NFBR 2024

Conner Slips into Breakaway Roping World Standings Lead by Just $91

By Ted Harbin

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LAS VEGAS (December 3. 2024) – With some of the greatest tie-down ropers in ProRodeo history packed inside the South Point Equestrian Center, the ladies of the WPRA were busy putting on a show during the opening day of the Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

When the dust settled, six combatants are in position to leave Las Vegas on Wednesday afternoon with rodeo gold, and it all came to a head while calf-roping legends Joe Beaver, Fred Whitfield and Cody Ohl looked on from the red seats. That trio of super stars accounts for 22 world championships, and they watched as the top 15 breakaway ropers set the stage for a championship shootout in the Nevada desert.

“This is really fun,” said Josie Conner, who entered the two days of competition second in the world standings but shot past season leader Shelby Boisjoli-Meged with a powerful display Tuesday, placing in three of five rounds and earning $13,679 in the process. “There is a bunch of talented girls, and it’s cool to be able to compete with them.”

Conner pushed her season earnings to $152,778 but owns just a $91 advantage over reigning world champion Boisjoli-Meged. Here’s the kicker: Kelsie Domer is sixth in the world standings, but she’s just $11,511 behind Conner. That difference could be made up in two go-rounds as the ladies close out the 2024 campaign.

“I had a pretty good day placing in three out of the five rounds, and I think by the time it comes down to the 10^th round, if I keep catching them, I’ll be in a good spot in the average,” said Conner, who was saddled with a no-time in the third go-round. “I’m excited for tomorrow.”

She should be. Seven women caught all five of their calves, so Conner remains in position to catch some money in the aggregate race. Macy Young of Wittman, Arizona, leads the average with a five-run cumulative time of 10.7 seconds; Domer sits second at 12.4.

Newcomer Rylee George of Oakdale, California, is doing everything she can to win the Betty Gayle Cooper Fast Time award. As the second roper Tuesday afternoon, George stopped the clock in 1.8 seconds. Four rounds later, she upped the ante, finishing off her day with a 1.7-second run. She was then matched by Danielle Lowman of Gilbert, Arizona, so the tandem head into the final five rounds as the frontrunner for the honor.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame has partnered with the WPRA in presenting the Betty Gayle Cooper Fast Time award, which honors the late 1987 Cowgirl Honoree and a nine-time world champion that included being crowned the 1989 breakaway champion. Cooper worked as a rodeo director of the WPRA to strengthen the sport, and she coached the men’s and women’s teams for Southeastern Oklahoma State University to win two national titles. For the first two years, the award was given to the fast time in the first round of the NFBR. It’s been given to the fastest time of all 10 rounds since 2022. The 2024 winner will receive a set of earrings and a matching scarf slide designed and made by Ryan Liggett of Loreena Rose Jewelry as well as a $1,000 cash award.

“I told Joe B (Beaver) yesterday that I was going to go for all the rounds and have a lot of fun,” said George, who won the first round, shared the fifth-round win with Lowman and shared second place in Round 4, earning $17,419 on the opening day. “He said, ‘If you’re winning a lot of rounds, it’s a lot of fun.’

“I’m having a good time out here.”

Part of the fun is riding good horses, something George doesn’t take for granted. She has confidence in her mounts, including Deputy, a horse that ProRodeo legend Trevor Brazile rode for many years.

“He loves Vegas,” she said of Deputy. “He has all the confidence in the world here, and he gives me that (confidence) also. I knew my last calf fought the chute pretty bad, and he just stands there like a rock in the box, so I decided to get on him.”

Lowman had her struggles at times during Tuesday’s performance, but she came out with a bang to close out here day.

“After not doing so good in the first rounds, I thought there was no backing off the wall just because I’m out of the average,” said Lowman, who had posted a 2.1-second run in the fourth round. “That’s what I told Rylee: ‘I’m coming for you; either I’m going to tie you or I’m going to beat you,’ and she goes, ‘OK, you can tie me.’

“It worked out.”

It was a fast-paced ending and the perfect setting for the final day of the season.

            Watch all the action live on the Cowboy Channel.

 

The following are results from the Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping, Tuesday, December 3, 2024.

First round: 1. Rylee George, 1.8 seconds, $6,197; 2. Taylor Munsell, 1.9, $5,128; 3. (tie) Josie Conner and Martha Angelone, 2.1, $3,526 each; 5. Maddy Deerman, 2.2, $1,923; 6. (tie) Kelsie Domer and Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 2.4, $534 each.

Second round: 1. Macy Young, 1.9, $6,197; 2. Josie Conner, 2.0, $5,128; 3. Jackie Crawford, 2.1, $4,060; 4. Rickie Fanning, 2.2, $2,991; 5. (tie) Martha Angelone and TiAda Gray, 2.6, $1,496 each. 

Third round: 1.  Kelsie Domer, 1.9 seconds, $6,197; 2. Hali Williams, 2.0, $5,128; 3. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, Martha Angelone and Macy Young, 2.1, $2,991 each; 6. Maddy Deerman, 2.3, $1,068. 

Fourth round: 1. Hali Williams, 1.9 seconds, $6,197; 2. (tie) Jackie Crawford, Taylor Munsell and Rylee George, 2.0, $4,060 each; 6. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, Martha Angelone and Danielle Lowman, 2.1, $997 each. 

Fifth round: 1. (tie) Rylee George and Danielle Lowman, 1.7 seconds, $5,662 each; 3. (tie) Josie Conner and Hali Williams, 1.8, $3,525 each; 5. (tie) Kendal Pierson and Macy, 2.0, $1,496 each. 

Overall leaders: 1. Macy Young, 10.7 seconds on five runs; 2. Kelsie Domer, 12.4; 3. Mady Deerman, 13.3; 4. TiAda Gray, 13.6; 5. Rylee George, 20.7; 6. Jackie Crawford, 21.2; 7. Kendal Pierson, 23.6; 8. Josie Conner, 8.1 seconds on four runs; 9. Martha Angelone, 8.9; 10. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 9.8; 11. Jordan Jo Hollabaugh, 10.6; 12. Hali Williams, 5.7 seconds on three runs; 13. Rickie Fanning, 7.7; 14. Danielle Lowman, 15.7; 15. 3.9 seconds on two runs.

World standings: 1. Josie Conner, $152,778; 2. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, $152,687; 3. Jackie Crawford, $145,118; 4. Taylor Munsell, $143,686; 5. Martha Angelone, $141,608; 6. Kelsie Domer, $141,267; 7. Maddy Deerman, $117,389; 8. Danielle Lowman, $106,158; 9. Macy Young, $101715; 10. Rickie Fanning, $101,499; 11. Hali Williams, $101,141; 12. Rylee George, $99,375; 13. Kendal Pierson, $90,554; 14. TiAda Gray, $85,443; 15. Jordan Jo Hollabaugh, $79,257.