This issue marks our first anniversary as The Team Roping Journal. One year ago, we made the transition from Spin To Win Rodeo and Super Looper to this one, new brand, and one year ago, the pace of my life changed dramatically.
Things at Spin To Win happened at a relatively comfortable pace. Not a ton had changed in the seven years I’d worked at the magazine, allowing my personal life to grow. But at the time we made the switch to TRJ, my daughter was turning 1, beginning to run (she skipped walking all together), and wanting to do things like paint and take trips to the zoo. With the switch to the TRJ, which is nearly double the size of Spin To Win and covers three times the amount of roping, my time crunch got tighter and my life got way, way busier. Meanwhile, my husband’s fencing company was taking off, adding employees, and covering new territory across Northern Colorado, all while our little cow herd was outgrowing the pasture we had fenced. Safe to say, in the last year as this magazine found its footing, life has gotten a whole lot busier at the Shaffers. Nowadays, an evening in the practice pen, while my daughter, who turns 2 this month, plays in a water bucket and builds sand castles, is a rarity.
Fitting, then, for our first anniversary issue I got to talk to other people in the team roping community who are trying to “Have It All” when it comes to work, family, and roping (page 92). Their secrets to making it work range from a regimented schedule to eating pizza five nights a week—and let me tell you, these are my kind of people. They sure make me feel like I’m not alone in this crazy life, and I hope you get something relatable out of their stories, too.
Speaking of having it all: This issue truly has something for everybody. From the icons of the Gill-Wheatley-Murray connections (page 88) to a mom and retired teacher who earned a day in the practice pen with Clay Tryan (page 57), this issue is packed with inspiration to keep you roping.
And if we failed you somewhere, or if something hits home, let us know by emailing me at cshaffer@aimmedia.com or writing a letter to 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado, 80301.
