The latest episode of The Breakaway Breakdown captures the story of Elijah Faske, the 12-year-old Texas cowboy who ropes legally blind, from his mom Suzanne’s perspective.

When Elijah caught his calf at the January Texas Junior High Rodeo Association Region 7 rodeo in Edna, Texas, it was more than just a clean run for him and his family.

The video of Elijah’s first catch later made rounds on social media, but the story behind it starts earlier. Elijah came to the Faske family when he was nearly 6 years old, after a disrupted adoption. He was born in China with a birth defect that left one eye completely missing, and in the other eye he has coloboma, which causes gaps in his vision.

Host Calli Montague talks with Suzanne to hear the story of how Elijah found his way to breakaway roping, her experience as a mother of more than 28 kids, and how the Western way of life has truly changed her family for the better.

Get unlimited access to roping.com‘s comprehensive tie-down, breakaway, and team roping video library and learn from World Champions Caleb Smidt and Shad Mayfield as well as top trainers Logan Harkey and Justin Maass. Rope with legendary breakaway ropers like Lari Dee Guy, Hope Thompson, and 2024 NFBR World Champion Kelsie Domer. Plus, binge hundreds of hours of live and archived ropings including the Cinch Timed Event Championship, The Patriot Events, and more.

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This week on The Breakdown, Tie-Down Breakdown host Hannah Mann is joined by Calli Montague, the newest member of the Equine Network and Western Sports Group team.

With previous Breakaway Breakdown host Lillian Kent transitioning into a role on the Horse and Rider side of the Western Sports Group, Calli will step in to help lead Breakaway Roping Journal coverage and interviews in the interim. Calli shares her rodeo background, her path into Western media and what she hopes to bring to the Breakaway Roping Journal as the sport continues to grow.

In this episode:

1. An update on team changes and what they mean for BRJ coverage
2. Calli’s rodeo and media background, from junior rodeo to West Texas A&M
3. How the Western Sports Group collaborates across brands during busy stretches of the season
4. What Calli hopes to build during her time on BRJ

Follow along with the Team Roping Journal, Breakaway Roping Journal, CalfRoping.com and BarrelRacing.com for coverage from across the Western Sports Group team.

The newest episode of The Breakaway Breakdown is a two-for-one listen—NFBR average champion Rylee George, followed by 2025 WPRA Breakaway World Champion Taylor Munsell, both fresh off signature wins that defined their seasons.

Host Lillian Kent opens with George’s NFBR average run: 29.0 seconds on 10 head, a new aggregate record, and more than $25,000 earned during the Finals. George breaks down how the week unfolded—and how the horsepower (and strategy) changed depending on what she drew.

Then the episode pivots to Munsell’s season-long story: a 2025 world title campaign that ended with a season earnings record of $209,021. Munsell walks through what’s next—San Diego, Fort Worth, and the rescheduled Prairie Circuit Finals—while detailing how she manages a deep string of horses (including Colonel, Monster, Ray, Goon and Vegas) and keeps them fresh.

Get unlimited access to roping.com‘s comprehensive tie-down, breakaway, and team roping video library and learn from World Champions Caleb Smidt and Shad Mayfield as well as top trainers Logan Harkey and Justin Maass. Rope with legendary breakaway ropers like Lari Dee Guy, Hope Thompson, and 2024 NFBR World Champion Kelsie Domer. Plus, binge hundreds of hours of live and archived ropings including the Cinch Timed Event Championship, The Patriot Events, and more.

Connect with Your Hosts: The Breakaway Roping Journal

Follow on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

The latest episode of The Breakdown Podcast takes listeners inside the most talked-about finishes of the 2025 Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway, featuring on-the-ground interviews with all three event champions—Hali Williams, Josie Conner and Maddy Deerman.

Conner and Williams elected to become co-champions after tying as the event’s highest money earners, each earning $115,000. Their candid, post-event interviews hear Conner reflect on early momentum and a few barrier penalties while Williams rose throughout the event. They also reflected on what it meant to share the milestone win with someone who’s been both a longtime competitor and friend.

The episode also features an interview with Deerman‑Jacobs, who quietly delivered one of the most impressive performances of the week. Deerman-Jacobs roped all 10 head clean to win the average in 23.58 seconds, a feat she now calls the biggest victory of her career. Walking back to the trailer, she opens up about overcoming self-doubt, balancing speed and consistency on a "short" horse, and the emotional weight of winning a title she never expected to be hers.

Fastback Ropes was created in 1995 with a single mission in mind—create the best rope on the market. And they have two ropes we know breakaway ropers are going to love; The Edge and The Athena. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged uses The Edge, which is a four-strand calf rope made of texturized poly for a tough and durable finish to help you outlast the competition. The Athena is a pink breakaway rope with a purple core. The core gives the Athena enhanced tip weight and will deliver a snappy finish and close. Check out Fastbackropes.com for more information and to purchase your FastBack Ropes today.

From a ranch kid in Miles City, Montana, to a world champion with seven straight trips to Las Vegas, Haven Meged joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about the moments that shaped his career.

Meged reflects on his unforgettable 2019 rookie year, the evolution of tie-down roping, and the horsepower behind his success, before opening up about the injury-filled, high-pressure summer of 2025 that tested him mentally and physically.

About The Edge from Fast Back Ropes

The Edge is a four-strand calf rope made of texturized poly, built for ropers who demand consistency run after run. Known for its toughness and durability, The Edge holds up in all conditions while maintaining a reliable feel, making it the go-to rope for Haven and Shelby Meged.

Haven Meged joins The Tie-Down Breakdown after picking up his first go-round win of the week in Round 9 of the 2025 NFR, stopping the clock at 7.0 to earn $36,668 and pushing his Finals earnings to $74,801. The 2019 world champion talks about the grind it took just to qualify for his seventh straight NFR, how this season came down to the final week, and why patience mattered as the week in Las Vegas unfolded.

Meged also dives into adjusting without his standout gelding Lil Punch and competing aboard Smoke, breaking down how the horse’s style has changed his approach in the box. From capitalizing on a good Round 9 draw to joking about all the winnings going toward diapers as he and Shelby prepare to welcome a baby boy, Meged reflects on the highs, the learning curves, and what it means to finally get one won under the bright lights.

Equinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety’s products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.

Joel Harris kept things rolling in Round 7 with a 7.5-second run, marking his second straight go-round win on Daddys Shiner Cat, “Peso,” and adding $36,668 to his NFR week.

A night after his 6.8 in Round 6, Harris backed in and capitalized again, bringing his 2025 NFR earnings to $137,210 through seven rounds. His week now includes: second in Round 1, sixth in Round 2, second in Round 5 and wins in Rounds 6 and 7—all aboard Peso, owned by Logan Bird. Harris joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about his run, family support, Peso's "it" factor and more.

Equinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety’s products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.

Joel Harris put the Thomas & Mack on notice in Round 6, stopping the clock at 6.8 seconds to snag his first go-round win of the 2025 NFR and pocket $36,668 aboard the legendary Daddys Shiner Cat, “Peso.”

Harris has pieced together a solid week with checks in three rounds, but a no-time in Round 4 knocked him out of the average conversation. Still, Round 6 was his moment—clean start, sharp finish, and Peso doing Peso things. Harris joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about his run, the momentum shift and what it means heading into the back half of the Finals.

Equinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety’s products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.

John Douch jumped back into the NFR spotlight in Round 5 of the 2025 NFR with a 7.4 to win $36,667, bumping himself to No. 2 in the average and holding strong at No. 4 in the world with $240,267 won.

The other storyline trailing Douch this week? Horses—lots of them. He’s been on a different horse almost every night: starting on “Bo” in Round 1, switching to “Tomcat” in Round 2, back to Bo in Round 3, then borrowing Shad Mayfield’s mare “Tootsie Pop” in Round 4. He planned to stay on her for Round 5, but when she came up lame, Bo got the call again.

His Round 5 win marks the second-go round win of his career and comes on the heels of his third-place split in Round 4, bringing his total Finals earnings to $55,297. Douch joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk through the run, horse changes and more.

Equinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety’s products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.

Kincade Henry stepped back into the NFR winners circle for the first time since 2022, taking the Round 4 win with a 7.1 to earn $36,667.95.

After a tough Round 2, Henry regrouped with Duals Crescent Boon, “Mario,” made a few adjustments and finally shook the NFR monkey off his back. The reset paid off in Round 4 and his win keeps him firmly planted at No. 3 in the world standings with $262,366 won.

It’s the third NFR go-round win of Henry’s career, and he joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk through the run, the mindset shift and what it means moving forward in Las Vegas.

Equinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety’s products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.