Meet the breakaway ropers that earned their way into the 2024 NFR Open—an event that sees 13 Circuits of breakaway ropers condensed into just two ropers from each, making for an exciting event in Colorado Springs July 9–13, 2024.
There are two ways to advance to the 2024 NFR Open; win a circuit year-end title (the most money won throughout the year) or win the average title at a Circuit Finals.
Table of contents
Badlands Circuit
Brooke Howell – Year-End Champion
Sawyer Gilbert – Average Champion
“At the 2023 Badlands Circuit Finals in Minot, North Dakota, Oct. 13-15, Sawyer Gilbert took home the aggregate win with a time of 7.7 seconds on three head for a $3,341 payday.
The effort will see the 2021 World Champion advance to the 2024 NFR Open in Colorado Springs in July 2024—a valuable opportunity to set herself up for her 2024 goal: Return to the NFBR.”
California Circuit
Suzanne Williams – Year-End Champion
Rylee George – Average Champion
“Rodeo coach Suzanne Williams and Resistol Rookie Rylee George garnered the top honors at the 2023 California Circuit Finals, which took place on the final weekend of the year in Red Bluff, California.
With a total of $23,251 won, Williams returned to the California Circuit to win the Year-End Championship following a one-year hiatus competing on the Wilderness Circuit.
George nabbed the California Circuit Average Championship with a time of 8.1 seconds on three head, winning a total of $6,669 at the event.
With the wins come two NFR Open qualifications—something that will be a first for both Williams and George.”
Columbia Circuit
Bailey Patterson – Year-End Champion and Average Champion
Jordan Minor
“The momentum that picked up at the Pendleton Round-Up continued through the Columbia River Circuit Finals, with registered nurse Bailey Patterson taking both the average and year-end championships at the finals on Oct. 19–21, 2023.
She caught three head in 9.2 seconds for a $2,135 average payday, bringing her circuit finals total to $5,159 and year-end total to $30,767.”
First Frontier Circuit
Jessie Letzelter – Year-End Champion
Paige Pursel – Average Champion
“The 2023 First Frontier Circuit breakaway championships went to Jessie Letzelter with $16,473 in the Year-End race, while Paige Pursel secured the average with a time of 10.9 seconds on three head.
The Circuit Finals took place in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Jan. 11–13, 2024, and the two champions are now pointed toward the NFR Open in Colorado Springs in July.”
Great Lakes Circuit
Joslynn Masters – Year-End Champion
Danni Clover – Average Champion
“Schoolteacher Danni Clover and rookie Joslynn Masters took the top honors at the Great Lakes Circuit—Clover winning the average with a time of 9.4 on three head while Masters gathered up the year-end championship with $11,442 earned.
It played out at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville Nov. 9-11, 2023, where the stands were packed with rodeo fans every night.
“I couldn’t look up at the crowd,” Masters admitted. “I had to pretend I was in my arena at home because it gets really loud in there.”
Maple Leaf Circuit
Caitlyn Dahm – Year-End Champion
Lakota Bird – Average Champion
Montana Circuit
Shelby Meged – Year-End Champion
Anna Callaway – Average Champion
“Coming off the heels of her 2023 WPRA Breakaway World Championship, Shelby (Boisjoli) Meged has continued her winning momentum, picking up two championship titles at the Montana Circuit Finals Jan. 11–13, 2024.
With $28,478 earned throughout the year, the Montana Circuit first-timer dominated the Circuit Finals, placing in every go-round and winning Round 3. She roped three head in 8.2 seconds for the Average Championship.
The event took place against a backdrop of record cold temperatures in Great Falls, Montana. The mercury never rose above zero degrees throughout the weekend, and although the indoor arena was nice a toasty, Meged recounted the logistical difficulties that came with hauling horses in -20° weather.”
Mountain States Circuit
Willow Wilson – Year-End Champion
Devan McAdow – Average Champion
“The Mountain States Circuit Finals produced two new champions Oct. 20-21, 2023, in Loveland, Colorado, with Willow Wilson taking the year-end title and Devon McAdow winning the average on her first trip to the Circuit Finals.”
Prairie Circuit
Christi Braudrick – Year-End Champion and Average Champion
Taylor Munsell
“Christi Braudrick won the Year-End and Aggregate Championships at the Prairie Circuit Finals in Duncan, Oklahoma, Oct. 14, 2023, with an aggregate time of 9.3 seconds on three head and $20,490 in year-end winnings.
For Braudrick, the victory is taking her to the NFR Open for the second time and giving her some closure on a broken barrier from more than 30 years ago.”
Southeastern Circuit
Laramie Johnson – Year-End Champion and Average Champion
Bethany Stallons-Ferguson
“Laramie Johnson battled through the heartache of losing her main horse “Easy” just a week before the 2023 Southeastern Circuit Finals in Davie, Florida, to win the year-end and average championship on borrowed mare “Chex.”
“My goal was to finish what I had started with Easy,” Johnson, 27, said.”
Texas Circuit
Martha Angelone – Year-End Champion
Jackie Crawford – Average Champion
“For Texas Circuit Year-End Champion Martha Angelone and Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo Champion Jackie Crawford, the event in Waco, Oct. 10–13, 2023, was a tale of two very different experiences.
While Angelone threw past the softer cattle on her fast-footed gelding, “Legend,” and hung on for the year-end, Crawford’s palomino mare “Hail Mary” showed she was ready to be a rodeo horse.
No matter the methods of victory, both ladies are qualified to scoop up some mid-summer cash at the 2024 NFR Open in July.”
Turquoise Circuit
Maddy Deerman – Year-End Champion
Kassidy Dennison – Average Champion
“The 2023 Turquoise Circuit Finals saw up-and-comer Maddy Deerman and all-arounder Kassidy Dennison secure the year-end and average championships Nov. 3-4, in Camp Verde, Arizona.
Deerman finished the year with $15,255 earned at eight rodeos, while Dennison was the only roper to stay penalty-free at the Turquoise Circuit Finals, roping three head in 9.6 seconds to win the average title.”
Wilderness Circuit
Zoie Bedke – Year-End Champion
Eryn Maddock – Average Champion
“Eryn Maddock brought home the 2023 Wilderness Circuit Average Championship with a time of 9.1 seconds on three head, Nov. 3-4, 2023, in Heber City, Utah, capping off a year of success on a circuit that’s new to her.
Maddock hails from Adrian, Oregon, and has two big fans cheering her on at the Wilderness Circuit Rodeos: her little girls Acee, 3, and Indee, 1.
She roped in 2.9, 3.6 and 2.6 seconds in each round to earn a total of $2,907 at the circuit finals.”
How to qualify for a WPRA Circuit Finals
Breakaway ropers can declare a circuit that’s outside their normal residence, but they’re required to attend more circuit rodeos than residents of the circuit for three consecutive years. Then, they earn ‘resident’ circuit privileges.
The 2024 WPRA rule book explains the (40%) 15 Rule for circuit finals qualification as follows:
“8.8.2.1. In order to satisfy the 40%/15 rule, a contestant must comply with the following:
- If the contestant’s principal place of residence is within her designated circuit, said contestant must compete in either 40% of the rodeos within that circuit (based on the total number of rodeos during the previous rodeo year which held the particular event for which the contestant seeks to become a CR contestant) or 15 rodeos with that event within the circuit, whichever is less or;
- If the contestant’s principal place of residence is not within her designated circuit, said contestant must compete in either 40% of the rodeos within the circuit (based on the total number of rodeos during the previous year which held the particular event for which the contestant seeks to become a CR contestant) or 15 rodeos with that event within the circuit, whichever is greater… at a Director’s discretion it may go up to 60%.”
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