RODEO NEWS

World Champions Crowned at 2026 WPRA World Finals in Waco

By Ann Bleiker

WACO, TEXAS – It was an action-packed day at the WPRA World Finals with world titles doled out in the roping division and futurity/derby division.

Winning her 25th WPRA World Title is the only female roper to win over $1 million in WPRA earnings all with a rope in hand, the legend Jackie Crawford. Crawford teamed with all-around hand Haiden Thompson to win the average at the WPRA World Finals on Saturday which landed them both No. 1 in the world. Thompson as the heading world champion and Crawford as the heeler. The 2026 world title is actually Crawford’s first on the heeling side having won the heading world title five times (2011, 2014, 2016, 2023 and 2025).

If their run on Friday the 13th was any indication on how things will be in Las Vegas then fans are in for a treat. The world champion duo stopped the clock in a time of 15.627 seconds to win the first round of the Boot Barn Pro Rodeo Barrels adding $2,315 to their early 2027 world standings. Running a close second was Gracen Harman aboard This Guy Will Moonya with a 15.639. Sydney Graham, who will be making her NFR debut in December rounded out the top three aboard Dupont First with a run of 15.770.

Second round competition will continue on Saturday with the top 30 in the average will then advance to a final round on Sunday. All money won counts towards 2027 with the top two not already qualified for RodeoHouston punching their ticket to that in March.

Thompson not only grabbed the team roping heading world title, but she also added a second all-around title to her resume. Thompson is quickly building her resume in the WPRA ranks and will be looking for more as she makes her National Breakaway Finals debut in Fort Worth in December. The Yoder, Wyoming, cowgirl won the all-around title in 2024, followed by the Resistol Rookie breakaway roping title in 2025.

Another past champion grabbing her third tie-down world title was Gracie Gambino. Gambino won the average title as well finishing the weekend with a two-run time of 30.6 seconds.

Winning the world title in the futurity and derby division for the horse aspect was Cadyn Nelson aboard CatchYaOnTheFlipSide (1D futurity world champion), Colleen Vondra riding Im Heavens Bully (Futurity 2D) and Bergan Buesser on Tres Machos (Derby).

Action wraps up in the barrel arena Sunday with the average winner in the ProRodeo barrels being awarded along with the permit only. Full results can be found on wpra.com.

Results: All-Around world champion: Haiden Thompson
Breakaway Roping
First round: 1. Kieley Walz, 1.9 seconds, $3,262; 2. (tie) Marissa Boisjoli and Payton Johnson, 2.0, $2,563 each; 4. (tie) Madalyn Richards, Quincy Sullivan and Sarah Angelone, 2.1, $1,605; 7. Macy Hancock, 2.3, $932; 8. (tie) Aspen Miller, Shai Schaefer, Karen Little and Jordan Jo Hollabaugh, 2.4, $349. Second round: 1. Kirby Rawlinson, 1.7 seconds, $3,262; 2. Zoey Carpenter, 1.9, $2,796; 3. Bradi Good, 2.0, $2,330; 4. Whitney Profili, 2.1, $2,019; 5. (tie) Shaylee Baxley and Kirsten George, 2.2, $1,398 each; 7. (tie) Loni Kay Yates, Delani Beatty and Shacie Marr, 2.3, $673; 10. (tie) Chenoa Vandestouwe, Samantha Kingsbury, Karen Little and Aspen Miller, 2.4, $77 each. Average: 1. (tie) Karen Litte and Aspen Miller 4.8 seconds on two, $4,544 each; 3. Loni Kay Yates, 4.9, $3,495; 4. Shaylee Baxley, 5.6, $3,029; 5. Kirsten George, 5.7, $2,330; 6. Haiden Thompson, 5.9, $1,864; 7. Jordi Edens-Mitchell, 6.0, $1,398; 8. (tie) TiAda Gray, Hannah Giger and Maddi Hickmon, 6.1, $699 each.

Team roping
First round: 1. Bayli Ladner/Chenoa Vandestouwe, 7.3 seconds, $1,056 each; 2. Hadley Thompson/Haiden Thompson, 8.0, $893; 3. Haiden Thompson/Jackie Crawford, 8.2, $731; 4. Lari Dee Guy/Kaitlyn Torres, 14.2, $568. Second round: 1. Jackie Crawford/Sarah Angelone, 6.7 seconds, $942 each; 2. Lari Dee Guy/Kaitlyn Torres, 7.3, $780; 3. Kayelen Helton/Lorraine Moreno, 7.5, $617; 4. Haiden Thompson/Jackie Crawford, 8.0, $455; 5. Hope Thompson/Lari Dee Guy, 11.2, $292; 6. Stephanie Braman/Kirby Rawlinson, 15.9, $162. Average: 1. Haiden Thompson/Jackie Crawford, 16.2 seconds on two head, $1,413 each; 2. Lari Dee Guy/Kaitlyn Torres, 21.5, $1,170; 3. Jackie Crawford/Sarah Angelone, 6.7 seconds on one, $926; 4. Bayli Ladner/Chenoa Vandestouwe, 7.3, $682; 5. Kayelen Helton/Lorraine Moreno, 7.5, $438; 6. Hadley Thompson/Haiden Thompson, 8.0, $243. World Champions: Haiden Thompson (header); Jackie Crawford (heeler)

Tie-down Roping
First round: 1. Gracie Gambino, 15.6 seconds, $740; 2. Haiden Thompson, 16.0, $612; 3. Chenoa Vandestouwe, 16.8, $485; 4. Kari Nixon, 16.9, $357; 5. Jimmie Smith, 20.3, $230; 6. KC-Gail Churchill, 26.2, $127. Second round: 1. KC-Gail Churchill, 12.6 seconds, $740; 2. Gracie Gambino, 15.0, $612; 3. Kari Nixon, 17.0, $485; 4. Hadley Thompson, 24.4, $357; 5. Julie Johnson, 33.2, $229; 6. Jimmie Smith, 36.1, $127. Average: 1. Gracie Gambino, 30.6 seconds on two head, $1,110; 2. Kari Nixon, 33.9, $919; 3. KC-Gail Churchill, 38.8, $727; 4. Hadley Thompson, 54.4, $536; 5. Jimmie Smith, 56.4, $344; 6. Haiden Thompson, 16.0 on one, $191. World champion: Gracie Gambino

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