The dream team of Hope Thompson and Whitney DeSalvo repeated history at the 2022 Charlie 1 Horse All-Girl Team Roping during BFI Week. They turned four steers in 30.78 seconds to walk away with the $20,000 aggregate check for the team on Tuesday, April 5.
Thompson and DeSalvo know how to make it work at the Lazy E Arena. In 2020, the pair took home a team total of $50,000 at the BFI All-Girl Team Roping, after winning the roping together, while DeSalvo finished second and third and Thompson pulled both a fifth-place finish and an incentive win during that storied year.
READ: DeSalvo wins $29K as Charlie 1 Horse champ; Thompson tops headers for $21K
“How do you top the last one? You don’t,” DeSalvo said. “The odds of that happening again aren’t high. I’m never going to top that, so I just try to catch all my steers and see what happens.”
The game plan seemed to be solid for the Arkansas native. She cleaned up the heels for Thompson in all four rounds and pulled checks with Lari Dee Guy and Morgan Sturgeon in the rounds, as well. DeSalvo’s time of 8.20 seconds with Thompson in the third round set them up for high call back in the short round with a 23.57-second time on three.
“Whitney told me we had to be under 15 seconds, but I didn’t tell myself that. We drew a good steer and I put it on him as soon as he let me. I knew she’d finish up back there,” Thompson explained.
The cowgirls’ smooth run in the short round clinched their victory ahead of the mother-daughter team of Rylea and Debbie Fabrizio, who finished in the No. 2 position in the aggregate with a time of 38.64 on four head.
READ: Debbie Fabrizio Leads Daughters to Women’s Rodeo World Championship
Both Thompson and DeSalvo gave credit to their 11-year-old quarter horses for their repeated success at the All-Girl. For Thompson, it was her gelding, Andre. For DeSalvo, it was her famed, roan-flanked mare, Becky.
“I think Becky’s won more money than I have,” DeSalvo said, laughing. “I hauled her to her first BFI when she was 5, and she’s 11. She’s a handful and has a big personality.”
Thompson echoed her appreciation for both Andre and Becky.
“We wouldn’t be sitting here without those horses. They aren’t just transportation. Every time Whitney has won it, she’s been on Becky. They’re special,” Thompson said.
Individually, Thompson—a WPRA World Champion in the team roping and the breakaway—and DeSalvo—a four-time WPRA World Champion and the world’s first female roper to classify as an 8—have been some of the most dominating ropers over the past several years, but something electric takes place when they back in the box as a team. Neither cowgirl could put the secret sauce into words, but they both mentioned that there’s more to a great roping partnership than what happens in the arena.
“More than anything, Whitney and I are great friends first. You go out there and have fun. You won’t win them all, but it sure is fun when you get to win at a place like this.” Thompson said.
DeSalvo echoed the importance of keeping a lighthearted attitude.
“I’ve probably never won more with anybody else in my life. I don’t know what it is, I think we just have fun. We joke back and forth. There’s no pressure,” DeSalvo added.
The BFI All-Girl gave both Thompson and DeSalvo the perfect opportunity to nominate towards the Women’s Rodeo World Championship leaderboard, where both cowgirls are currently seated within the top 10 on their respective ends. A past WRWC champion, Thompson knows how real the $60,000 event payout is at Fort Worth, Texas, and will be in contention for the $20,000 all-around bonus, thanks to her No. 10 position in the breakaway roping leaderboard. For more information on earning a leaderboard spot before nominations close on April 17th, check out WRWC.rodeo.
Results
2022 Charlie 1 Horse BFI All-Girl Team Roping
Aggregate
- Hope Thompson and Whitney DeSalvo — 30.78 seconds on four head, worth $20,000
- Rylea Rae Fabrizio and Debbie Fabrizio — 38.64 seconds on four head, worth $7,500
- Dana Markham and Courtney Crites — 39.84 seconds on four head, worth $5,000
- Kylee Herrin and Jessy Remsburg — 40.86 seconds on four head, worth $4,000
- Emily Gately and Rylie Smith — 41.94 seconds on four head, worth $3,500
- Kayelen Helton and Lorraine Moreno — 42.16 seconds on four head, worth $3,000
- Casey Warford and Kersti Passig — 43.27 seconds on four head, worth $2,500
- Deb Raulerson and Danielle Lowman — 43.55 seconds on four head, worth $1,750
- Utah Ward and Danielle Lowman — 44.34 seconds on four head, worth $1,250
- Kylee Herrin and Lorraine Moreno — 45.70 seconds on four head, worth $1,000
Round 1
- Lari Dee Guy and Annette Stahl — 6.89-second run, worth $1,000
- Alex Loiselle and Becky Cannizzaro — 7.16-second run, worth $800
- Lari Dee Guy and Whitney DeSalvo — 7.68-second run, worth $400
Round 2
- Morgan Sutrgeon and Whitney DeSalvo — 6.03-second run, worth $1,000
- Sarah Angelone and Rylie Smith — 6.06-second run, worth $800
- Cadee Williams and Kim Grubbs — 6.11-second run, worth $400
Short Round
- Kelsey Barry and Jessica Johnson — 8.48-second run, worth $1,000
- Utah Ward and Rylie Smith — 10.57-second run, worth $800
Incentive
- Kersti Passig and Lenay Willie — 27.42 seconds on three head, worth $7,500
- Utah Ward and Danielle Lowman — 28.88 seconds on three head, worth $3,500
- Deb Raulerson and Chelsey Bushnell — 28.92 seconds on three head, worth $2,500
- Carly Wettlaufer and Ruby Magnus — 34.12 seconds on three head, worth $1,500