RODEO NEWS

Mowry headlines barrel arena, Haiden Thompson eyes All-Around world title in roping arena at WPRA World Finals

By Ann Bleiker

WACO, TEXAS – Reigning World Champion Kassie Mowry and Force The Goodbye are sharping their skills this weekend at the WPRA World Finals in Waco, Texas, as they prepare for a return trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

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.

Roping also got underway in the ABI Roping Arena with Haiden Thompson showing off her many talents with a rope. She started her day competing in her signature event of breakaway roping stopping the clock in 3.1 seconds. Thompson won the Resistol Rookie of the Year breakaway title in 2025, and this December will be competing at her first WPRA National Breakaway Finals.

Thompson of Yoder, Wyoming, then capped off the day in the team roping and tie-down roping as she looks to add a second world title to her resume. Her first came in 2024 before she entered the pro rodeo ranks in the breakaway roping. On Friday, she teamed up with younger sister Hadley to finish second in the first round in the team roping. Hadley served as the header while Haiden cleaned up the heels to stop the clock in 8.0 seconds. Haiden then switched ends and teamed up with 24-time WPRA World Champion on the heel side to finish third in the round in a time of 8.2 seconds.

She then backed in the box as a tie-down roper finishing second in the first round in a time of 16.0 seconds just behind two-time WPRA World Champion Tie Down Roper Gracie Gambino who finished with a 15.6.

Winning the first round in the breakaway roping was Kieley Walz with a 1.9 second run. Finishing just a tick behind was Marissa Boisjoli and Payton Johnson with a 2.0-second run. Boisjoli is the sister of world champion and now seven-time breakaway finals qualifier Shelby Boisjoli. Marissa won the first round in the permit breakaway division with her 2.0 to fill her permit and join sister Shelby in the ProRodeo ranks for 2027. Watch out for the Boisjoli and Thompson sisters in the new year.

Action wraps up in the roping arena Saturday afternoon with new world champions crowned at 5 p.m. All action is being live streamed on wpra.com.

Results:
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.

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.

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.

ProRodeo Barrels: First round: 1. Kassie Mowry, 15.627 seconds, $2,315; 2. Gracen Harman, 15.639, $2,072; 3. Sydney Graham, 15.770, $1,828; 4. Hailey Krahenbuhl, 15.774, $1,523; 5. Steely Steiner, 15.794, $1,279; 6. Kristi Cole, 15.836, $975; 7. LaTricia Duke, 15.846, $792; 8. Ceri Ward, 15.890, $609; 9. Stephanie Fryar, 15.909, $487; 10. Molly Otto, 15.938, $304.

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