The 2023 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) is set to kick off with the breakaway roping competition on December 5, 2023, at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The top 15 breakaway ropers will compete for the coveted Montana Silversmith gold buckle and a share of the $250,000 in prize money.
All 10 rounds of competition will be streamed live for free on the Wrangler Network. The pre-show and opening ceremonies will begin at 1:45 p.m. Pacific Time, followed by the competition at 2:00 p.m. PT.
Shelby Boisjoli Meged comes into the WNFR ranked number one with $164,549 in earnings. Hali Williams, the daughter of Hall of Fame cowboy Speed Williams, will be making her WNFR debut ranked second. Williams is just $17,806 behind Meged in the standings.
The field of 13 ropers also includes reigning World Champion Martha Angelone and multiple time World Champion Jackie Hobbs Crawford.
The sport of breakaway has exploded in popularity in recent years, thanks in part to the combined efforts of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). The two associations sanctioned more than 450 rodeos that included breakaway in the 2023 season, up from just 30 rodeos in the inaugural year of 2019.
Each round of the WNFR breakaway roping competition will pay $5,080.08 to the champion, $4,204.20 for second, $3,328.33 for third, $2,452.45 for fourth, $1,576.58 for fifth, and $875.88 for sixth. The average will award the champion $13,866.13 for the fastest combined time on 10 head.
Fans can tune in to the Wrangler Network today to watch the breakaway ropers compete for the coveted Montana Silversmith gold buckle.
