of Volborg, Montana, is less than $8,600 behind. Among the top five are nine-time world champion Lari Dee Guy of Abilene, Texas, and Carmine, Texas, cowgirl Taylor Hanchey, the only woman in WPRA history to have qualified for both the NFBR and the National Finals Rodeo. Breakaway roping has changed significantly over the last few years. More rodeos are offering it, and that’s providing more opportunities for the ladies to make a living at it. That means a bit of adjusting for the women who travel the country in pursuit of their dreams. “It’s different,” Munsell said. “The tough part is realizing you don’t get to go home and practice. You’re just out there and have to trust in your horsepower to work good. You’re making a lot of rodeo runs in a row and no practice. It’s a big step. It’s hard to have confidence in yourself and in your horses. “You can make one mistake or your horse can make one mistake, and you can’t really go home to fix it. You just have to forget about it and go on to the next one. It takes away the thinking of it, which can be pretty helpful in the long run.” It also takes a different mindset when it comes to preparing for running 10 calves in two days. While the ladies are used to running two- and three-headers, they tackle a different monster in Las Vegas. Munsell’s prep work paved the way for a second-place finish in the 2021 average. “I practice a whole bunch for a 10-header, because it’s something we never do in the game of rodeo,” she said. “I stayed with Jackie Crawford, and we did 10-head matches all the timed. It helped that her husband, Charly Crawford, was there, because he’s been there and done that so many times. He gave us pointers on what it takes to get prepared.” Angelone gets that, too. She won the event title in 2020 to finish as reserve world champion behind Crawford and would like to build on that experience. “I want to go into the finals and do the best job I can possibly do,” she said. “That gives me the best shot at winning.”
Antonio. The victory in Houston was worth nearly $30,000 to her pocketbook and gave her an advantage heading into the summer run. That’s when Angelone took over, and she has the momentum rolling into the Nevada desert. “I had two great horses out on the road with me, and it changed my roping to be mounted that well,” Angelone said. “I had some luck at the winter rodeos, and that set me up for the summer. Winning Reno gave me a lot of momentum for the rest of the summer.” Making the breakaway roping finals in each of the three years the event has been in existence is big for her and for Johnson. It’s more than a status thing; it’s about proving one’s talent and the ability to stand out among a very gifted group of ladies. “Making the finals all three years is a big deal to me because I’m old,” Johnson said with a laugh. “I watch these young girls, and they rope circles around me. I don’t even know how I keep up. “It’s also a big deal because I don’t anticipate doing this for 15 more years. I don’t know when I’m going to quit, but I’m not 20 years old anymore. I have other responsibilities in my life that are going to take priority at some point. My kids are not going to make sacrifices forever so that I can do this forever. I’m just extremely grateful to have made it to these first three.” While Johnson isn’t young, there is a contingent of rising talent that have earned their stripes in the game, from Resistol Rookie of the Year Josie Connor to a two-time NFBR qualifier Taylor Munsell of Alva, Oklahoma. Munsell was the 2019 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association champion while competing at her alma mater, Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “It’s a super big deal and a huge blessing, and I’m happy to be going back,” said Munsell, who sits fourth in the world standings after finishing third in the 2021 campaign. “It keeps getting tougher every year, and the girls keep getting better.” While Angelone has a big lead, the remaining ladies in the top five – even in the top eight – are separated by less than $10,000. Johnson sits at $72,241, while the No. 8 cowgirl on the money list, Joey Williams Taylor Munsell finished second in the average at the 2021 NFBR at the Orleans Arena but will be focused on winning that title this year at the South Point as she backs in the box for 10 straight rounds. Photo by Dale Hirschman
BY THE NUMBERS 6
first time NFBR qualifiers
8
WPRA Breakaway World Titles represented within the Top 15– Erin Johnson (3), JJ Hampton (3) and Lari Dee Guy (2) 2022 NFBR Qualifiers who also competed at the 2021 NFBR WPRA World Titles (includes all-around, team roping, tie-down and breakaway roping) represented within the Top 15 – JJ Hampton (17), Lari Dee Guy (8), Erin Johnson (3)
9
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$250,000 Total NFBR Prize Money $954,313 Money won by the Top 15 Breakaway Ropers during the regular season
2022
NOVEMBER 2022 WPRA NEWS 23
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