Queen of Breakaway Crowned First Rodeo Houston Championship

Jackie Crawford, of Stephenville, Texas, is a 23-time WPRA World Champion but has never won the infamous Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, until Sunday. Crawford made a businesswoman's run of 3.7 seconds on a tough set of calves to clinch the $50,000 payday.

Courtesy Rodeo Houston

As a pioneer in the sport of breakaway roping, Jackie Crawford has moved mountains in the industry and become a huge influence as a clinician and competitor. Being a wife, mother, and professional athlete can be tough to juggle but Crawford does it with grace and skill year after year. 

The tough set of calves and unique setup at Houston presented a challenge for the ladies of the breakaway roping and Crawford knew the shootout round would be a tough one. As the second roper to go, knowing she had a calf that was known to duck right, she was set on staying clean and getting herself a check. 

A 3.7-second run was posted and Crawford thought for sure she’d be outroped. In the end, however, her 3.7-second run was the only qualified time posted on the scoreboard and awarded Crawford a check off of her bucket list and her first Rodeo Houston Championship title. 

Crawford partnered with her 2014 bay gelding CR Hasa Lotta Style, better known as "Backtrack," for the win in Houston. As a fairly new team, originating in 2023 when Crawford purchased him from Macy Young, they have already made the semi-finals at Fort Worth and San Antonio in addition to their win in Houston. 

In all of the madness that Rodeo Houston and life on the road has to offer, one very important piece of Crawford’s success didn’t quite make it to Houston for the final rounds. Unfortunately, her rope bag was left in a rig headed for the rodeos in South Texas and Crawford was left without a single rope to use in the championship round. 

Thankfully, the breakaway roper community is supportive and after a few phone calls, she found a friend with the specific rope she needed. That friend was none other than Danielle Lowman, who has been tearing up the rodeo road and won two of the major Texas Swing Rodeos this winter. Not to mention, Lowman sat No. 1 in the World before Crawford’s big jump after Houston. 

RodeoHouston Photo / Courtesy Rodeo Houston

So, not only did the ‘Texas Swing Queen’ loan the ‘Queen of Breakaway Roping’ the rope that secured her the championship in Houston, but she did it knowing full well she could be helping someone take her lead in the World Standings away. 

Knowing Lowman, however, the thought probably never crossed her mind. This speaks volumes of the sisterhood and comradery within the professional breakaway roping community and solidifies the idea that the women of rodeo will do whatever it takes to help you out of a bind. 

In an interview with Rodeo Houston, Crawford said, “If you love it, do it. Give it all you have because it’s worth it.” 

With the already steady winter season Crawford has been having, an added $50,000 to the standings gave her a huge jump, pushing her 2024 earnings past the $75,000 mark and landing her in the No. 1 spot moving forward. With this bonus and the rest of the year ahead, Crawford is well on her way to yet another NFBR qualification.