DODGE CITY, Kan. – Growing up in the western Oklahoma hamlet of Arnett, breakaway roper Taylor Munsell made many trips to compete at Roundup Arena.

She’s done well at youth rodeos and the amateur rodeos in the storied complex, but she’s never done well at Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. Her luck may be changing this year. She roped her first calf Saturday morning in 2.5 seconds to finish the opening round in a three-way tie for first, then stopped the clock in 3.0 seconds that evening.

Her two-run cumulative time of 5.5 seconds puts her in the No. 2 spot heading into Championship Sunday, just half a second behind the leader, McKenna Brennan. They will battle it out for the Roundup title along with 10 other breakaway ropers.

“It almost feels like a hometown arena to me,” said Munsell, 27, now living in Alva, Oklahoma, where she won the 2019 intercollegiate championship while competing for Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “It’s so nice. It’s close to home, so my whole family gets to come and watch.”

Arnett is just two hours south of Dodge City, so it’s an easy drive for folks who have supported rodeo. Munsell travels tens of thousands of miles a year chasing her rodeo dreams, and she’s pretty good at it. In addition to the college title, she has qualified for the National Finals Breakaway Roping each of the past three years finishing among the top 10 in the world standings each time.

She rolled into western Kansas as the No. 2 cowgirl on the money list with $93,225, about $13,500 behind the leader, Jackie Crawford. Munsell has already added $1,924 for her first-round finish and is looking to add to it. Every cent counts when it comes to rodeo, where dollars equal championship points. The top 15 money-earners at the end of the regular season punch their ticket to the finale, which takes place in December at Las Vegas.

She’s a virtual lock to return for the fourth straight year to Sin City, but having a good final night at Roundup would be rather beneficial when it comes to battling for rodeo’s gold in four months.

“That would be super important,” Munsell said of finishing strong in Dodge City. I’m in a great spot, where I want to be. I get to go right before (Brennan), but I’ve got a pretty good jump on everybody below me, too. I can make a good run and set the pace and let her come beat me if she wants to. However the cards lay, it’ll pay good either day.”

She will entrust much of the work on her equine partner, Colonel, the horse she rode during the 2021 and 2023 breakaway finals. The 12-year-old sorrel gelding has been a guiding force for much of Munsell’s success, but she’s also had some other talented horses in her stable. 

“Luckily the way I was raised, I learned to ride a horse for what they were and not what I wanted them to be, and I feel like that’s benefitted me a lot,” she said. “I have three great horses that work completely differently, but they serve me in the ways I need them to. I figured out how to make it work and win on them.”

Like a lioness lurking to grasp her pray, Munsell is putting herself into position to claim the coveted Roundup buckle.

“I like chasing,” she said. “It’s a lot more fun.”

Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
July 31-Aug. 4, 2024
Bareback riding: First round: 1. Rocker Steiner, 88 points on Frontier Rodeo’s High Heels, $3,163; 2. (tie) Waylon Bourgeois, Dean Thompson and Jess Pope, 85, $1,792 each; 5. Weston Timberman, 84.5, $738; 6. Sam Petersen, 84, $527; 7. Mason Clements, 83, $422; 8. (tie) Cooper Cooke, Jacek Frost and Bradlee Miller, 81, $105 each.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Ty Bauerle, 3.8 seconds, $3,473; 2. (tie) Jacob Edler and Tyler Waguespack, 4.0, $2,793 each; 4. Brady Reneau, 4.1, $2,114; 5. Dakota Eldridge, 4.3, $1,661; 6. (tie) Kalane Anders, Gage Hesse, Tyke Kipp, Will Lummus, Isaiah Na’auao-Asing and Tyler Pearson, 4.4, $377 each. Second round: 1. Quade Potter, 3.6 seconds, $3,473; 2. 2. Will Lummus, 3.8, $3,020; 3. Kyle Irwin, 3.9, $2,567; 4. Cody Devers, 4.0, $2,114; 5. Sam Goings, 4.1, $1,661; 6. Bridger Anderson, 4.2, $1,208; 7. (tie) Winsten McGraw, Tanner Brunner and Travis Munro, 4.3, $352 each. Average: 1. Will Lummus, 8.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Jacob Edler, 8.4; 3. Kalane Anders, 9.1; 4. Ty Bauerle, 9.5; 5. Dakota Eldridge, 9.6; 6. Cody Devers, 9.7; 7. (tie) Quade Potter and Kyle Irwin, 9.8; 10. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Bridger Anderson, 10.5; 12. (tie) Grant Peterson and Cash Robb, 11.2. Because of the tie-breaker, Cash Robb advances to the championship round

Team roping: First round: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.9 seconds, $3,547 each; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 5.2, $3,085; 3. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.4, $2,622; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 5.5, $2,159; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.6, $1,697; 6. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 5.7, $1,234; 7. (tie) Trey Blackmore/Whip Peterson and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 5.8, $540 each. Second round: 1. Reno Stoebner/L.J. Yeahquo, 4.7 seconds, $3,547; 2. Wyatt Muggli/Casey McCleskey, 4.9m $3,085; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 5.1, $2,622; 4. Trey Hall/Cale Morris, 5.4, $2,159; 5. Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, 5.5, $2,159; 6. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 5.7, $1,234; 7. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 5.8, $771; 8. Shay Carrol/Jace Helton, 6.0, $308. Average leaders: 1. Tyler Tryan/Logan Moore, 11.1 seconds on two runs; 2. Coy Rahlmann/Ross Ashford, 11.3; 3. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 11.9; 4. Curry Kirchner/Jake Edwards, 12.1; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 12.8; 6. Shay Carroll/Jace Helton, 13.3; 7. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 13.0; 8. Max Kuttler/Dylan Ahlstrom, 13.7; 9. Wheston Jones/Blake Barnes, 14.0; 10. Chad Masters/Wyatt Cox, 15.0; 11. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 15.9; 12. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 16.1.  

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Gus Galliard, 87.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big Cloud, $3,325; 2. Brody Cress, 87, $2,549; 3. Isaac Diaz, 85, $1,884; 4. Colt Gordon, 84, $1,219; 5. (tie) Tegan Smith, Heston Harrison and Bailey Smal; 83; 5, $591 each; 8. (tie) Jake Finlay and Sterling Crawley, 82.5, $166; 10. (tie) Parker Fleet and Logan Cook, 82; 12. Darcy Radel, 81.5.

Breakaway roping: First round: 1. (tie) Ashley Goforth, Erin Johnson and Taylor Munsell, 2.5 seconds, $1,924 each; 4. Layni Masters, 2.6, $1,347; 5. Kaitlyn Ricke, 2.7, $1,058; 6. Braylee Shepherd, 2.8, $770; 7. (tie) Timber Allenbrand, McKenna Brennan and Shayla Hall, 2.9, $224 each. Second round leaders: 1. Tia Wallace, 2.0 seconds, $2,212; 2. (tie) McKenna Brennan and Danielle Lowman, 2.1, $1,780 each; 4. Maddy Deerman, 2.2, $1,347; 5. TiAda Gray, 2.4, $1,058; 6. Nicole Baggarley, 2.5, $770; 7. Rylie Smith, 2.6, $481; 8. (tie) Chenoa Vandestouwe and Martha Angelone, 2.7, $96 each. Average leaders: 1. McKenna Brennan, 5.0 seconds on two runs; 2. Taylor Munsell, 5.5; 3. J.J. Hampton, 5.9; 4. (tie) Kiatlyn Ricke and Braylee Shepherd, 6.1; 6. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 6.2; 7. Rylie George, 6.3; 8. Josie Conner, 6.4; 9. Bradi Good, 6.5; 10. Maddy Deerman, 6.6; 11. Baylee Lester, 6.9; 12. Kelsie Domer, 6.9.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Haven Meged, 7.9 seconds, $3,560; 2. Tuf Case Cooper, 8.3, $3,095; 3. Riley Mason Webb, 8.6, $2,631; 4. Riley Pruitt, 8.7, $2,167; 5. (tie) Kincade Henry and Zane Kilgus, 8.9, $1,470 each; 7. (tie) Ty Harris and Marty Yates, 9.3, $542 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Dylan Hancock and Zane Kilgus, 8.1 seconds, $3,327 each; 3. John Douch, 8.3, $2,631; 4. (tie) Riley Webb, Blane Cox and Kason Dyer, 8.4, $1,702 each; 7. Kincade Henry, 8.6, $774; 8. (tie) Ty Harris and Bryce Loyd, 8.7, $155 each. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Riley Webb and Zane Kilgus, 17.0 seconds on two runs; 3. 4. Ty Harris, 18.0; 5. Cash Hooper, 18.4; 6. Blane Cox, 18.9; 7. Clint Graves, 19.1; 8. (tie) Marty Yates and Garrett Elmore, 19.4; 10. Dylan Hancock, 19.5; 11. Pecos Tatum, 21.0; 12. Jarvis Demery, 22.2.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Paige Jones, 17.44 seconds, $2,291; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.50, $1,948; 3. Loralee Ward, 17.51, $1,604; 4. Tarryn Lee, 17.52, $1,375; 5. Hailey Kinsel, 17.53, $1,146; 6. Cindy Patrick, 17.56, $802; 7. Katelyn Scott, 17.61, $573; 8. Megan Albrecht, 17.62, $458; 9. Tana Renick, 17.64, $401; 10. Fallon Taylor, 17.70, $344; 11. Emily Beisel, 17.73, $286; 12. Jessica Routier, 17.74, $229. Second round: 1. (tie) Tracy Nowlin and Emily Beisel, 17.24 seconds, $2,119 each; 3. Chelsie Shoop, 17.32, $1,604; 4. (tie) Kathleen Menard and Hailey Kinsel, 17.33, $1,260 each; 6. Cindy Patrick, 17.36, $802; 7. (tie) Tana Renick and Paige Jones, 17.45, $516; 9. Kallie Gates, 17.46; 10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.49, $344; 11. Tarryn Lee, 17.52, $286; 12. Austyn Tobey, 17.54, $229. Average leaders: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 34.86 seconds on two runs; 2. Paige Jones, 34.89; 3. Cindy Patrick, 34.92; 4. Emily Beisel, 34.97; 5. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 34.99; 6. Tarryn Lee, 35.04; 6. Tanna Renick, 35.09; 8. (tie) Kathleen Menard and Chelsie Shoop, 35.18; 10. Tracy Nowlin, 35.22; 11. Loralee Ward, 35.23; 12. Megan Albrecht, 35.27.

Bull riding: First round: 1. (tie) Bubba Greig, on Frontier Rodeo’s Front & Center, and Jate Frost, on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Spotted Rust, 90 points, $3,074; 3. T.J. Gray, 87.5, $1,972; 4. Jackson Ward, 85, $1,276; 5. Ethan Skogquist, 84.5, $812; 6. (tie) Jestyn Woodward and Trevor Reiste, 83.5, $522; 8. Patterson Starcher, 82.5, $348; 9. Cooper James, 74; 10. Caleb McCaslin, 73; 11. Jeff Askey, 53; no other qualified rides.