Taylor Munsell returned for her fifth straight Prairie Circuit Finals to reclaim the Year-End Championship while breakaway futurity whiz Cheyanne McCartney won the average, securing her first-ever NFR Open berth.
The Finals was thrilling to the end, with McCartney entering the finals with a $400 lead over Munsell. The peers ended up splitting the average win with times of 9.2 seconds on three head, but Munsell’s consistent performance in the go-rounds—pulling a check in all three to McCartney’s two—allowed her to win the year-end by a $54 margin.
2024 Prairie Circuit Year-End Champion: Taylor Munsell
Prairie Circuit Finals veteran Munsell now has three Year-End titles to her name after narrowly missing the title in 2023. With $22,218 in earnings, Munsell roped smart to overtake earnings leader McCartney in Duncan, OK.
“I’ve never done well in the average at Circuit Finals, but I knew that Cheyanne was ahead of me and she wasn’t going to make very many mistakes,” Munsell said. “So I needed [to focus] on the average while still winning money in the go rounds.”
Roping in 2.6, 3.3 and 3.3 seconds, Munsell won a total of $6,267 in the go-rounds and average.
“I was going in wanting to make the best run on every calf I drew,” Munsell, 28, explained. “You never know, going into a Circuit Finals with 12 girls. It could either be super tough in the average like it was this year, or it falls completely apart.”
Munsell won Round 1 with her fastest time of the event, but said her favorite run was Round 3, where she drew a tough calf that took off hard but then threw his head up and slowed down “three swings down the pen.”
“Cheyanne and I both had to run that calf, and I feel like I made a great run on him,” Munsell said. “Monster was outstanding. I don’t think I could have done it on another horse.”
That’s right, Munsell’s beloved “Monster” got the call for the Prairie Circuit Finals while her other mounts Ray and Colonel are resting up in preparation for the Kimes Million Dollar Breakaway and NFBR in late November and December.
2024 Prairie Circuit Average Champion: Cheyanne McCartney
McCartney secured her first-ever NFR Open qualification on a new horse “Diamond” after narrowly missing her chance in 2023.
Roping in 3.8, 2.1 and 3.3 seconds, McCartney was awarded the title after tying with Munsell in the average with a time of 9.2 seconds on three head.
“I had a really strong calf in the second round—it was a lot like my first round calf,” McCartney explained. “I was glad to take a good start at the barrier and blast out. Once you’re in that position, you just have to go catch before they get away.”
Her mount was 9-year-old mare Ms Shiny Gallo, who she purchased in August. Formerly a calf horse, Diamond was brought to McCartney’s husband Cody to sell. But once McCartney ran a few calves on her, she knew she wasn’t going anywhere for a while.
“She had a good feel to her,” McCartney said. “She’s low-headed, has good timing, is quick-footed and easy to rope on. I think when you get to a certain level, you have a [quick] feel for the horses that work for you and which don’t.”
McCartney and Cody both train and show futurity horses for a living—with McCartney taking time to ProRodeo as well. For her, the NFR Open Qualification is an opportunity to win big against a roster of only 26 ropers.
2024 Prairie Circuit Finals Results
First round: 1. Taylor Munsell, 2.6 seconds, $2,279; 2. Beau Peterson, 3.0, $1,709; 3. Winter Williams, 3.3, $1,139; 4. Christi Braudrick, 3.5, $570.
Second round: 1. Cheyanne McCartney, 2.1 seconds, $2,279; 2. Tia Wallace, 3.0, $1,709; 3. Beau Peterson, 3.1, $1,139; 4. Taylor Munsell, 3.3, $570.
Third round: 1. Jenna Lee Adams, 2.7 seconds, $2,279; 2. Taylor Raupe, 2.9, $1,709; 3. (tie) Christi Braudrick, Cheyanne McCartney, Taylor Munsell and Tia Wallace, 3.3, $427 each.
Average: 1. (tie) Taylor Munsell and Cheyanne McCartney, 9.2 seconds on three head, $2,991 each; 3. Beau Peterson, 9.7, $1,709; 4. Christi Braudrick, 10.7, $855.
