Cover photo courtesy of Calgary Stampede.
Milestone moment as the Calgary Stampede is adding women’s breakaway roping to their performances this year at the iconic rodeo in Western Canada.
Breakaway roping debuts this summer at Calgary with payouts equal to the other six events in the rodeo. Earmarked for breakaway roping is $310,250 (CAD) in prize money over 10 days of competition at the famed rodeo in Alberta.
Sanctioned by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, money won in breakaway roping at the Calgary Stampede will count towards the WPRA world standings.
While the standings will determine some entrants in the breakaway competition in Calgary, qualifying events are also set to take place ahead of the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”
With 30 spots available in the rodeo for breakaway ropers, both Canadian and WPRA standings determine 24 contestants. The other six contestants come from two qualifying events.
The first qualifying event for breakaway roping at the Stampede is April 10-13 in Salina, Utah. The second qualifier is June 3-4 in Alberta at the Nutrien Western Events Centre. That venue in Stampede Park hosted a breakaway roping in previous years as part of the Rocky Mountain Cup.
Billed as “Canada’s richest two days of roping,” the Rocky Mountain Cup consisted of breakaway and team roping competitions held separately from the rodeo itself in July. This year the Rocky Mountain Cup is set for August and only includes team roping.
Previously held indoors as part of the Rocky Mountain Cup, breakaway roping now moves outdoors to GMC Stadium in Stampede Park. Formally known as the Stampede Grandstand, the renamed GMC Stadium is the historic outdoor arena that hosts the rodeo and chuckwagon races.
“The Calgary Stampede is proud to introduce Ladies Breakaway Roping to our daily rodeo,” Stampede CEO Joel Cowley said in a press release. “This event celebrates the incredible talent of female ropers and our dedication to elevating women’s events in rodeo, while also offering another world-class experience for our guests.”
Breakaway joins barrel racing as another rodeo event at the Calgary Stampede with female contestants. The addition of breakaway at the Stampede is a continuation of the massive growth in the sport over the last several years.
The official press release quotes Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, who is a world champion breakaway roper originally from Alberta. She says “including Breakaway Roping alongside the other major rodeo events is a huge step forward for both the sport and women in rodeo. I can only imagine the impact this moment will have on the little girls watching us compete in the Stampede Rodeo for the first time and realizing that one day, they too could be in our place. Knowing they have something to aspire to, to dream about, and to work toward is truly amazing.”
WPRA President Heidi Schmidt is also quoted in the news release: “The WPRA is excited to expand our partnership with the Calgary Stampede by adding Ladies Breakaway Roping as an official event to this iconic rodeo. Not only taking this step to add breakaway roping to their daily rodeo, but to include it at equal money is exceptional. Showcasing our members in Barrel Racing and now Breakaway Roping in 2025 and beyond reflects our shared conviction of the importance of providing equal opportunity for women in rodeo.”
The press release adds: “The addition of Breakaway Roping represents the continued growth of The World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo and demonstrates the Stampede’s commitment to celebrating diversity in Western sport.”
With over $310,000 in prize money for breakaway roping alone, that addition brings the total payout to $2,171,750 for the rodeo at Calgary Stampede. The rodeo runs from July 4-13 this summer.
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