Maben & Stanley Qualify for Million Dollar Breakaway
NMJC women's rodeo qualified two athletes for the 2025 Million Dollar Breakaway Dec. 17-20 at WestWorld of Scottsdale, Ariz.
Macye Maben and Madi Stanley both qualified in Guthrie, Okla., at the Oklahoma Richest qualifier. There were 66 women who advanced from that qualifier to the semifinals in Scottsdale.
"Both Macye and Madi rope really well and have the horse power to be successful in the qualifiers and the main event of the Kimes Million Dollar," NMJC women's rodeo head coach Alexa Wilcox said. "Madi especially shines in these quicker set-ups, like we saw at Clarendon, but I was also proud of Macye for adjusting some of her habits to make the runs she needed to at the qualifier. The qualifier is one of, if not the, largest breakaway roping of the year. It's a huge feat and accomplishment for both girls to perform well at that high a level."
The competition will have 168 competitors looking to advance via the top 15 to the finals. The 15 qualifiers make it to the finals where they compete against the top 10 pro breakaway ropers in the world starting Dec. 18.
The rules for the semifinals are as follows. There will be three semifinal go rounds and the top 3 from each round automatically advance to the finals. Then the top 6 of all three rounds combined make up the remaining qualifying spots for the finals.
Each round of the finals pays $25,000 to first place and $82,500 total to the top 6. The average pays $60,000 and $175,000 total to the top six, paying out over a million dollars in the ten rounds.
The Million Dollar Breakaway was originally scheduled for Nov. 27-29 but was rescheduled due to the EHV-1 horse virus outbreak.
Macye Maben has made one Short Round this year with the T-Birds in the breakaway with a 10th-place finish in the Long Round of the Thunderbird Rodeo. Maben was a no time in the Short Round on Saturday, Oct. 25.
"One thing about Macye is that she's always prepared," Coach Wilcox said. "I know she'll be ready to do what it takes to win in Scottsdale. If she draws what she needs to and ropes her game, we will definitely see her advance."
Madi Stanley won the breakaway roping title at the Clarendon Stampede Saturday, Nov. 15. Stanley placed first in the Long Round with a 2.0 for 60 points and was first in the Short Round with a 2.3 second run to pick up another 60 points. She won the average and the rodeo to grab 60 more points sweeping the field with a 180 point total. Stanley is third in the Caprock Region standings with 180 points in the breakaway.
Although Stanley qualified for the Million Dollar Breakaway in Scottsdale, she will be unable to attend the event as she prepares for the spring rodeo season.
The Million Dollar Breakaway can be streamed live by clicking here.
The Thunderbirds begin the spring rodeo season Feb. 26-28 at the Odessa College Rodeo.