RODEO NEWS

Estes Park Adds Breakaway for First Time, Thompson Gets the Win

By Ted Harbin

Martha Angelone sat astride her horse and watched intently. She then exposed the kind of smile a proud mother gives after watching her children succeed.

Angelone has a world champion’s pedigree after earning the 2022 Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. She’s never missed a Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and she was in an unfamiliar place in two regards: She entered last week 24th in the world standings, nine spots out of a sixth-straight bid to the championship, and she was in the Rocky Mountain resort town of Estes Park, Colorado.

Rooftop Rodeo featured breakaway roping for the first time in its long history. To add to the beauty that is the base of Rocky Mountain National Park, the event featured even added money at $10,000 per event. Not only were the picturesque views from Granny May Arena alluring, so was the prize money. When the dust settled, Angelone’s protégé, Haiden Thompson, was the victor who claimed the lion’s share of the Estes Park cash.

“Martha has been a huge lifesaver,” said Thompson, who stopped the clock in 4.2 seconds to collect $4,249. “It’s nice to have someone with that much knowledge and support behind you.”

Angelone has been teaching Thompson the ins and outs of the rodeo trail. From Yoder, Wyoming, Thompson has been living near Angelone in Stephenville, Texas, so it was a natural transition for them to be traveling partners. The goal is to qualify together for the breakaway finals in Las Vegas, but both have some work to do to make it happen.

In the interim, Thompson has her sights set on the Resistol Breakaway Roping Rookie of the Year award. She entered the week of competition second behind Coloradoan Brooke Bruner, but only by $355.

“I feel like (winning the rookie title) goal is pretty well within reach, but I’m definitely going to try to make the (breakaway) finals,” she said. “It would be cool to get out there with Martha. We pretty much rope together all the time, but to compete there together would be pretty cool this year.

“We’ll be there eventually. It may not be this year, but it’s always a goal to rope there at the NFR.”

In 2024, Thompson competing on her WPRA permit, captured the WPRA All-Around World Title when the WPRA World Finals had concluded in Waco, Texas. She is now looking to add more hardware to her trophy room.

Barrel racer Lisa Lockhart is an NFR veteran, with 18 straight trips to the championship and three average titles. She’s been to Rooftop Rodeo before, but she finally claimed the victory on Thursday, July 10, the event’s final night.

“This is pretty exciting,” said Lockhart, of Oelrichs, South Dakota. “I hit a barrel here last year on the same horse, so I was determined to go around the barrels. That was something I messaged to somebody today: ‘#GoAroundThem.’ ”

She did, clocking in at 16.30 to win the title and $6,296. Every dollar is big, because she entered the week 19th in the world standings. If she hopes to extend her NFR streak, she has two and a half months to make it happen. July is a busy month for all rodeo athletes, and Lockhart is chasing her gold-buckle dreams while enjoying the scenery along the way.

“I think this is my third time, so it works out great going to Colorado Springs and coming from Calgary,” she said. “It’s a great rodeo; I absolutely love it and love being up here on the hill.

“It’s been on my itinerary for the last couple of years.”

(719) 447-4627
(719) 447-4631 (fax)