JIMMI JO MONTERA REMAINS IN TOP SPOT OF WOMEN’S RODEO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-AROUND LEADERBOARD

FORT WORTH, Texas – As the action got underway for the first-ever Women’s Rodeo World Championship (WRWC) in Fort Worth, Texas, Monday evening at Cowtown Coliseum, heated races for the world championship titles began to unfurl.

Jimmi Jo Montera (Greely, Colorado) currently leads the World All-Around standings with 8,755 points, edging Hope Thompson’s (Abilene, Texas) 8,715 points.

In barrel racing, 16-year-old London Gorham (Cortulla, Texas) was first to run and set the bar high at an impressive 13.579 seconds. Gorham, who came into the world championship event on top of the WRWC points leaderboard, beat out the remaining 25 pro barrel racers as Jana Guthrie (Canton, Texas) delivered the top time of the challengers courtesy of her 13.585-second effort.

In the intense battle for the prop breakaway roping title, Marybeth Beam (Terrell, Texas) surged to the top of the leaderboard with a 2.17-second time, surpassing 2020 WRWC World Champion Heeler Hope Thompson’s (Abilene, Texas) 2.71-second run. Colorado cowgirl, Carlee Potter (Pueblo, Colorado) earned the best time in the challenger breakaway roping, posting a lightning fast 2.18-second run, besting points leaderboard contender Rylie Edens’ (Hillsboro, Texas) 2.22-second time.

In the team roping competition, Kenna Francis (Las Vegas, Nevada) and Whitney DeSalvo (Alleighton, Alabama) beat the remaining 20 pro team ropers by nearly a full second. The duo earned a 5.86-second run, besting Bev Robbins (Muscle Shoals, AL) and Jessy Remsburg’s (Alleighton, Alabama) 6.80-second run. Tracey Nelson (McDavid, FL) and Kaylee Billingsley (Phoenix, AZ) had the fastest run in the challenger team roping with a 9.52-second time.

The Top 12 from each discipline (challenger and pro) advanced to Tuesday’s second qualifying round where they will compete for a position in Wednesday’s Showdown Round. For a complete list of advancement and results, click here.

Tickets for the Triple Crown of Rodeo Round are still available and start at $20. They can be purchased at the Cowtown Coliseum Box Office, or online at cowtowncoliseum.com.

ABOUT WRWC

The WRWC is the largest annual purse for a women’s rodeo event and will payout more than $750,000 in 2021 while crowning World Champions in the Women’s Rodeo disciplines; Team Roping, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing. An all-around champion will also be crowned. WRWC is a culmination of a year-long race of women’s rodeo events worldwide. Athletes qualify for the WRWC by earning points and leaderboard positions using the VRQ (Virtual Rodeo Qualifier). The championship event will take place at the historic Cowtown Coliseum May 16-18.