Q: Where did you grow up, and what was your childhood like?A: I was raised in the eastern part of the state in McClave, near Lamar. My dad was a farmer—we raised sorghum, alfalfa, and sugar beats—and ran a few head of cattle. I grew up milking cows every morning, and separating ...read more
Those of you who got a charge out of watching National Finals Rodeo heeler Wesley Thorp switch ends at RFD-TV’s The American last spring are in for a repeat treat. Thorp—who will heel for Cody Snow at his third-straight NFR in December—plans to switch ends again at next month’s ...read more
Knowing what horse you’re on, and knowing his personality and his strengths, is key to success in the arena. CONFIDENCE IS KEY I really have grief if I’m on a horse and I don’t know what it’s going to do when I get somewhere. I’m able to be more excited than ever about rodeoing ...read more
JD Yates, the 21-time NFR roper and many time AQHA world champion, will head to Fort Worth, Texas, to compete in the American Rope Horse Association Futurity Oct. 18 and 19. With him he'll take 26 horses, including returning champ DT Air Jordan, a son of Shiners Lena Chex out of ...read more
Chad Townson, 46, of Stephenville, Texas, proudly wears this Chance Britain Benefit Roping buckle he won in honor of Britain, 18, also of Stephenville, who is recovering from critical injuries caused by a rollover accident in December 2017. Britain’s sister, Cheyenne, works for ...read more
The team roping at the California Circuit Finals Rodeo was a classic case of last men standing. It happens—in all events, and at all levels of the game. Luckily, there are no style-point deductions in the timed events, because champs Blake Hirdes and Kyle Lockett were the first ...read more
Ropers that have qualified for the finals without their regular season partners are Bubba Buckaloo, Tyler Wade, Chase Tryan and Cole Davison. Buckaloo is heading for Tryan, and Wade will be heading for Davison come December. Top 15Headers:1. Clay Smith $115,344.562. Kaleb ...read more
If you’re looking for a more successful, proven, long-term team roping horse program than the one put together decades ago by David Gill, Joe Murray, and Jim Wheatley—good luck with that. The “Horses with a History” way of breeding, breaking, and training talented team roping ...read more
Roping at the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo was not supposed to be in the cards for Derrick Begay. It’s pretty hard to win when you’re not even entered, and after a slow winter with Clay O’Brien Cooper, Begay had by springtime decided to hang close to home in the desert ...read more
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO AS WELL AS YOU HAVE?It takes a lot of time and effort, and a lot of practice. I’ve had good luck with my partner, Sterlin English. We’ve been winning a lot together. I’m just thankful for my nice horses and my partner’s horses. We go to a lot of good ...read more
At LastMy brother let me ride his really good mare and it’s just been good. I train colts, so I only ride a bunch of colts, but my brother, he’s got three really nice head horses and he told me I could pick from any one any time I go to a big show. I always go for the same black ...read more
Ironic as it may seem for the winningest cowboy of all time, Trevor Brazile is famous for entering fewer rodeos than most. Taking his three-event show on the road is a major production, he’s a family-first guy, and the fact is, he wins so much when he does show up that excessive ...read more
