RODEO NEWS

Thompson Ropes Resistol Rookie Title in Record Fashion

By Ann Bleiker

Haiden Thompson is a name people should keep an eye on as she continues to build her career within the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Her latest accomplishment was being named the 2025 Resistol Rookie of the Year in breakaway roping.

“Super cool,” stated Thompson about winning the Resistol Rookie of the Year title. “Beginning of the summer that was my main goal, to win the rookie title. I traveled with Martha Angelone from the College Finals on and it was a blast going with her. I learned a lot from her, and she was a huge help to me.”

Like the saying goes “iron sharpens iron” and learning the ins and outs of professional rodeo from 2022 WPRA World Champion Breakaway Roper Martha Angelone is a great way to build a solid foundation.

“Martha has been a huge lifesaver,” said Thompson, after taking the win in Estes Park, Colorado, in July. “It’s nice to have someone with that much knowledge and support behind you.”

The end of July, Thompson would find out how important their bond was when her main horse Foxie N Fancy “Foxy” suffered a catastrophic injury.

“My good horse died the end of July and was great to have Martha there. She let me ride her horses off and on throughout the remainder of the year,” noted Thompson, of Yoder, Wyoming. “Foxy was a pretty special mare. Over the summer she was absolutely flawless every time I rode her. I knew we had a chance for first and if we didn’t win it was definitely my fault. I wish the outcome was different. In my eyes she was something special for sure.”

Despite the heartbreak, Thompson still set a new record for most money won by a WPRA breakaway roping rookie with $64,624. The previous record was held by Josie Conner with $61,233 in 2022 that included money won at the National Finals Breakaway Roping. Thompson outdistanced the field by $16,427 with Brooke Bruner of Parker, Colorado, finishing second on the leaderboard with $48,197

“My favorite rodeo was probably Belle Fourche, South Dakota, the Black Hills Roundup,” stated Thompson when asked what she will remember most from her rookie year. “That was a super cool rodeo because I have been there a lot having grown up just 4 hours away. I was first out of the whole rodeo, and I went on to win it on Foxy. So that was pretty special.”

Thompson is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having won the WPRA All-Around title in 2024 while still competing on her permit.

“It was kind of a shock to win,” said Thompson, who was the College National Finals Rodeo all-around champion for Gillette College in 2023. “It was a thrill. It’s not very often you get to be a world champion.”

While that title was nice, the next title she would like to capture is the WPRA Breakaway Roping World Title and she is hoping this rookie title is just a steppingstone for more titles to come.

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