There’s a new generation of breakaway ropers coming for the industry: they throw insanely fast, have unrivaled confidence and have grown up fully aware that a woman can make a living with a rope.
Addie Weil is one of the ladies at the forefront of the charge.
“My dad told me when I was growing up that one day, a girl was going to come along who roped consistently in the 1’s, and she would change the game. I’m not that girl yet—I have a lot of work to do—but that’s what I’m shooting for.”
Addie Weil
Weil, just 18, is well on her way. Her father, Johnny, bought her WPRA permit for her 18th birthday, and she made her presence known from her first entry in March 2022. Weil was 1.6 in Springfield, Missouri—her first ProRodeo– and won $3,478 for first. She purchased her card immediately after and continued to make noise. Notably, her 1.4-second run in Hugo, Oklahoma earned her the win and $2,487, and she placed deep at rodeos like Cleburne, Texas, Oakley Utah, Ponca, Nebraska, and North Platte, Nebraska, to help bring her 2022 card earnings to $16,955.24. Weil is seated in the No. 4 spot in the Resistol Rookie Standings and No. 44 in the world standings.
Weil has been a force at amateur rodeos since her early high school days. Her intense work ethic is coupled with the benefit of top-tier instruction the bulk of her career. Addie’s father Johnny is the head coach at Coffeyville Community College, exposing Weil to some of the best college breakaway ropers as she progressed through the junior rodeo ranks.
“I practiced with the college kids from a young age,” Weil said. “I think that helped me, because I compared myself to older kids who roped better than me, instead of against kids my own age. We had a lot of fun, and they really pushed me.”
Many young ropers can find themselves intimidated by veterans at large events, but Weil never showed a hint of intimidation. All though she holds a deep admiration for the ladies at the top, she has learned how to treat them like equals in competition, giving herself a chance to win.
“I think it’s important not to put somebody on a pedestal no matter what sport you’re in,” Weil said. “When you do that, you put yourself below them. I respect those ladies so much. They’ve worked hard to get where they are, but so have I. If you’re entered, you have a chance to win just like they do.”
Now, that doesn’t mean she hasn’t found herself choked up at the variety of arenas at which she’s backed into a corner.
“When I’m waiting to run a calf at a ProRodeo, it’s hard not to tear up,” Weil said. “I’m so thankful for all the committees who have allowed breakaway to be here. I’m blessed to be part of it.”
Beneath Weil is Hotrod Tonka, or “Colonel,” a 13-year-old gelding raised by Weil’s family and trained by her dad. He is also a rookie to the ProRodeo trail.
Weil and Colonel essentially grew up together. While Johnny was working on turning Colonel into a great roping prospect, he had Addie building the foundation that would aid her later in the roping pen.”
“I always had a rope in my hand—dad taught me to always have a rope in my hand all the time, not just when I’m practicing,” Weil explained. “Then, I had this pony named Hot Wheels. He was a little white pony, and I took him everywhere. I rode bareback a lot.”
Weil believes that her early days on Hot Wheels, and later learning on her dad’s tie-down horse, Hot Rod, helped shape her breakaway career into what it is today.
“My horsemanship was better than my roping for a long time, which makes the roping easier because it’s the only thing I have to really worry about,” Weil said, and went on to explain her perspective on quick shots. “I think out of the box is the best place to throw it, so I get ready to throw it in case it’s there. Plus, when I’m nervous, I get my rope up really fast, so that helps.”
Resilience on the Resistol Rookie trail is key, Weil added. This is something Weil knows about in her personal life. Last summer, she tore her ACL, MCL and cartilage in her knee. She underwent surgery to remove her meniscus. Although painful at the time, her comeback has been epic.
“I probably wouldn’t pass a prepurchase exam, but it’s fine,” she said, laughing.
Weil has come off the road for the summer and is preparing to attend Texas A&M Commerce, where she will be teammates with fellow Resistol Rookie contender and reigning CNFR Champion, Bryana Lehrmann. Weil will be studying pre-veterinary medicine and hopes to become a veterinarian. She has traditionally been a standout student in the classroom and finds joy in finding various bookstores near rodeo towns.
Weil will take Colonel and her positive outlook and try her hand at the college rodeos in the fall, while keeping the lessons she learned handy for reference.
“You have to stay true to you,” Weil said. “As cliché as it sounds, stay true to your fundamentals, and remember why you’re out there. Be a good human being, and it usually works out”
