Tacy Kay Webb, of Madisonville, Texas, made the quickest run of the week at the WCRA Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo in Salt Lake City, Utah, to take home the Gold Medal and $25,000 on Saturday, July 24, 2021.
Webb, 23, who advanced from the second performance of the semi-finals, was the second to last roper out in the Gold Medal Round and broke the 2-second barrier with a 1.94-second run, to take center stage on the Gold Medal podium.
Webb Makes a Mark on WCRA Days of 47 Performance Two to Move on to Gold Medal Round
Kaitlin Gustave Photo
“It happened so fast,” Webb said, who works as an ICU nurse. “I know that I’m not the best breakaway roper. I gave it to God. When there’s this many girls that rope good, I really believe it’s His plan at the end of the day. To sit back there and see all these other girls roping good, I was like, ‘Okay, Tac, just trust the plan. Yeah, they’re roping good, but just trust the plan.’”
Webb watched as Jackie Crawford, a 20-time WPRA World Champion and now a two-time Days of ’47 silver medalist, moved to an early lead in the round with a 2.28-second run, followed by Bradi Good’s 2.48-second run, which took home the bronze medal.
“I had no idea that I was going to beat Jackie,” Webb said. “I just went out there and did my thing. To come out here and beat her, I was like, ‘Did that happen?’ I told her that she must like that silver medal. She gets up on that stage every year. She’s an outstanding roper, so to be out there with her was pretty cool.”
Webb’s horse, Hondo, felt the intensity when it came their turn to back into the box. The 12-year-old gelding, by CD Lights, was having a tough time getting square in the box, which made for Webb to ride him forward a few times and regroup to reset the start of her run.
“I’m not one of those people that likes to take my time,” Webb said. “I like to get in there and get it over with. He did not feel quite right. Training them, you know every single move that they make. You know when they’re barely out of step, it’s not going to go right. I just tried to get him perfect.”
What Makes a Good One: Physical Characteristics of a Great Breakaway Horse
What made this win a greater feat for the young roper was the battles that she has overcome to get to this point. Along with being on the frontlines during COVID-19, she bounced back from a breakaway roping incident in October of 2020, where her rope broke and shot back to hit her in the face, causing her to lose her eyesight.
“I can only see about 50% in one of my eyes,” Webb said. “Coming through that and getting over that and not being able to rope until about January of this year was hard. Having to adjust everything to not being able to see is scary. I’ve overcome a lot this year. It was a God-send thing. To be able to overcome that this year and have a good summer like this, I’m so blessed.”
With $25,000 going into her bank account, Webb is hoping to undergo a second surgery to help her eyesight.
“It’s super light sensitive,” she said. “It’s not easy to see in some of the setups that we go to.”
Webb appreciates the opportunities that the WCRA has to offer for breakaway ropers of all walks of life; from the professional rodeo athletes to the 9 to 5 workers and the kids coming up in the rankings.
“For [the WCRA] to recognize that we get the entries, we have the talent, and we have the horses, we have the people behind it, that means a lot. Thank you to them because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. I know that there are a lot of tough breakaway ropers, but you never know when it’s going to be your turn. Nominate where you have confidence and just be grateful to get to come on this ride and to get to come to stages like this.”
