Oklahoma Cowgirl Making Final Push for World’s Top Spot Before NFR

Taylor Munsell is battling for her first world title this season.

Taylor Munsell

The stakes might feel higher this year, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Oklahoma cowgirl, Taylor Munsell, is changing anything as the clock on the regular season winds down. The job is far from over, but her consistency from start to finish has kept her in a really nice position to gun for her first world title.

For most of the regular season, this year's RODEOHOUSTON champion has sat as the No.1 breakaway roper in the world. However, once the Calgary Stampede finished up, there was a Canadian cowgirl hot on her tail, Shelby Boisjoli-Meged. Even though the battle includes many other girls, these two have sure been fun to watch down the stretch.

As of August 22 (per WPRA) Munsell is looking up at Boisjoli on the world standings list, but only by a thousand dollars, with five less rodeos. The duo sits a near $37,000 ahead of the rest of the field.

These two ladies are creeping up on last year's world champion (Kelsie Domer) total earnings by the end of the finals. There is still over a month of regular season left. By the time Domer was crowned the world champion in 2024 she had won $168,700. These two have both won over $163K.

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One comment really stuck out after speaking with Munsell and it was when she was asked how she handles a "rut" or a mental road block. To compete in any sport professionally there is going to be lows. Rodeo specificially there can be more lows than highs in a winning season.

"I don't change anything. If I am going through a faze where I don't feel like I'm doing good I actually tend to get more confident, because I know it can't last forever. So every run I make is one run closer to breaking the spell," said Munsell.

Practice in breakaway looks like a lot of different things. It is important to take care of the fundamentals or stepping on your horse to make corrections (for yourself or your equine partner). That is an important distinction (per the 28-year-old)- knowing when you are practicing for yourself or your horse.

The year has a mere five weeks left and that includes one of her favorites- the Pendelton Round Up. She has come close to winning it, but hasn't quite checked that box yet. With the storybook year she is having, it wouldn't be surprising to see her dominate the green mile.