Women’s Breakaway Roping

History

Girls’ breakaway actually first emerged in high school rodeo. The National High School Rodeo Association has been crowning a national champion since 1953. The event didn’t appear in college rodeo until 1969. The WPRA had tie-down roping dating back to 1948 but added breakaway roping in the 1970’s off and on until it was annual in 1989. The first-ever WPRA Breakaway Roping World Champion was Becky Berggen in 1974, followed by Becky Fuchs in 1975. A champion wouldn’t be named again until 1982 when Pam Minick won the title.

In 2017, the breakaway ropers of the WPRA began making efforts to introduce their event into Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) events in the Columbia River Circuit (that includes the states of Oregon and Washington) with the hope this small spark would light a bigger fire within the industry. They introduced breakaway into iconic rodeos like Ellensburg, Washington and Pendleton, Oregon, and by 2019 the WPRA was sanctioning up to 30 breakaway roping events at PRCA rodeos.

In 2020, the WPRA in partnership with the PRCA agreed to open it up to any sanctioned rodeo wanting to add breakaway roping to their list of events bringing a new spotlight to the event as never before. The WPRA started keeping standings for breakaway events held at PRCA sanctioned rodeos versus those events co-approved by the WPRA. As a result in 2020 the WPRA World Champion Breakaway Roper will be determined by the ProRodeo standings instead of the traditional WPRA coapproved standings. As a result of the WPRA and PRCA partnership women breakaway ropers now have more opportunities and the two Associations are working to make the event more “rodeo mainstream.”

The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo was the first rodeo in 2020 to not only add breakaway roping to its legendary rodeo but was the first to offer equal money to breakaway ropers.

Event Description

Don’t blink or you may just miss the run. Breakaway roping is the event comparable to the men’s tie-down roping on the cowboy side except the cowgirls are not required to dismount and tie the calf. In breakaway roping, the cowgirl has a flag tied close to the end of her rope and a nylon string tied from the rope to the saddle horn. Once the barrier is released and the calf leaves the roping chute, the cowgirl gives chase throwing the loop around the calf’s neck. When the rope grows tight after the calf is roped, the string breaks away from the saddle horn and the flag goes flying, signaling the timer to stop the clock. The time in the breakaway roping can sometimes get as fast as 2.0 seconds and since it is a timed event, the fastest time wins. A broken barrier results in a 10-second penalty.

PHOTO BY MILLER PHOTO

2020 World Champion Jackie Crawford

Stephenville, Texas Events: Breakaway Roping, team roping (header and heeler), tie-down roping 2020 Breakaway earnings: $47,185.33 WPRA Career earnings: $488,523 Joined WPRA: 2006 World titles: 19 (2014, 2016 breakaway roping; 2008-11, 2013, 2015-16, 2018-19 all-around; 2011, 2014, 2016 team roping header; 2008-10, 2013-14 tie-down roping) Wrangler NFBR qualifications: 1 (2020)