he went off feed and water. But Outlaw did an outstanding job with him.”
Munsell said she wasn’t sure how quickly Ray would come back from his sickness, but since she had horses Monster and Colonel to ride, she was ready to give him all the time he needed.
“Once I started roping on [Ray], he stepped up fast,” Munsell said. “He’s been winning everywhere.”
As of right now, Munsell is taking Ray and Monster on the summer road. Monster will be stationed in the Utah and Colorado area to minimize his hauling while Ray travels more. Munsell’s third horse “Colonel” is currently being legged up at Outlaw Equine and may make his debut later in the year.
Looking at her year as a whole, Munsell said she had “a better winter than ever, and summer is where I excel.” So keep an eye out for her name in ProRodeo results as the summer progresses.
Top 15 coverage is presented by Top Hand Ropes. Their “Halo” breakaway rope is the choice of professional breakaway ropers including Hali Williams. Check out Top Hands’ line of quality products on their website or your favorite Western retailer today.
