Best Breakaway Ropers in the World Meet to Rope For Kimes Ranch $1 Million

There's no secret in the breakaway roping, the place to be and the most anticipated roping of the year is in Scottsdale, Ariz. not Las Vegas, Nev.

Sure, the Women's Professional Rodeo Association top 15 rodeo all year to have the chance to qualify for the National Finals Breakaway Roping. There is honor and absolute bragging rights there, but the event in Las Vegas isn't the one that most of the top breakaway ropers in the world are talking about right now.

Kimes Ranch along with Chris Neal Productions have moved the mark in the world of professional breakaway roping. Starting on November 27, breakaway ropers from across the country made their way to Scottsdale, Ariz. to compete for an incredible purse of $1 million.

Westworld was descended on with high hopes and big dreams. The first event would be the "Last Chance Qualifier" where entries were limited to the first 250 ladies to enter. As it turned out, 227 ladies backed in the box to try to make the cut to advance to the semi-finals and keep their chances alive of making the coveted 25 that get to rope for the substantial prize money.

Before the competition started in Scottsdale, there were already some very talented ladies qualified to rope in the finals rounds. The top 10 in the WPRA World Standings earned an automatic in to the semi-finals rounds. Those ladies are:
1. Shelby Meged
2. Josie Conner
3. Jackie Crawford
4. Kelsie Domer
5. Taylor Munsell
6. Martha Angelone
7. Maddy Deerman
8. Danielle Lowman
9. Rickie Fanning
10. Macy Young.

There were also 80 ladies who earned their spot to the semi-finals at the Oklahoma's Richest Roping in October. They will be joined by the ranks of 11 through 15 of the World Standings and the top five in the WCRA Challenger series.

The 227 competitors who showed up in Arizona to compete over Thanksgiving weekend had to battle through three rounds and the average to try to advance. The top ten in each round and the average earned the right to show their stuff in the semi-finals.

The Last Chance Qualifier paid eight places in each round, with the first place check being worth $4,385. In comparison, this is just about 71% of what the rounds in Las Vegas will pay.

The winners of each round were - Tyree Cochrane, Janae Todacheenie and Joey Williams with Cassie Camarillo taking the average title home.

In total, 40 more women earned their spots in the semi-finals rounds.

Starting at 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, 141 women will back in the box to compete in three full go rounds of the semi-finals. Then at 6:30 p.m. the finals will start. The first three rounds of ten will be held Thursday night.

In the finals, there will be ten go rounds. The first three being run Thanksgiving night followed by three more Friday evening and the final round rounds to be roped Saturday night.

All 25 ropers who qualify to the finals will get to rope six calves. After round six, the field will be narrowed to 15 and from there the champion will be crowned.

The payoff is absolutely incredible for these ladies. In each round of the finals they will be competing for:
1 - $25,000
2 - $20,000
3 - $15,000
4 - $10,000
5 - $7,500
6 - $5,000.

The average payout is just as impressive:
1 - $60,000
2 - $40,000
3 - $30,000
4 - $20,000
5 - $15,000
6 - $10,000.

All total, the rounds will collectively payout $825,000 while the average will pay an additional $175,000 to make up the entire $1 million payoff.

Bookmark Rodeo on SI and come back to read all about the rounds, the winners, and the big payout.