Private ListingsCatching Up with Haven Meged
Western Ranch Brokers recently caught up with champion tie-down roper Haven Meged. The Miles City, Montana native called in from Houston, Texas where he was competing in the Rodeo Houston Super Series.
Since we last checked in with Haven, he’s added another NFR Average title to his career highlights (77.4 seconds on 10-head) and finished second in the 2023 PRCA World Standings, earning an impressive $216,195 across 10 rounds.
Last year’s NFR also included an unforgettable Round 7, where Haven broke the 6.5 second arena record (held in triplicate by Trevor Brazile, Cody Ohl and Shad Mayfield) with a 6.4 second run that surprised even him. When asked about his history-making round, Haven said he was so focused on catching up to Riley Webb, who had a comfortable lead on him at the time, that he didn’t even realize what had just happened. “When I went to check the score, I was like ‘holy smokes’—I couldn’t believe I did that.” As if the round wasn’t exciting enough, the very next competitor, Shad Mayfield, pulled off a 6.1 second run, but then his calf got up—keeping Meged as the current record holder. Haven said between his and Mayfield’s runs, he’s never heard the Thomas & Mack center so loud. “The crowd erupted, it was SO loud. You’re taking the victory lap and just trying to process it all.” Haven said consistency is what he focuses on, and while he is not the type of guy who tries to “break records by going fast”, it’s a dream come true to have the record right now—for however long it lasts.
“There were a lot of emotions…it’s crazy to think you break a record and then somebody goes right behind you, 10 seconds after, and breaks it again. You just don’t know what to think or say at that time.”
Never one to be idle, Meged had just 10 days (most of which he spent practicing) in between the 2023 NFR Championship and the Gold Buckle Futurities winter roping competition. As a co-founder of the organization, Meged hopes to make an impact on the roping industry from outside the arena as much as he has as a rodeo competitor. The Gold Buckle Futurities organization focuses on advancing the roping industry—from breeding future roping prospects to improving training and competitions.
Shortly after the holidays, Haven was back in the saddle on the competition circuit, kicking off 2024 in Odessa, TX in January and then onto Denver, CO and Fort Worth, TX, finally landing in Houston last week for Rodeo Houston. With a grueling competition and travel schedule, we asked Haven what he does to be able to keep competing at such a high level. “I practice all day, every day. I try to stay sharp—you have to put the work in, day in and day out, to be able to make it to the NFR every year.”
Just as important as Haven’s dedication to practice, is the lineup of horses he competes with, including a newly turned 7-year-old Lil’ Punch, who he rode at the last NFR and an 8-year-old horse named Smoke, whom he’s now ridden for 3 seasons professionally. Talking about Smoke, Haven said, “I’m riding him in Houston right now and he’s as solid as they come. He’s super, super fast and lets me win a lot of money. He’s an amazing athlete.” This season he may also ride a 5-year-old horse named Mike Check, who will hopefully give some of his regular horses a much-deserved break, but his final lineup of horses is undecided as of yet and everchanging.
Reflecting on his goals for the remainder of the 2024 season, Haven said, as always, he hopes to go out there and hopefully earn the gold buckle. He shared that it’s about winning the average and trying to win as much money as possible ”to make a good living with your rope”. Meged commented that the rodeos have really stepped up in the last few years as far as potential earnings and the NFR is expected to raise the purse to $50,000/round over the next few years. He also noted that rodeo athletes are some of the only professional athletes who don’t get signing bonuses and have to pay for their own competition-related costs. As discussed in a recent Sports Illustrated article, there are significant costs to compete in the Pro Rodeo circuit. Meged said it’s thanks to sponsors like Western Ranch Brokers that he can cover the expenses of life on the road.
The competition circuit doesn’t bring Haven back to Montana too often, but the roper said he always looks forward to August when he competes at the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo in Baker, Montana because it’s so close to home. “It has a bunch of money, it’s always a good rodeo, and I seem to always have success there every year.”
In addition to his successful career as a tie-down roper, Haven and his family stay busy with a burgeoning recipient mare business (equine embryo transfers), raising futurity horses and are currently building an indoor arena at their home in Texas. Much like his dedicated roping practice, Haven says that he tries to “max every day out” and have multiple avenues that could lead to a prosperous career. He admits that although he may take on too much at times, it’s all in an effort to be as successful as possible. Wherever this talented athlete goes in the future, we’re sure his raised-in-Montana work ethic will take him far.
Western Ranch Brokers is a proud supporter of Haven Meged and we congratulate him on his remarkable career success. Cheers to all the good things that are yet to come!
