Top Breakaway Roper Deerman Talks Strategy For Upcoming Governor's Cup

Maddy Deerman is no stranger to the winner's circle. The Hope, NM native currently sits 30th in the breakaway world standings after only competing at 13 rodeos throughout the season due to focusing on her internship with Mewbourne Oil Company this summer and staying close to Lubbock, TX as she finishes her last year as a graduate student.

Deerman qualified for the 2023 NFR Open in Colorado Springs by winning the year end and average at the Turquoise Circuit Finals in 2022.

Deerman went on to win her first pro rodeo check of 2023 at the NFR Open. An average win at the NFR open allowed her the chance to compete in the Cinch Playoffs at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, WA.

Another big win in Puyallup has led Deerman to the prestigious Governor's Cup in Sioux Falls, SD at the end of the month.

With a projected payout of $10,000 per round and $25,000 to win the average at the Governor's Cup, the possible $45,000 purse could move Deerman from 30th all the way up to the top-10 in the WPRA breakaway world standings.

However, the WPRA rodeo count rule will keep Deerman from attending the 2023 National Finals Breakaway Roping. With just a couple weeks left in the regular season, Deerman says it is physically impossible to get to enough rodeos to put her over the 25 rodeo count.

Although the NFBR is not in the cards this year for Maddy Deerman, she says she does not regret her choice to focus on her studies this year as a second-year geoscience grad student at Texas Tech University.

"Going into Puyallup I reminded myself I am going up here for fun and that this is my vacation," said Deerman. "If I win something that's great, but its not life or death. I'm going to enjoy doing what I love."

When asked about Deerman's game plan for the Govenor's Cup she stated she doesn't plan on mixing things up too much.

"If I was going to be able to make the NFBR I was going to get serious about Sioux Falls and put a ton of weight on it, but since it's not possible my game plan is not going change from Puyallup."

Maddy Deerman relates her success over the last couple months to not treating this aspect of her life like a job.

"Just having fun and not making rodeo a job like it is for many of the girls rodeoing hard right now," said Deerman. "There's no pressure going into Sioux Falls so hopefully it'll be fun and there will be some winning involved.

"I wasn't going to try to rodeo next year, I was going to stick to my plan and focus on school and work, but now my winnings from the cinch playoffs has allowed me to try and make the finals next year."

Deerman credits the Cinch Playoff's for setting her up to get into the winter rodeos and making it possible for her to set big goals for the 2023 season.

But in Sioux Falls, it'll be all about balancing winning with just trying to have fun.