SAN ANGELO, Texas – This west Texas community has been a gracious host to some of the top ropers in the business; Kelsie Domer has been one of the recipients of that friendliness.
This weekend, however, is her first time to rope during the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo inside Foster Communications Coliseum. It’s an exciting venture from the Oklahoma cowgirl now living in Dublin, Texas, and she added her name to the event’s record books after posting a 1.7-second run during Saturday afternoon’s seventh performance.
“Today was a lot of fun,” said Domer, who leads the second round; combined with her 3.2-second run from Friday night, she is tied for fourth in the aggregate race with a two-run cumulative time of 4.9 seconds. ”It seems like it’s been a while since I had a really good run like that, so it was nice to get that feeling again.”
She has a lifetime of excellent runs. Domer owns nine WPRA world championships, three of which came in breakaway roping before its popularity blossomed. She won crowns in 2017-19 when a season’s worth of earnings crested around $50,000. The first year of “ProRodeo breakaway roping” came in 2020, when the event began being added to full rodeos. That was also the first year of the National Finals Breakaway Roping. The reigning titlist, Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, earned nearly $200,000.
Domer is a true roping talent, also having won a WPRA title in tie-down roping in 2018. She also has five all-around crowns to her resume and is a two-time qualifier to the breakaway finals, 2021 and 2023 in Las Vegas.
This is the first year breakaway roping is part of San Angelo’s rodeo, and the biggest names in the sport have come out to test their talents. With just a handful of cowgirls yet to compete during the final two nights of preliminary performances Wednesday and Thursday, Domer is in great position to return for Championship Friday, the short go-round that will feature only the top 12 scores and times. It’s where the titles will be handed out April 19.
“I’ve been to San Angelo a few times because we used to have some good jackpots here,” she said. “I’ve also been to the Roping Fiesta that’s outside in the big arena, but I’d never been inside the coliseum until now. When you can compete in an atmosphere like that, it’s always super fun.
“The stands are packed here, and they’re rodeo fans, especially calf roping fans in this part of the world. It’s fun to have engaged fans that are excited for me to be there. It’s definitely loud in there, so it’s always fun to rope in those situations.”
It’s also fun to compete on Little Man, an 18-year-old chestnut gelding she purchased five years ago. She credited him for stopping the clock so fast.
“He’s very quick across the line and fast footed,” Domer said of Little Man. “Of course, he stops hard, too, but the way he gets across the line and gives me a shot … that’s the biggest deal in breakaway roping.
“I didn’t love my draw. He was strong. I was longer (Friday), so I knew I had to be a lot faster today. I guess it made it easier, because (the calf) gave me one choice, and I had to be fast.”
Team ropers Dustin Egusquiza of Marianna, Florida, and Levi Lord of Sturgis, South Dakota, had an exceptional Saturday. They stopped the clock in 3.8 seconds in the matinee to take the first-round lead, then they were two-tenths faster in the nightcap to share the second-round lead. They have a one-second advantage in the two-run aggregate heading into Friday’s short round.
“We were between laying up or going at one, and I just told (Egusquiza), ‘We’re better off going at him,’ ” said Lord, the heeler. “We seem to thrive on going fast.”
It seems to be working. Each man has earned more than $50,000 so far this season and sits third in their respective world standings.
“I’ve always had the same plan when it comes to these setups,” Egusquiza said. “Mine and Levi’sw run has been a lot more consistent this year. It’s made for a really fun first start to the year.”
San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo
April 5-19
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Cooper Cooke, 88.5 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Buffalo Soldier; 2. R.C. Landingham, 87; 3. Jacob Lees, 86.5; 4. (tie) Ethan Mazurenko and Will Norstrom, 86; 6. Bodee Lammers, 84.5; 7. (tie) Caleb Bennett, Jayco Roper and Wacey Schalla, 84; 1-. (tie) Cole Franks and Clayton Biglow, 83.5; 12. (tie) Jess Pope and Weston Timberman, 83.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Jacob Edler, 3.6 seconds; 2. Cole Walker, 3.7; 3. Stetson Jorgensen, 3.8; 4. (tie) Don Payne and Trisyn Kalawaia, 3.9; 6. Gavin Soileau, 4.0; 7. (tie) Matt Reeves and Jay Williamson, 4.1. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Rooster Yazzie and Trever Nelson, 3.6 seconds; 3. Ty Erickson, 3.7; 4. Grady Payne, 3.8; 5. (tie) Heath Thomas and Adam Musil, 3.9; 7. Chance Howard, 4.1; 8. (tie) Dirk Tavenner, Tanner Brunner, Tyke Kipp and Wade Steffen, 4.2. Average leaders: 1. Matt Reeves, 8.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Don Payne, 8.5; 3. Cole Walker, 8.7; 4. Trever Nelson, 8.9; 5. Gavin Soileau, 9.0; 6. Trisyn Kalawaia, 9.2; 7. Stetson Jorgensen, 9.3; 8. Heath Thomas, 9.4; 9. Mike McGinn, 9.5; 10. Jake Nelson, 9.6; 11. (tie) Bridger Anderson, Justin Schaffer, Chance Howard, Gus Franzen and Landris White, 9.8.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 3.8 seconds; 2. Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 4.0; 3. Brady Tryan/Calgary Smith, 4.1; 4. (tie) Luke Brown/Travis Graves, Devon Johnson/Boogie Ray and Max Kuttler/Cashton Weidenbener, 4.2; 7. (tie) Cory Kidd V/Tanner Braden and Kolton Schmidt/Landen Glenn, 4.3; 6. (tie) Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, Garett Chick/Lane Siggins, Devon McDaniel/Walt Woodard and Peyton Walters/Brandon Gonzales, 4.5. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Derrick Begay/Colter Todd and Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 3.6 seconds; 3. Chace Thompson/Chad Williams, 3.7; 4. (tie) J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II and Jake Clay/Trey Yates, 3.8; 6. Mason Appleton/Cooper Freeman, 3.9; 7. (tie) Wade Smith/Zach Varian and Slade Wood/Nathan Walker, 4.0. Average leaders: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 7.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Cory Kidd V/Tanner Braden, 8.4; 3. James Arviso/J.R. Gonzalez, 8.7; 4. Shay Carroll/Jace Helton, 9.4; 5. Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn, 9.7; 6. Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 9.9; 7. (tie) Cash Duty/Ross Ashford and Devon Johnson/Boogie Ray, 10.1; 9. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 10.8; 10. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 11.0; 11. Jake Clay/Trey Yates, 13.9; 12. Jesse Boos/Jace Steenhoek, 14.0.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Sage Newman, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Code Blue; 2. Lefty Holman, 87; 3. (tie) Cort Scheer and Tyrel Roberts, 86.5; 5. (tie) Brody Cress and Isaac Diaz, 86; 7. Tanner Butner, 85.5; 8. Logan Cook, 85; 9. (tie) Zac Dallas and Trent Burd, 83; 11. Jake Watson, 82.5; 12. (tie) Kyle Wanchuk and Dawson Hay, 82.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Riley Webb, 6.9 seconds; 2. Tuf Cooper, 7.6; 3. (tie) Bryce Derrer and Connor Atkinson, 7.8; 5. Ryan Jarrett, 7.9; 6. Cash Hooper, 8.1; 7. (tie) Tom Crouse and Marty Yates, 8.2. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Cash Enderli, Zaine Mikita and Marty Yates, 7.3 seconds; 4. Jake Pratt, 7.4; 5. (tie) Shad Mayfield and Charlie Gibson, 7.5; 7. (tie) Macon Murphy and Jeremiah Peek, 7.6. Average leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 15.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Cash Cooper, 16.3; 3. Ryan Jarrett, 16.4; 4. Connor Blaise Atkinson and Cole Clemens, 16.5; 6. (tie) Tuf Cooper and Luke Potter, 16.7; 8. Tom Crouse, 16.9; 9. Dylan Hancock, 17.1; 9. Riley Webb, 17.5; 11. (tie) Carson Watford and Chance Oftedahl, 18.0.
Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Madalyn Richards, Megan Powell and Timber Allenbrand, 2.1 seconds; 4. Alli Masters, 2.3; 5. (tie) Brooke Eddy and Jenna Lee Adams, 2.4; 7. Haley Mason and Britta Strain, 2.5; 9. (tie) Josie Conner and Angie Green; 11. (tie) Aspen Miller, Rickie Fanning, Riley Welch, Kadin Jodie, Addee Carder, Abby Medlin and Delaney Kunau, 2.7. Second round leaders: 1. Kelsie Domer, 1.7 seconds; 2. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Emilee Charlesworth, 2.0; 4. (tie) Alli Masters, Taylor Munsell, Sarah Angelone and Hannah Bass, 2.1; 8. (tie) Hadley Clearman, Shelby Whiting and Jessi Everett, 2.2; 11. (tie) Martha Angelone, Bailey Jay and Kristy Stewart, 2.3; 10. (tie) Harley Meged, Jayden Gould, Hollie Ladner, MaryBeth Beam and Chelsi Arnold, 2.4. Average leaders: 1. Alli Masters, 4.4 seconds on two runs; 2. Timber Allenbrand, 4.7; 3. (tie) Kelsie Domer and Brooke Eddy, 4.9; 5. Haley Mason, 5.0; 6. Angie Green, 5.1; 7. Josie Conner, 5.2; 8. Emilee Charlesworth, 5.3; 9. (tie) Harley Meged and Rickie Fanning, 5.5; 11. (tie) Jackie Crawford, Kadin Jodie and Riley Welch, 5.6.
Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Jymmy Kay Cox, 14.03 seconds; 2. Dona Kay Rule, 14.08; 3. Sydney Graham, 14.11; 4. Jordan Driver, 14.15; 5. Timber Allenbrand, 14.20; 6. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 14.24; 7. Jackie Ganter, 14.25; 8. Abby Phillips, 14.26; 9. Mindy Holloway, 14.30; 10. (tie) Sami Jo Buum and Sabra O’Quinn, 14.34; 12. Tessa Arnold, 14.35; 13. Paige Jones, 14.36; 14. Taylor Baize, 14.37; 15. (tie) Sadie Miller and Stevi Hillman, 14.38. Average leaders: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 30.25 seconds on two runs; 2. Jymmy Kay Cox, 30.39; 3. (tie) Sydney Graham and Ashley Castleberry, 30.54; 5. Abby Phillips, 30.56; 6. Timber Allenbrand, 30.60; 7. (tie) Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Stevi Hillman, 30.61; 9. Jackie Ganter, 30.65; 10. Summer Kosel, 30.68; 11. Sabra O’Quinn, 30.69; 12. Paige Jones, 30.78.
Bull riding leaders: 1. J.R. Stratford, 90 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bruised Kitty; 2. (tie) Jackson Carter Ward, Colton Byram, Vinell Vince Mariano, Wacey Schalla and Beau Gardner, 86.5; 7. (tie) Riley Shippy and Scott Wells, 86; 9. Clayton Sellars, 85.5; 10. Kase Hitt, 85; 11. Jake Roddy, 84; 12. Tyce Willis, 82.5.