RODEO NEWS

Profitable Weekend for WPRA Members Stateside and North of the Border 

By Ann Bleiker

There could not have been a better time of the year for 2023 WPRA Breakaway Roping World Champion Shelby Boisjoli-Meged to regain her confidence in her roping.

“It has been tough because I have been in such a slump,” noted Boisjoli-Meged in the winner’s circle at the NFR Open in Colorado Springs. “I haven’t had a chance to mentally get out of the slump with the busy schedule, so I have just had to rope myself out of it. It felt really good to get the win here and I hope I can carry this confidence into tomorrow (Calgary Stampede). I haven’t had any confidence this summer at all and have been questioning myself.”

After winning the title at the NFR Open and the inaugural breakaway title at the Calgary Stampede along with cashing checks at just those two rodeos to the tune of $81,625, it appears her slump is over. The 2025 Calgary Stampede will go down in breakaway roping history and will forever be a highlight for the Canadian.

“Definitely tears of joy,” were the first words that Boisjoli-Meged said to the crowd at Stampede Park in Calgary as she officially accepted the title. “This is definitely my best memory of the Calgary Stampede.”

It couldn’t have been scripted any better for Boisjoli-Meged from growing up watching and attending the rodeo as a fan, to being part of the big announcement that Calgary would add women’s breakaway roping in 2025 to raising the $50,000 check as its first champion on the big stage in Calgary. She stopped the clock in the final round of three in a time of 2.2 seconds as the first gunner out. The other two to take a shot at the title ended with broken barriers Hali Williams (12.0 seconds) and Bradi Good (12.5).

A year ago, she watched her husband Haven Meged win the tie-down roping title and prior to today watching him win was her best memory but now she has a new one. Plus, she now has her own Calgary Stampede bronze to add to the family’s trophy room.

She had to sweat it out in the semifinals as she finished tied with Jessi Everett with a 2.8 but advanced to the finals based on the tiebreaker. Between the rounds she had to call on the help of a farrier to put a shoe back on her standout Onna.

“It was a little bit stressful back there trying to get the shoe on, thank you so much to the farrier and everybody that helped me,” she stated. “Before this rodeo, I took the stirrups off my uncle’s saddle and put on mine. He passed away a couple of years ago and I wanted him here with me, so this was super special. I feel like he is here right now.”

Boisjoli captured the NFR Open title on Saturday night, July 12 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, aboard Root Beer, then jumped on a charter with Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and others to make it back to Calgary for Showdown Sunday.

While Boisjoli-Meged set the bar on Sunday in Calgary, she was the last gunner out at the NFR open and stopped the clock in 2.0 seconds.

“A lot of pressure,” stated Boisjoli-Meged when asked about going last at the NFR Open. “I thought that Cheyanne (McCartney) had it won as didn’t think anyone could go any faster. This is a big rodeo to win and definitely a big boost in the standings.”

McCartney finished second at NFR Open with a 2.3 second run.

Barrel racer Anita Ellis took advantage of a huge opportunity by qualifying for the Greatest Show on Dirt through the qualifier in Canada and then she dominated her pool, set an arena record 16.79 (that was later bested by Kassie Mowry – 16.74) and took down the No. 1 and 2 barrel racer in the WPRA world standings to win her first Calgary Stampede title.

“I am so glad it is over as I have never been so nervous in my life,” stated Ellis after being crowned the 2025 Calgary Stampede Barrel Racing Champion. “When I turned the first barrel I though ‘oh no’ there is my bell boot, but I was happy because he went wide on my first run earlier today but in the finals, he came around that first so great. I felt like it was going to be a smokin’ fast run.”

Pozzi Tonozzi, coming off the NFR Open title in Colorado Springs, won the semifinals in Calgary aboard Bobby (Cashen In The Fame) in a time of 16.97, meaning she was the first one out in the finals. A downed first barrel cost her finishing with a 22.095. Ellis was second out and laid down a beautiful run stopping the clock in a time of 16.956, but she would have to wait to see what the reigning world champion duo of Kassie Mowry and Jarvis would get done before she could head to the champions stage. A slip on the first barrel for Jarvis cost that duo the title ending with a 17.145-second run.

Ellis was riding a 5-year-old grey on Sunday that she calls Rico (registered SGL Rico). For those that don’t follow the breeding pedigree of these top barrel horses something to note is that both Jarvis and Rico’s sire is The Goodbye Lane.

All totaled Ellis will add $71,000 to her 2025 WPRA earnings and will jump from No. 32 to easily inside the top 5 once standings are updated this week. The Blackfoot, Idaho, cowgirl had earned $34,651 at 19 rodeos prior to the Calgary Stampede windfall. She was the only barrel racer to run four sub-17 second times aboard two different horses.

“It is so amazing,” stated Ellis when announcer Wayne Brooks noted that she would be leaving with $71,000. “I have to thank the committee for the awesome ground that kept our horses safe and to Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi for being our advocate, I appreciate it.

“I am grateful for my awesome horses, I decide to run Rico today as Axe has run a lot this week at other rodeos, so I wanted to give him a break and Rico stepped up for me in a big way here.”

As previously noted, Pozzi Tonozzi captured the NFR Open title before finishing out the Calgary Stampede. Pozzi Tonozzi dominated her pool in Colorado Springs aboard Bobby before sending him back to Calgary. She would win the title on Saturday night aboard Sir Epic, owned by Pete Carr and Morgan Bagnell.

“I had zero expectations coming in tonight because Sir and I have had a bit of a rocky start outside,” stated the Lampasas, Texas cowgirl, who also has a place just outside the Springs in Monument, Colorado. “I was debating (after sending Bobby to Calgary) if I was going to run Sir or a 5-year-old as Sir has been a little bit free running in these outdoor pens lately. I was a little skeptical about riding him, but I did a bit change, worked him at my house and thought if I can get Sir to turn the first barrel, we are going to be fast and that was the plan, and it worked out.”

This is Pozzi Tonozzi’s third circuit finals title having won the previous ones in 2012 and 2013.

“This win was pretty special because I did it on two different horses,” stated the three-time circuit champion. “Sir ran green in Casper and hit a barrel, was green in Estes Park and you get down on yourself because he is young and I am trying to season him but also trying to win. Those two runs probably prepared both of us for here.”

Prior to this weekend, the three-time world champion was ranked second in the world standings behind Kassie Mowry.

“It is so nice to be at the top of the standings this year as last year was so devastating,” noted Pozzi Tonozzi “I had a lot of horses get hurt and sick last year. After coming off winning a gold buckle and then not being able to make it back to the NFR it is pretty heartbreaking, especially when you have a 7-year-old daughter that doesn’t understand why she can’t go to the NFR because she has done it every year of her whole entire life. I think we are going to make up for it this year.”

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