Hope Thompson ropes in another world title

Who can forget the famous line Babe Ruth, or the actor who played him, declared in The Sandlot?

“Heroes get remembered but legends never die, follow your heart kid and you’ll never go wrong.”

Hope Thompson has followed her heart and is on a pathway to becoming a legend in her desired sport.

Thompson, a 2004 Atlanta High School graduate, recently wrapped up her fourth Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Title.

This year was historic for the ladies as the World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) set up a first-of-its-kind world championship which was open to any female athlete in the world competing in breakaway roping, barrel racing and team roping.

Qualifying rounds were held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Ft. Worth where the final six competitors from four disciplines moved on.

The next event was held in Arlington at AT&T Stadium alongside the PBR World Finals in the Championship Round.

The ladies competed for a historical $750,000 purse along with an all-around $20,000 bonus. Champions in each discipline walked away with a minimum of $60,000 each.

Thompson along with teammate Rylie Smith took the top honors in the team roping at the inaugural Women’s Rodeo World Championships.

After roping their top six Main Event steer in 13.66 seconds, they took home $90,000, due to the other five teams missing.

Breakaway roping was added to the lineup of events in the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo this year for the first time ever, and Thompson became the first competitor to throw her rope which was historic for the ladies.

Thompson knew from an early age that rodeo competition would be her career choice.

“My parents took me to a play day when I was about two years old and the rest is history,” Thompson said. “I’ve been competing now for 30 years give or take.”

After high school Thompson enrolled at Northeast Texas Community College in Mt. Pleasant for a year then transferred to McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., where she won the 2008 college finals in breakaway roping.

Her original major was in education but after winning the 2008 college finals she focused on her professional rodeo career and moved to Abilene.

Upon moving she paired with rodeo marvel Lari Dee Guy for training and now the ladies host clinics all over the U.S. and the world.

“I live on a ranch in Abilene and train and work with Lari Dee who is a huge name in the rodeo world,” Thompson said. “She and I do the schools together and partner on some horses.”

Guy made the list of inspirational figures Thompson feels paved the way for her and others.

“My inspiration is all the cowgirls in the past who’ve paved the way for us for sure,” Thompson said. “One person I look up to is Lari Dee just for being a true professional in and out of the arena.”

Guy is an eight-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Champion with more than $1.5 million in career earnings. She has spent the last three decades winning every title in the all-girl roping industry is an expert horse trainer and renowned clinician.

That alone makes her a perfect person to lean on.

As for Thompson she practices every day and that’s just one of the reasons she has won numerous titles and awards in breakaway roping and team roping.

“I’ve won trailers, saddles, buckles, money...etc.” Thompson said. “I’m a college national champion, 3-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Champion and a World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) World Champion.”

Her passion is breakaway roping which is a single person event, but she also likes the team roping events which include both human and equine partners.

“I have three main partners I compete with in the team roping and of the 10 horses I own and train Ink, Andre and Beasley are my three “A-Team” horses I use at the moment,” Thompson stated. “Most of my horses are universal if I need them to be. Ink and Beasley are my breakaway horses and Andre is my head horse which I use for team roping.”

The road hasn’t been easy either. In this profession accidents happen.

In 2017 Thompson broke her leg in several places and needed surgery.

This set her out for a few events and the roping leader could only watch as the other competitors inched closer to her total.

No matter the extent Thompson found a way to compete through the pain and won the 2017 WPRA World Title.

“I’ve battled injuries that come along and keep a good mental game just like any professional athlete,” Thompson added. “I just try to stay focused, surround myself with good people and I have a mental performance coach who helps me a lot.”

This goes along with her favorite quote which is “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough”.

When you get to a point Thompson has sponsorship soars. Traveling and competing gets expensive.

Thompson’s sponsors include: 5-Star Equine Products, Charlie One Horse Hat Co., T-Pop Leather Shop, Summit Joint Performance, Nothin’ but Neck, Heel-O-Matic, Go Rope, Rope Like a Girl, Total Feeds, Spalding Fly Predators, MVP and Cactus Ropes.

So what’s next for Thompson?

“The National Finals Rodeo (NFR) added breakaway this year so that’s the next stop for me and it’s a HUGE step for breakaway ropers,” Thompson said.

The National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is considered to be the Super Bowl of the rodeo world and when COVID-19 shutdown the state of Nevada the event was moved from Las Vegas to the DFW Metroplex.

The event will be held Dec. 8-10, at Globe Life Park in Arlington which is the 1.2 billion dollar home of the Texas Rangers.

Breakaway roping is one of the hottest events sanctioned by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) mentioned they are proud to share the venue with some of the best cowgirls in rodeo for the event.

The PRCA and the WPRA have been working together for the last year to promote breakaway roping and grow the sport.

Thompson is one of the Top 15 Breakaway Ropers that will compete at the first-ever Wrangler National Finals of Breakaway Roping in conjunction with the 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Cowgirls competing for this first world championship will rope for the title and a $200,000 purse.

Thompson has the grit and determination to succeed and is sure to be the next lady rider younger competitors look to for inspiration.

If they take the recipe of following their heart like Thompson they will never go wrong.