Breakaway roping event comes to Las Vegas

History was made in the 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which for the first time included a second women’s event under its umbrella. Breakaway roping has been contested for decades as part of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association tour and last year joined barrel racing in competing under the Wrangler NFR banner at season’s end.

But recall, the 2020 NFR was in Arlington, Texas, because of COVID regulations. Now, the event is back in Las Vegas, and the Nationals Finals Breakaway Roping is here as well, taking place Monday and Tuesday at Orleans Arena. Start time is 1 p.m., with five rounds per day for this rapid-fire event.

“Every time we get a little closer to the other events of the NFR is just a milestone for us,” 2020 breakaway world champion Jackie Crawford said. “The NFR is known for being in Las Vegas, and now we’re roping in Vegas. That’s just fantastic, in my mind.”

Speaking of fantastic, Crawford is among the standard bearers not only in breakaway roping, but all of women’s rodeo, with a host of all-around championships on her ledger, among other titles. As for breakaway roping, she won the 2014 and 2016 world titles, before the event was incorporated into the NFR. Then in 2020, she was the first world champion under that NFR banner.

“That to me was one of the biggest career highlights of my lifetime,” Crawford said, noting that for years, being part of the NFR wasn’t something that crossed her mind or that of her peers. “It wasn’t something really within our sights. To be finally included as an event and to be able to wear that gold buckle, nobody else will ever be able to do that, to be the first.”

It’s likely no one will do it in quite the fashion Crawford did, too. She was pregnant during last December’s NFR, giving birth in March to daughter Journey. Crawford — married to 11-time NFR team roping qualifier Charly Crawford — missed a few months but was back competing shortly after Journey’s birth. And thanks to breakaway roping’s rise to NFR status, there were plenty of opportunities to quickly catch up this season and make sure she was among the top 15 money winners, clinching another NFR berth.

“We got that accomplished and had a pretty interesting year,” Crawford said. “There were 160 more rodeos that added breakaway roping. We were going harder than we’ve ever gone. It was a great experience.”

Crawford enters the Finals seventh in the world standings, with earnings of $36,287. She’s got considerable ground to make up in order to repeat, with Shelby Boisjoli sitting first at $52,471. Sawyer Gilbert is close behind in second at $51,122, but no other roper is within $14,000 of Boisjoli.

Taylor Hanchey is another trailblazer among the 15 breakaway roping contestants. Hanchey nabbed the 15th and final qualifying spot with $24,567 in regular-season earnings, and in so doing became the first woman to qualify in both NFR events. In 2013 and 2015, then-Taylor Jacob — she’s now married to world champion tie-down roper Shane Hanchey — qualified in barrel racing, and she was rock solid both years.

In 2013, she set a Thomas &Mack Center record with a blazing 13.37-second run, one of three go-round wins that week as she finished fourth in the season-long world standings. In 2015, she cashed in five go-rounds, including one win and one tie for first, en route to finishing seventh in the world standings.

Now it’s on to a different event in a different venue, but it’s still Las Vegas and it’s still the NFR.

“I think just being in Vegas is something that’s exciting for everybody. It’s a different vibe,” Hanchey said, while noting she’s thrilled with the honor of being the first woman to earn NFR qualification in two events. “It’s really cool. There’s only been two-event cowboys before, so to be a two-event cowgirl is a pretty cool feat.”

Hanchey is most looking forward to the breakaway roping format: five rounds a day, one after another, on Monday and Tuesday. It’ll be action-packed with very little waiting at Orleans Arena.

“I’m really looking forward to the back-to-back, five calves in one day,” she said. “Barrels was always hurry up and wait. It was a short 24 hours or a long 24 hours for your re-do. It’ll be interesting to see how momentum carries over. If you start fast, do you stay fast? Can you bounce back quickly from a bad round?

“I like to be able to go-go-go-go-go. The five calves in one day fits the way I like to do things.”

And she’s really happy to be go-go-going under the NFR umbrella.

“I think it’s huge. Having another women’s event is basically keeping up with the times,” Hanchey said. “Breakaway roping is super competitive, just like the other events at the NFR. It’s gonna be a fast-paced, fun atmosphere.”