Three Ladies In Gold Buckle Contention Set To Rope At 2025 NFBR

After a long year of traveling and roping tons of calves, the road to the 2025 Breakaway Roping World Title ultimately comes down to three names and two nights.

As the National Finals Breakaway Roping begins at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Taylor Munsell, Josie Connor, and Shelby Meged remain in contention for the 2025 gold buckle, with enough money on the table to shift the standings in their favor. 

While the NFBR purse is smaller than the National Finals Rodeo itself, the stakes remain significant. A $300,000 total purse will be paid across 10 go-rounds and the average, and with the top 15 in the world qualifying, the field is stacked with talent. 

Each full go-round pays $21,367.50, with $6,196.58 to the winner, followed by $5,128.20 for second, $4,059.83 for third, $2,991.45 for fourth, $1,923.08 for fifth and $1,068.38 for sixth. The average pays $16,913.63 to first, with money through eighth.

The NFBR was rescheduled from Las Vegas to Fort Worth earlier in the month due to the EHV-1 outbreak. Now the finals will be held at Cowtown Coliseum, and fans unable to attend in person can watch live on The Cowboy Channel.

Munsell enters the finals wearing the No. 1 back number after an exceptional regular season. She leads the standings with $191,175 won. This set a new single-season earnings record in the breakaway roping and holds an important, though not insurmountable, advantage. This marks her fifth consecutive NFBR appearance.

The Prairie Circuit cowgirl caught her momentum early on in the year, winning the coveted Rodeo Houston. She went on to win many other major rodeos, including Reno, for the second year in a row. 

While Munsell did not find her usual rhythm at the Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway, she remains widely regarded as one of the best competitors in the field. Taylor is known for a calm, but deadly style. She is expected to ride either Monster or Colonel, both horses that have played major roles in her rise to the top of her game. 

Connor enters the NFBR second in the standings with $179,076 and riding a huge wave of momentum after a standout performance at the Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway. She won three back-to-back rounds there and finished tied as the event’s high money earner. 

Headed into her fourth consecutive NFBR, Connor will again partner with Dutch, this year's AQHA Horse of the Year. This team has proven to be hard to beat and Connor’s aggressive, confident style makes her especially dangerous in go-round formats. Sitting between Munsell and Meged, Connor is positioned to capitalize quickly. 

The Louisiana cowgirl also started strong during the Texas Swing, winning the Ft. Worth Stockshow and Rodeo. She had an incredible season and is now returning to Ft. Worth with her first gold buckle on her mind. 

Just behind Connor in third sits Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, the 2023 world champion, with $178,537. She is less than $1,000 separating her from Josie. This will be her sixth consecutive NFBR appearance, making her the most experienced of the three contenders, and anyone competing this year.  

Meged comes off a solid couple of days at the Kimes Million Dollar Breakaway too, where she captured a round win and an average check. She is expected to ride Onna, the horse that has helped define her career. Onna is also a former Horse of the Year. Meged’s style is polished and correct, built on timing and consistency rather than just outright risk. 

Shelby started her season a little slower. However, in mid-July, she hit a huge streak. She became the inaugural Calgary Stampede Breakaway Champion and won the NFR Open in Colorado Springs all the same week. This was a huge break in the cowgirls season. Shelby is the only World Champion returning this year, and has her eyes set on another. 

What also makes this title race so exciting is how different the paths are. Munsell’s consistency, Connor’s momentum and Meged’s experience represent three distinct approaches to winning at the highest level. Each also relies on a horse that has fundamentally changed her career, a reminder of how partnership and horsemanship defines success in breakaway roping.

With two nights of competition remaining, the math is clear. These three will battle out for the gold. One fast round, one missed barrier or one average check could decide the outcome. They also have to rope against the rest of the top 15 in order to do so. 

This gold buckle won’t be handed out on reputation alone. It will be earned the same way these ladies' careers were built, one calf, one run, and one loop at a time.

1 Taylor Munsell $191,175
2 Josie Conner $179,076
3 Shelby Boisjoli-Meged $178,538
4 Rylee A George $135,078
5 Hali Williams $130,476
6 Aspen Miller $129,617
7 Cheyanne McCartney $127,795
8 Maddy Deerman $126,251
9 Beau Peterson $120,120
10 Joey Williams $110,550
11 Kinlie Brennise $109,767
12 Bailey Bates $108,425
13 Suzanne Williams $105,869
14 Bradi Good $100,080
15 Macy Young $99,983

Go Round

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