Since May of 2018, the World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) and its partners have paid out over $10.8 million to rodeo athletes. Yet the question remains— how much money has the WCRA really put into the pockets of the cowgirls who nominate and enter their events? Let’s dive in as we break down the top 10 winningest cowgirls of the WCRA.
Official WCRA Top 10 Money Earners:
(Courtesy WCRA)
1. Hope Thompson – $229,099.42
Hope Thompson is the richest athlete within the WCRA with more than $200,000 in earnings. She earned her first WRWC title in 2020 after delivering the only qualified time in team roping with Rylie Smith and claimed a second title in 2022 winning the All-Around buckle and a $20,000 bonus, in addition to her $5,000 heeler Challenger World Champion bonus.
READ MORE: Making a Living with a Rope: The Hope Thompson Story
2. Jackie Crawford – $200,874.38
Crawford has been an outspoken supporter of the WCRA since its early days. She has been a fixture on the stage at nearly every WCRA major and WRWC event since the Windy City Roundup in 2019. That event marked the first time that breakaway ropers competed for an equal $50,000 purse. More recently, she topped Rodeo Corpus Christi for a $16.6K payday.
3. Madison Outhier – $142,847.08
In 2020 and 2021, Outhier couldn’t be stopped at the WRWC events. She topped the event in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2020, and again in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2021. In May of 2021, she also earned the coveted surfboard in Corpus Christ, Texas, by adding another win.
2021 Flashback: Watch Outhier’s 2.05-second winning WRWC Championship run here.
4. Shelby Boisjoli – $136,804.17
NFBR qualifier Shelby Boisjoli is proof that there is money in placing at WCRA events, not just in the headlining checks. She has quietly amassed well over $100K throughout the years and is often seen picking up a team rope along with a breakaway rope.
5. Lari Dee Guy – $113,035.52
It’s no surprise that the notorious LDG has won big at WCRA events. Like Crawford and Thompson, Guy has been a fixture at WCRA events. She is almost always found in the top ranks of the leaderboards and
Cowgirl Hall of Fame to Induct Women’s Roping Icon and Advocate Lari Dee Guy in 2021 Class
6. Kelsie Chace Domer – $109,501.55
If it isn’t obvious so far, the WPRA World Champions like to play in the WCRA. Domer is another cowgirl who has racked up an impressive amount of earnings, and is the last on our list with bragging rights for cracking the $100k mark.
Chace-Domer Goes from Wild Card to Winner at 2022 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo
7. Martha Angelone – $98,248.01
Angelone had shown up to WCRA events before, but her headlining win came in May 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. Angelone cashed in for a nearly $70,000 payday at the WRWC. Check out this clip of her story.
8. Josie Conner – $65,959.76
At just 18 years old, Conner has already dominated on nearly every stage in rodeo. Much of her confidence has come from her success in WCRA arenas. Conner has nominated youth, high school and professional events to earn points, and showed out at the WCRA and WRWC events to gather up an impressive $65,959.76 over the years.
Learning the Business of Rodeo with Resistol Rookie Leader Josie Conner
9. Jordi Edens – $56,070.83
Jordi Edens made history as the first Days of 47 Rodeo Breakaway Champion in 2019, earning a $50,000 check and a gold medal. Did we mention she was just 16 years old at the time?
10. Britta Strain – $53,434.43
Britta Strain has been one of the most inspiring athletes to come through the WCRA ranks. After recovering from an acciden that nearly took her life, this young competitor has earned every dollar she’s won through grit, determination and her winning attitude.
