Special Year

Sarah Angelone Adds WPRA World All-Around Title to Resume

By Ann Bleiker

The prestige of winning the WPRA all-around world championship is as strong today as it was in 1948, when Margaret Owens earned the first title.

Even with the number of events decreasing throughout the years, the prestige continues. WPRA legends Wanda Harper Bush, Jackie Worthington, Florence Youree, Betty Dusek, Jimmie Munroe, JJ Hampton, Lari Dee Guy and Jackie Crawford have won the all-around title. In 2022, a cowgirl who grew up in Virginia added her name to this illustrious list … her name is Sarah Angelone.

Pronounced Ang-a-lone-e, Sarah is the younger sister of Martha Angelone, who won her own world title in 2022 in the breakaway roping. The Angelone sisters, who now both reside in Texas, look to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

“Going into the WPRA World Finals, I really didn’t think I would be in contention for that title as I didn’t do as many events as the other ladies,” said Sarah. “It was on my radar but really went down to help my sister earn points to try to win it, but then as it turned out I won it, and she was second.

“When they announced that I had won, Martha looked at me like, ‘What the heck?’ but she was happy for me.”

Actually, it was Martha’s pushing and prodding over the last four years that finally got Sarah to enter the WPRA World Finals, and now she has a WPRA world title on her resume and her name etched in the history of the WPRA.

“This world title means a lot to me, and to have won it just a couple weeks before Martha won the breakaway world title was very special for our family,” said Sarah, who graduated from Tarleton State University on Dec. 9 with a degree in animal production, something she pursued due to her interest in equine nutrition. “We have definitely had a very blessed month with us both winning world titles. It will be something we will cherish forever.”

The WPRA all-around was crowned Nov. 12 with the WPRA breakaway roping world title awarded on Nov. 30, so Sarah will always have bragging rights as being the first Angelone sister to win a WPRA world title. The duo also has the distinction as being the first cowgirls from the state of Virigina to win WPRA world titles.

“There are rodeos in Virginia, but they are nothing like the ones out (west), so for both of us to have started where we did and now to be world champions is pretty cool,” said Sarah, who was the first competitor from Virginia to win a National High School Rodeo Association title back in 2016 when she won the breakaway roping title.

To win the all-around in the WPRA requires a member to compete in two or more events at a WPRA sanctioned or co-approved event that offers four of the standard events (breakaway roping, team roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing) with equal money of at least $100 per event. Due to so many specialized events these days, the race for the all-around really comes down to performance at the WPRA World Finals. Sarah competed in the team roping, heading for her sister Martha, then heeling for Jessica Remsburg and breakaway roping.

Sarah finished the season with $8,060, while Martha was second with $7,570 despite competing in all the events, including the team roping as both a header and heeler. Sarah won the average in the breakaway roping at the World Finals in a total time of 6.4 seconds on three, while Martha tied for second in a time of 7.0. Sarah then also won third in the average in the team roping heeling for Remsburg roping 2 out of 3 steers in a time of 15.4 seconds.

“Martha and my family are a big reason I am where I am today,” said Sarah. “Having each other has been a key in our success, and I gain a lot of confidence any time Martha is helping me as she has more experience competing in the rodeo world than I.”

Martha has invited Sarah to join her on the road, but that is where Sarah says they differ.

“Martha is a gypsy, and I am the complete opposite,” noted Sarah, who stays busy training horses and competing in breakaway roping jackpots. “I do plan to go to the ProRodeos here in Texas and see what happens but have no plans of joining her on the road.”

A repeat for the Angelone sisters is definitely in play for 2023.

“It would be great to repeat as the all-around champion, but I am sure Martha will have something to say about that,” Sarah said jokingly.

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