2023 WPRA World Finals Opens with First Round of Roping

By: Ann Bleiker

WACO, TEXAS – The 2023 WPRA World Finals in Waco, Texas, got underway Thursday with the first of three rounds of roping action.

World champions will be crowned in team roping, tie-down and all-around on Saturday evening. In celebration of the 75th year of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, team roping world champions from the past that are in town competing this weekend were honored prior to the start of Thursday night’s performance.

Two of the nine introduced were Jackie Crawford, who has won three heading world titles and Annette Stahl, also a three-time world champion on the heeling side showed the fans they still have what it takes for more world titles. Crawford and Stahl teamed up to take round one in a time of 6.5 seconds out of a total of 34 teams on hand this weekend in Waco. They pocketed $842 each. In addition to leading the way in the heeling, Stahl also competed as a header teaming up with Kennlee Tate to finish fourth in the round in a time of 7.5 seconds.

Kenzie Kelton and Danielle Lowman were a close second with a run of 6.6 seconds. Beverly Robbins and Jessy Remsburg, who picked up WPRA team roping world tiles in 2019 and 2016, respectively took third in a time of 7.2 seconds.

With the round win, Crawford moved to first in the world standings ahead of Bailey Gubert by over $650. Stahl trails the reigning world champion Lorraine Moreno on the heeling side with two more rounds left to go.

Crawford switched horses and came back in the tie-down roping finishing second behind Sawyer Gilbert, who won the WPRA breakaway roping world title in 2021. Crawford stopped the clock in 13.8 seconds, while Gilbert won the round in a quick 12.6. Of Crawford’s 20 world titles a total of five of them have come in tie-down roping.

While the world title in the breakaway roping won’t be handed out until December 6 in Las Vegas, the best in the world brought their A-game to Waco. Danielle Lowman of Gilbert, Arizona, who is making her second appearance at the National Finals Breakaway roping next month won the first round in a quick 1.9 seconds. It was a logjam for second with three stopping the clock in 2.0 seconds. Kelsie Domer, who will be joining Lowman in Las Vegas, was second along with Willow Wilson, and MaryBeth Beam.

Second round action will begin at 1 p.m. CT on Friday with slack followed by the performance at 7 p.m. All roping action is being live streamed at www.wpra.com.

Barrel racing action will kick the day off on Friday at 8 a.m. CT with the Derby and Futurity division followed by permit only race and the card holder race. All action will be live streamed. Visit www.wpra.com for the link.

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Breakaway Roping

First round: 1. Danielle Lowman, Gilbert, AZ, 1.9 seconds, $2,659; 2. (tie) Kelsie Domer, Dublin, TX, Willow Wilson, Baggs, WY and MaryBeth Beam, Poetry, TX, 2.0, $1,941 each; 5. (tie) TiAda Gray, Portales, NM, Beau Peterson, Council Grove, KS and Shelby Boisjoli, 2.1, $1,013 each; 8. (tie) Amber Hutto, North Zulch, TX, Abbie Williams, Blossom, TX, Cloey Lee Ketchum, Gladewater, TX, Kinlie Brennise, Craig, CO, Bailey Bates, Tohatchi, NM, Bradi Good, Abilene, TX, Hope Thompson, Abilene, TX, Taylor Hanchey, Carmine, TX and Sarah Angelone, Lipan, TX, 2.3, $127 each.

Team roping

First round: 1. Jackie Crawford, Stephenville, TX/Annette Stahl, Salt Flat, TX, 6.5 seconds, $842 each; 2. Kenzie Kelton, Mayer, AZ/Danielle Lowman, Gilbert, AZ, 6.6, $732; 3. Beverly Robbins, Muscle Shoals, AL/Jessy Remsburg, Muscle Shoals, AL, 7.2, $622; 4. Annette Stahl, Salt Flat, TX/ Kennlee Tate, Shallowater, TX, 7.5; 5. (tie) Kaydence Crawford, Stephenville, TX/ Amanda Coleman, Stephenville, TX, and Kayelen Helton, Stephenville, TX/Lorraine Moreno, Mathis, TX, 7.8, $348 each; 7. Rylie Smith, Whitsett, TX/Hope Thompson, Abilene, TX, 8.2, $183; 8. Bailey Gubert, Hungerford, TX/Quincy Sullivan, Peralta, NM, 8.5, $73.

Tie-down Roping

First round: 1. Sawyer Gilbert, Buffalo, SD, 12.6 seconds, $801; 2. Jackie Crawford, Stephenville, TX, 13.8, $663; 3. Kodi Hansen, Cimarron, KS, 14.2, $525; 4. Kelsie Domer, Dublin, TX, 16.2, $387; 5. Amanda Coleman, Stephenville, TX, 16.5, $249; 6. Jordan Jo Hollabaugh, Springtown, TX, 17.3, $138.

Courtesy of WPRA