2021 WPRA World Finals Features Fast Ropes on Opening Day

WACO, TEXAS – The WPRA World Finals in Waco, Texas, kicked off Thursday morning with two rounds of roping action and the breakaway roping didn’t disappoint.

While the WPRA World Champion Breakaway Roper won’t be crowned until next month in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping many of the qualifiers are in Waco looking to get a head start on the 2022 rodeo season and a shot at the WPRA National Championship title for 2021.

After two rounds of breakaway roping, recent National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame inductee Lari Dee Guy leads the average with a two-run time of 3.8 seconds. She was the most consistent roper on the first day turning in two 1.9-second runs. She finished in a tie for second in the first round, which was won by Bryana Lehrmann in a time of 1.8 seconds. Guy tied with Shelby Boisjoli and Ashley Goforth.

Things got a tick faster in the second round with Laramie Johnson and Brighton Bauman finishing atop the leaderboard with times of 1.7 seconds. They were followed by two NFBR qualifiers Cheyanne Guillory and reigning world champion Jackie Crawford with 1.8-second runs. Guy would finish the second round tied for fifth with traveling partner Hope Thompson and 2020 reserve world champion Martha Angelone in 1.9 seconds.

Angelone is hot on Guy’s heels with a two run time of 3.9 seconds, while Boisjoli and 17-time WPRA World Champion JJ Hampton have a solid 4.1 second time on two head.
Third round competition will get underway Friday night and will be live streamed for free on the Wrangler Network.

Breakaway might have been the main course but the ladies of the WPRA also competed in team roping and tie-down roping on opening day of the WPRA World Finals. Cadee Williams and Danielle Lowman captured the first round win in team roping stopping the clock in 7.1 seconds. Lowman will be making the trip to Las Vegas next month having qualified for her first National Finals Breakaway Roping. Lari Dee Guy and Annette Stahl finished second in a time of 7.2 seconds, while Taylor Munsell and Martha Angelone took third in a time of 7.4 seconds.

Second round winners in the team roping were Brandi Hines and Rebecca Cannizzaro in a quick time of 5.9 seconds. Williams and Lowman were second in 6.4 seconds, while Guy and Stahl tied for third with a run of 6.6 seconds. Lowman and Munsell switched ends and partnered together also stopping the clock in 6.6 seconds in the second round.
Williams and Lowman top the leaderboard in the average with a two run time of 13.5 seconds, while Guy and Stahl are second in 13.8.

Jenna Lee Hayes got things started in the tie-down roping with a 12 second run to lead all ropers in the first round. Kari Nixon and Taylor Munsell were second and third, respectively with times of 14.7 and 15.2.

All-Around contender and reigning all-around champion Kelsie Chace lit up the scoreboard with an 11.7 second run in the second round to edge Nixon with a 12.5-second run. Nixon leads the average with a total time of 27.2 seconds, while Hayes is second in 38.3.

WPRA barrel racing action gets underway Friday morning with the first round of the permit only race at 8 a.m. CT followed by the much anticipated card holder race at 9:30 am. CT. Barrel racing action will be live streamed on the Elite Barrel Racing website or visit www.wpra.com for the link.

Breakaway Roping
First round: 1. Bryana Lehrmann, 1.8 seconds, $1,744; 2. (tie) Ashley Goforth, Lari Dee Guy and Shelby Boisjoli, 1.9, $1,289 each; 5. (tie) JJ Hampton and Martha Angelone, 2.0, $720 each; 7. (tie) Chole Frey, Tiffany Schieck and Josie Conner, 2.1, $177 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Laramie Johnson and Brighton Bauman, 1.7 seconds, $1,630 each; 3. (tie) Cheyanne Guillory, and Jackie Crawford, 1.8, $1,175 each; 5. (tie) Martha Angelone, Lari Dee Guy and Hope Thompson, 1.9, $607 each; 8. (tie) Kelsie Chace, JJ Hampton, Amber Crawford, Tiada Gray and Kirby Eppert, 2.1, $30.

Team roping
First round: 1. Cadee Williams/Danielle Lowman, 7.1 seconds, $698 each; 2. Lari Dee Guy/Annette Stahl, 7.2, $578; 3. Taylor Munsell/Martha Angelone, 7.4, $458; 4. Jordi Edens/Aspen Miller, 7.4, $337; 5. (tie) Rylie Smith/Hope Thompson and Beverly Robbins/Jessica Remsburg, 8.2, $169 each. Second round: 1. Brandi Hines/Rebecca Cannizzaro, 5.9, $698 each; 2. Cadee Williams/Danielle Lowman, 6.4, $578; 3. (tie) Lari Dee Guy/Annette Stahl and Danielle Lowman/Taylor Munsell, 6.6, $397 each; 5. Martha Angelone/Lorraine Moreno, 6.8, $217; 6. Kayelen Helton/Kelsie Chace, 8.2, $120.

Tie-down Roping
First round: 1. Jenna Lee Hayes, 12.0 seconds, $470; 2. Kari Nixon, 14.7, $389; 3. Taylor Munsell, 15.2, $308; 4. Katie Shaffer, 15.8, 4227; 5. Martha Angelone, 16.9, $146; 6. Kodi Hansen, 23.4, $81. Second round: 1. Kelsie Chace, 11.7, $470; 2. Kari Nixon, 12.5, $389; 3. Christi Braudrick, 19.2, $308; 4. Jimmie Smith, 22.1, $227; 5. Tanegai Zilverberg, 25.7, $146; 6. Jenna Lee Hayes, 26.3, $81.

Courtesy of WPRA