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.

Shad Mayfield lit up the Thomas & Mack on Thursday, taking home his first NFR Round 1 win.

The seven-time NFR qualifier stopped the clock at 6.8 seconds, winning the round and pocketing $36,667.95. The win kept him at No. 2 in the world with $292,97.95 won, just $30,783.74 behind world No. 1, Riley Webb. The round marks Mayfield's fourth career NFR round win, and he joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about it.

About Roping.com

Give the tie-down roper in your life something they’ll actually use. Gift a Roping.com membership this holiday season and check one name off your shopping list. They’ll get full access to Roping.com's comprehensive tie-down video library and learn from World Champions Caleb Smidt and Shad Mayfield plus top hands Logan Harkey, Justin Maass and Blane Cox. They can even stream the 2025 NFR Calf Break-In for a behind-the-scenes look at preparing this years pen of calves, then binge hundreds of hours of archived tie-down livestreams. Choose anywhere from one month to a full year of membership, delivered just in time for the holidays.

On the latest episode of The Breakdown, 2025 INFR Breakaway World Champion Megan Lunak opens up about the four-run performance that earned her the gold buckle in Las Vegas—and the decades of resilience, heartbreak and faith that made that moment possible.

Lunak won the title on Oct. 18 with a 13.41-second total on four head, earning $7,523 and securing the biggest win of her career. But on the podcast, she makes one thing clear: the buckle is only part of the story.

The Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway, presented by Boot Barn, is the premier event in women’s rodeo, featuring a record-breaking million-dollar purse, inspiring competition, live concerts, shopping, and family fun at WestWorld of Scottsdale, November 24–30. 

MillionDollarBreakaway.com 

After a season filled with heartbreak, horse trouble and hard lessons, Bryce Derrer started the 2026 season with a $16,176 win at the Cinch Roping Fiesta in San Angelo, Texas. 

In this episode of The Tie-Down Breakdown, Derrer opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of losing his girlfriend’s good horse mid-season and the faith that carried him through it all. He breaks down each of his runs in San Angelo, shares what makes the Fiesta one of the most “pristine ropings of the year,” and talks about the mental toughness it takes to hang with today’s next wave of calf roping history makers.

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ROPING.COM

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.

MORE FROM THE TIE-DOWN BREAKDOWN

• The Tie-Down Breakdown: Who Should Win the 2025 Tie-Down Horse of the Year Award?
• The Tie-Down Breakdown: The Dylan Hancock Story
• The Tie-Down Breakdown: Kyle Lucas on Chasing His Own Legacy
• The Tie-Down Breakdown: Tuf Cooper’s Nashville Win and 2025 Mindset
• Introducing Hannah Wheeler: New Host of The Tie-Down Breakdown

Josie Conner and her 16-year-old gelding “Stylish Drifter,” known as Dutch, have done what only one other duo has managed in breakaway history—be named Horse of the Year twice. On the newest episode of The Breakdown, Conner joins Lillian Kent to talk about Dutch’s rare repeat as the 2025 AQHA Nutrena Breakaway Horse of the Year and the partnership that’s carried them to the top of ProRodeo.

After a season that included major victories at The American Rodeo and the Women’s Rodeo World Championships—with more than $169,000 earned—Conner admits she was nervous Dutch would be overlooked this year. “I was proud my peers still voted for him,” she shares. “These horses are the reason we’re successful, and I’m more proud of Horse of the Year than Rookie of the Year.”

The Kimes Ranch Million Dollar Breakaway, presented by Boot Barn, is the premier event in women’s rodeo, featuring a record-breaking million-dollar purse, inspiring competition, live concerts, shopping, and family fun at WestWorld of Scottsdale, November 24–30. 

MillionDollarBreakaway.com 

Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and her gelding Reyzed On Sugar, better known as “Clark,” made history at the inaugural Solo Select Stallion Incentive Breakaway Futurity, earning $12,488 and the very first title at the Circle T Arena in Hamilton, Texas.

On the newest episode of The Breakdown, Boisjoli-Meged takes listeners behind the scenes of her win. The episode also explores Boisjoli-Meged’s longtime belief in the Kit Kat Sugar line, which has become a cornerstone of her futurity success, and how she balances an intense ProRodeo schedule with building the next generation of champions.

Classic Equine is proud to bring you this episode of The Breakdown. Their team is dedicated to the growth of breakaway and tie-down roping, and they're proud to support programs where ropers get the recognition they deserve. Classic Equine – Play to Win.