CIRCUIT FINALS: MONTANA BREAKAWAY ROPING WHEN YOU ARE HOT, YOU ARE HOT Boisjoli-Meged Adds Montana Circuit Year-End and Average Titles By Joe Kusek S helby Boisjoli-Meged made herself comfortable in her new circuit. “Montana reminds me a lot of home,” said Boisjoli-Meged, originally from
Langdon, Alberta, Canada, a small community outside of Calgary. “The wide-open spaces, the mountains, the people.” When an arctic front settled over Great Falls, Montana the weekend of Jan. 11-13, Boisjoli- Meged had no problem staying warm. With temperatures outside dropping to minus 36 and the wind child almost minus 50, Boisjoli- Meged continued her sizzling roping, sweeping the Montana ProRodeo Circuit year-end and Finals breakaway roping titles at Pacific Steel and Recycling Center Arena. The two new championships came just 38 days after Boisjoli-Meged won her first WPRA world title at the Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping in Las Vegas. It was a family celebration as husband Haven Meged won the Montana ProRodeo Circuit tie- down roping year-end title. Boisjoli-Meged earned $10,512 at the Montana Circuit Finals to finish with $29,274 in 2023 circuit standings.
Shelby Boisjoli Meged fresh off winning her first WPRA World Title in December added a couple more titles to her resume at the Montana Circuit Finals. She won the average and year-end title to punch her ticket to the NFR Open. Her husband Haven Meged also earned his spot in the tie-down roping. This dynamic duo will be looking to add NFR Open titles to their resumes. Photo by Clay Guardipee
Boisjoli-Meged roped in the Montana circuit on the advice of her husband. The pair married in May in Lipan, Texas. The couple splits their time between Miles City, Montana and Stephenville, Texas. “He told me I better enter here,” she said. “Montana has good rodeos.” After a honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, the pair jumped in their rigs to pursue world titles. “A lot of phone calls,” said Haven Meged, when asked how they did it going different directions. The pair won their events at the Caldwell Night Rodeo in Idaho during the summer. Haven Meged finished second in the PRCA world standings, setting an arena record and average record at the National Finals Rodeo. The newlyweds can make a date this July, both qualifying for the NFR Open in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Boisjoli-Meged will be joined by Anna Callaway of Billings at the NFR Open. Callaway finished second in the year-end standings with $17,905. The mother of three, whose husband Kyle competed in steer wrestling, rides Bugsy, a 10-year-old sorrel mare registered as Bugzees Heights in 75. The horse is sired by Casino Heist and out of SLS Lucky Bug. Boisjoli-Meged won the Finals title with a 2.1-second throw aboard her superstar horse Onna in the final round. It was the fastest time of the rodeo. “Onna doesn’t run until I say,” said Boisjoli-Meged of the nine-
year-old sorrel mare registered as No Wimpy Turns. Onna, the two- time WPRA breakaway roping horse of the year is sired by Whiz N Starlight and out of the mare Its Wimpy Turns. “She runs strong and gets out really quick.” She also placed second in the first two rounds with times of 3.5 and 2.6 seconds. Boisjoli-Meged entered the third round trailing Cadee Williams, of Weatherford, Texas. Williams was 5.5 after two loops and Boisjoli-Meged was 6.1. But Williams, the 2022 NFBR average champion, was 4.4 on her final throw. Boisjoli-Meged cashed checks at 10 of the 15 Montana ProRodeo Circuit rodeos she entered. She won the season opener at Belt, won at Cascade and also placed second at Helena and Big Fork, third at Missoula and Browning and fourth at Bozeman and Lewistown. “Winning Belt set up the rest of the year in Montana,” Boisjoli- Meged said. She entered the Circuit Finals with a lead of $8,372 on Callaway. “You have to get a little bit of a run going.” Boisjoli-Meged earned a WPRA-record $197,706 in 2023, including a regular-season record $164,549. In November, she finished third in the Canadian Pro Rodeo standings, won the WPRA world title in December and added two championship gold buckles in Montana in January. “I want to ride this out for as long as I can,” said the reigning world champion.
34 WPRA NEWS FEBRUARY 2024
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