Angelone Sisters Dominate at WPRA World Finals, Ganter Wins Card Holder Race

By Ann Bleiker

WACO, TEXAS – The Angelone sisters are quickly making names for themselves and their Virginia family in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.

Martha Angelone (pronounced – Ang-a-lone-e) has dominated the WPRA ProRodeo Breakaway standings this year and will be looking for her first world title the end of the month in Las Vegas, but it was her younger sister, Sarah who captured the family’s first WPRA World Title this weekend in Waco, Texas.

Sarah won the WPRA All-Around World Title with Martha finishing as reserve world champion. Sarah finished the year with $8,060, while Martha won $7,590 at WPRA approved events that had more than one roping discipline being contested at the same time. The sisters won all their all-around money at this weekend’s WPRA World Finals at Extraco Event Center. Sarah competed in breakaway roping and team roping, while Martha competed in all events offered – breakaway, team roping, tie-down and all-around barrels.

Sarah headed for Martha in the team roping and heeled for Jessica Remsburg, a former WPRA world champion as well.

The Angelone sisters, originally from Cross Junction, Virginia, and now are both living in Texas, look to be a force for years to come. Martha is currently the traveler in the family, while Sarah elects to stay closer to home making the WPRA World Finals a perfect fit for her. She is now looking forward to Martha adding another gold buckle to the family trophy case on Nov. 30 at the conclusion of the Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping, presented by Teton Ridge at the South Point Arena.

Joining Sarah Angelone in the world champions circle was Hope Thompson and Lorraine Moreno in the team roping and Tanegai Zilverberg in the tie-down roping.
Thompson captured her third WPRA team roping world title and fourth WPRA world title over all. Thompson finished the year with $21,671 to reserve world champion Bailey Gubert’s $18,626.

Moreno captured her first WPRA world title finishing the year with $17,994, while Rylie Smith finished reserve champion with $12,245.

Two ladies that have spent time as college rodeo coaches teamed up together to win the average in Waco. Linsay Rosser-Sumpter and Taylor Munsell roped three steers in an event best 24.3 seconds to take the title. Danielle Lowman and Jordi Edens were second in a time of 30.6. Lowman qualified for the NFBR in 2021 and Edens will make her first appearance in just a few weeks.

Taking home the tie-down roping world title for the first time in her career was Tanegai Zilverberg. She finished the year with $4,155 to take the title from the reigning world titlist Kari Nixon, who finished second with $2,877.

Zilverberg placed third in the first round and won the second round en route to the average championship as well with a time of 52.9 seconds on three.

A full list of results are attached.

The WPRA Boot Barn Card Holder race came to an end on Sunday morning with Jackie Ganter of Abilene, Texas, taking the title. Ganter turned in the fastest time on Sunday morning stopping the clock in 15.682 seconds to win the round. Ganter was aboard Howes A Tycoon and won the average in a total time of 47.565 on three runs.

All money won in the card holder race will count toward 2023 ProRodeo World Standings and the race also served as a qualifier for RodeoHouston. Ganter last qualified for the NFR in 2016, but 2023 might be the year she returns to the Thomas and Mack if this weekend was any indication.

Reigning world champion Jordon Briggs looked to be in championship form finishing second in the average with 47.675. Briggs and Rollo finished second in the final round in a time of 15.854 seconds. She will be looking to add another world title to her resume in Las Vegas, Dec. 1-10.

Brooklyn Balch took home the permit only race title finishing with a total time of 48.327 seconds on three runs. Balch and Quickaintfair entered the final round in the driver’s seat and remained atop the leaderboard following the short round. Balch won the second round of the permit only race in a time of 15.911 and was third in the final round in a time of 16.129 seconds. Rylee Leach won the short round in a time of 16.062 seconds and finished second in the average with 48.635. Look for both ladies on the rodeo trail in 2023 during their rookie season.

Full results of all competition from the weekend can be found at www.wpra.com.

Kirkpatrick Tops 2022 WPRA World Finals First Round Card Holder Race Competition

By Ann Bleiker

WACO, TEXAS – It might have been a wet and cold day outside the Extraco Event Center in Waco but the competition inside was hot.

The first round of the Boot Barn Card Holder race featured 177 entries and Dena Kirkpatrick led the way with a time of 15.681 seconds. Kirkpatrick of Post, Texas, was aboard Gracies Lane to top the field of extremely talented jockeys and horses. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, who will be making her 16th appearance at the Wrangler NFR next month finished second aboard RC Blackandfamous, a horse she plans to have with her at the Thomas and Mack. The duo stopped the clock in a time of 15.741 seconds.

Money won this weekend in the card holder race will be added to the members 2023 ProRodeo Standings and is also serving as a RodeoHouston qualifier. The second round will be contested on Saturday with the top 30 returning for a final round on Sunday morning.

All action is being live streamed. The live stream link, results and draws can all be found at www.wpra.com.

The permit only race also concluded their first round on Friday morning with Reagan Goudeau taking the first round win with 16.017 seconds. She won $989 for her win today. Goudeau of Hungerford, Texas, was aboard her horse Playboy. Kaycee Thomas and Lean Pie In The Sky took second in a time of 16.227 seconds, good for $848 on the day.

The second round of roping action gets underway Friday night at 7 p.m. CT and will be live streamed as well. Be sure to tune in.

Barrel Racing Boot Barn Card Holder Race
First round: 1. Dena Kirkpatrick, 15.681 seconds, $3,048; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.741, $2,613; 3. Carley Cervi, 15.890, $2,177; 4. Cheyenne Wimberley, 15.922, $1,887; 5. Rainey Skelton, 15.934, $1,452; 6. Tasha Welsh, 15.939, $1,161; 7. Kelly Allen, 15.982, $871; 8. Cari Titsworth, 15.992, $581; 9. Dona Kay Rule, 15.994, $435; 10. Emily Beisel, 15.997, $290.

2022 WPRA World Finals Opens with First Round of Roping

By Ann Bleiker

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

World champions will be crowned in the team roping, tie-down and all-around on Saturday night. Breakaway roping is also a featured event this weekend with money won counting toward 2023 ProRodeo standings and is serving as a qualifier for Fort Worth and RodeoHouston rodeos in 2023. The world champion will be crowned in Las Vegas at the National Finals Breakaway Roping on Nov. 30 at the South Point.

Tiffany Schieck of Floresville, Texas, finished the 2022 season as the reserve Rookie of the Year in the breakaway roping but she roped like a veteran on opening day at the WPRA World Finals. Schieck stopped the clock in 1.9 seconds to win the first round and pocket $2,486. Misti Brown and Lari Dee Guy took second in a time of 2.0 seconds and Sarah Angelone took fourth in a time of 2.1 seconds. Sarah, the sister of No. 1 ranked Martha Angelone, got the best of her sister in the first round with Martha finishing tied for sixth with a 2.3 second run. The sisters, originally from Virginia, teamed up in the team roping and stopped the clock in 7.3 seconds to finish third in the round.

Rylee George of Oakdale, California, won the first round in the tie-down roping with a 13.1-second run. Four-time and reigning world champion Kari Nixon was second in a time of 14.2 seconds. Tanegai Zilverberg of Holabird, SD., took third in 15.9 seconds.

Martha Angelone who is looking for her first all-around title took fourth in the tie-down roping with a time of 19.2 seconds.

Hope Thompson is looking for her third team roping heading world title this year and her fourth WPRA world title overall. She came in with the lead and commanded the first round with partner Rylie Smith stopping the clock in 6.2 seconds adding an additional $931 to her standing and bank account. Thompson entered the weekend with $20,740 on the year. Bailey Gubert entered second with $16,812 but did not place in the first round.

Second round action will begin at 7 p.m. CT on Friday night and will be live streamed on the Wrangler Network.

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.

Breakaway Roping
First round: 1. Tiffany Shieck, Floresville, TX, 1.9 seconds, $2,486; 2. (tie) Misti Brown, Valentine, NE and Lari Dee Guy, Stephenville, TX, 2.0, $1,953 each; 4. Sarah Angelone, Lipan, TX, 2.1, $1,539; 5. Hope Thompson, Abilene, TX, 2.2, $1,184; 6. (tie) Delani Wood, Grandview, TX, Rylee Hansen, Weiser, ID, Shai Schaefer, Lake Creek, TX and Martha Angelone, Stephenville, TX, 2.3, $621 each; 10. (tie) Erin Johnson, Fowler, CO and Shelby Boisjoli, Stephenville, TX, 2.4, $118.

Team Roping
First round: 1. Hope Thompson, Abilene, TX/Rylie Smith, Whitsett, TX, 6.2 seconds, $931 each; 2. Quincy Sullivan, Peralta, NM/Abigail Shofner, Las Cruces, NM, 6.9, $771 each; 3. Sarah Angelone, Lipan, TX/Martha Angelone, Stephenville, TX, 7.3, $610; 4. Linsay Rosser Sumpter, Fowler, CO/Taylor Munsell, Alva, OK, 7.6, $450; 5. Cadee Williams, Weatherford, TX/Danielle Lowman, Gilbert, AZ, 8.1, $289; 6. Taylor Munsell, Alva, OK/Chenoa Vandestouwe, Inwood, IA, 8.3, $161.

Tie-down Roping
First round: 1. Rylee George, Oakdale, CA, 13.1 seconds, $692; 2. Kari Nixon, Freedom, OK, 14.2, $573; 3. Tanegai Zilverberg, Holabird, SD, 15.9, $453; 4. Martha Angelone, Stephenville, TX, 19.2, $334; 5. Shelby Boisjoli, Stephenville, TX, 21.1, $215; 6. Chenoa Vadestouwe, 23.7, $119.

WPRA World Finals—World Titles On the Line, plus 2023 Season Jumpstart

By Ann Bleiker

 The 2022 WPRA World Finals returns to EXTRACO Event Center in Waco, TX, in conjunction with the Elite Barrel Race, slated for Nov. 10-13. This event offers opportunities and money for all levels of membership from those searching for a world title, to those looking to get a head start on the 2023 rodeo season, to those looking to fill their permit.

Next to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the WPRA World Finals is the biggest event of the year for the WPRA that attracts the highest caliber of barrel racers and female ropers from across the country. In 2021, the WPRA partnered with Elite Barrel Racing in co-producing the weekend event which paid out $375,000 in cash and prizes and is looking for this year’s event to be bigger and better with increased added money.

“This is going to be an action-packed weekend featuring all the WPRA has to offer our members,” said Jimmie Munroe, WPRA President. “We will crown world champions in the futurity/derby and junior division as well as our roping division that includes all-around, team roping and tie-down roping titles. While world titles won’t be handed out in the barrel racing and breakaway roping at this event, those members will still be competing and getting a jumpstart on their 2023 rodeo season standings.” 

The WPRA World Finals will feature the Boot Barn $20,000 added card holder barrel race with money counting toward the 2023 ProRodeo Standings. The permit only race will boast $5,000 added and each of the roping disciplines (breakaway, team roping and tie-down) will feature $5,000 ($10,000 total for the team roping). All totaled the WPRA World Finals will boast $77,500 in added money with the Elite &TQHA featuring an additional $32,000 in added money for their races.

The WPRA Card Holder barrel race money as well as the WPRA Breakaway Roping World Finals earnings will count for qualifications into the 2023 winter rodeos including RodeoHouston and for the 2023 ProRodeo standings. This can go a long way in making your dreams come true whether it is to compete at RodeoHouston or at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!

A $5,000 added Permit Only event will give permit and new members a chance to fill their permit at the end of the weekend and be ready to hit the ground running for the 2023 season and their chance at a Rookie of the Year title.

Eight world champions will be crowned along with the national champion in the breakaway roping.

David Smith will serve as the ground crew. Smith is highly respected in the state of Texas handling the ground at the ELITE and many other large barrel racing events. Smith and crew strive for consistent and safe ground for all competitors. T.C. Long will be the co-producer for the event along with the WPRA.

Roping Takes Center Stage
The World Finals is the crowning event for WPRA Ropers and this year’s event is shaping up to be an exciting finish.

Hope Thompson is in search of her fourth WPRA world title and third overall in the team roping as a header. Her other world title came in the breakaway roping in 2013. Thompson previously won the world title in the team roping in 2017 and 2020 and is looking to add 2022 to that list. She enters this weekend ranked No. 1 with $20,740. Bailey Gubert is second with $16,812. The title race will come down to these two over the course of three rounds in Waco. Lari Dee Guy, who won the world title in the team roping heading category in 2021 will be looking for an average title but will not be in the picture for a world title as she enters the event ranked seventh with $3,480.

On the heeling side, Lorraine Moreno is the lady to catch with $16,180 won on the season thus far. This would be Moreno’s first world title in the WPRA. She will have to hold off veteran Jessica Remsburg who comes in second with $11,618 and Rylie Smith with $11,314. The reigning heeling world champion Annette Stahl is fourth with $7,535.

With the continued growth of the women’s breakaway roping within the WPRA at PRCA rodeos the world title in this roping category will be crowned in Las Vegas at the South Point Arena following the two-day action, Nov. 29 and 30. Like was done the last two years, money won at the WPRA World Finals this year will be added to the co-approved event standings to determine the WPRA National Breakaway Roping Champion. In addition, money won in Waco will also be added to the 2023 ProRodeo Breakaway Standings that might just help determine next year’s world champion!

In 2021, Josie Conner of Iowa, LA, won the breakaway national title in Waco and returns this year to defend that title as No. 1 with $51,355. Conner used last year’s event as a catapult for her ProRodeo season finishing as the WPRA Rookie of the Year and will compete at her first National Finals Breakaway Roping later this month. Martha Angelone, who is currently ranked No. 1 in the ProRodeo world standings is second in the co-approved standings with $36,812 but will be a great warm-up for the 10 rounds in Las Vegas with at least 10 of the 15 Top 15 planning to rope in Waco this weekend.

Tanegai Zilverberg is looking for her first WPRA world title in either the tie-down roping or all-around category. She currently leads the tie-down roping over reigning champion Kari Nixon with $1,972 compared to $1,767. It will be a fun category to keep an eye on.

Junior members
Skylar Alves of Camarillo, California missed out on the Junior World Title in 2021 but returns in 2022 in the lead with $11,499. Kaitlyn Sims from Elkton, Florida, is second with $10,194. A new Junior member will get to add their name to the list of WPRA World Junior Champions.

Futurity and Derby division
SUCCEED will be featuring the next generation in horsepower as the title sponsor of the Futurity and Derby division that is specifically geared toward the up-and-coming barrel horses in the industry.

Kathy Grimes, a former NFR qualifier, is looking to double up on world titles in Waco as she currently leads the Futurity and Derby standings. Grimes and KG Jukebox Hero has garnered 310 futurity points with Ashley Day and ArmedNFamous second with 285. In the derby division, Grimes has piloted KG Juststealingcash to 210 points while Becca Gilley and FM Fast Burning Fuse is second with 190.

Webcast and Results
All World Finals barrel racing action will be webcast through Gold Buckle Media. A link to watch it live will be available at www.wpra.com or visit http://elitebarrelracing.com. The roping action will be live streamed on the Wrangler Network.

Additional information including live results will be available at www.wpra.com under the WPRA World Finals tab.

(719) 447-4627
(719) 447-4631 (fax)