Three round wins, the fastest times of the night, and a confident approach put Hali Williams at the center of the NFBR conversation after night one.
Comanche Texas cowgirl Hali Williams arrived in Fort Worth at her 3rd NFBR exactly where she needed to be—focused, fast, and fully committed to winning.
Williams dominated Rounds 1–5 at Cowtown Coliseum, winning three rounds and delivering the fastest times of the night with back to back 1.9-second runs in Rounds 3 and 4. Her big performance earned her the Biggest Mover of the Day honors and around $20,000 in earnings to open the finals.
She entered the NFBR ranked fifth in the world and, while not in direct contention for the gold buckle, made it clear that there is still plenty to rope for.
Williams’ style has always stood out. Known as a true “gun slinger,” she brings a team-roper’s mentality and rope to breakaway roping. She wins when she is at her most aggressive. When her rope connected on night one, she didn’t hesitate to celebrate each success with gratitude.
Much of her style and winning ways trace back to her roots. Williams is the daughter of Speed Williams, and she credits her father for being part of her preparation. After her first round win she noted that Speed got on her horse, Redlight, earlier in the morning before competition to free him up and have him ready for the setup. The influence shows not just in her roping, but in her professionalism, character, and composure.
Fresh off a strong showing at the Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway, Williams carried that momentum straight into the NFBR. She has been quick to point out that her biggest gains have been mental, not mechanical.
After her third round win of the night, Williams spoke about the struggles that have shaped her approach this season, particularly after early frustration at Kimes early this month.
She said she realized she wasn’t trusting her ability and was instead “trying to jump at the barrier and just lay it on them.” That frustration led to a sleepless night and some talking to God.
She credited her faith for bringing clarity.
“I feel like I am just finally starting to trust myself,” Williams said. “Me and God had a lot of talking that night. I was frustrated, I didn’t understand, and I got hurt. But I think those are trials He’s put me through. I went back to the basics—trust myself, trust my horse, and just do the thing.”
Her perspective goes deeper than just results.
“My main goal this year was winning or losing, just to stay in the Word,” she said. “It’s easy when you’re winning to just focus on winning. Win or lose, I’m trying to read my Bible every day and be in the scripture and have that peace, because at the end of the day, if I get called home tomorrow, I want to be for sure where I’m going.”
That balance of fierce competitor and grounded presence defines Williams as much as her speed. She may not be chasing a world title this week, but with five rounds still ahead, she’s proven she can stack checks quickly and command attention on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Night one definitely belonged to Hali Williams. Five rounds remain. With Redlight locked in and the Cowtown Coliseum practically home ground, Williams made it clear on night one that she belongs there.