Tyler Wade headed for Dakota Kirchenschlager in 2016, making his first trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He and Florida’s Clint Summers paired up this winter, and placed at a few rodeos but hadn’t gotten the ball really rolling until this past weekend in Weatherford, Texas, where they were 4.1 to win the Parker County Sheriffs Posse Frontier Days and PRCA Rodeo. We caught up with Tyler Wade, brought to you by CSI Saddlepads.
Tell me about your year so far.
It’s been a slow start, but I’ve learned not to panic. So I’m ready for the real action. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. I’m not as worried about winning early as I used to be. We haven’t done that well, but we did win Weatherford the other day. It felt good to be as fast as those kids these days.
What horses are you hauling this year?
I have my bay, Fonzie, he’s 16. My Paint is Bunny is 17–he came from Jesse Stipes. If I’m having heck on Fonzie, the Paint is really easy to get on and just score and rope.
What are you doing to keep them sound?
We just got them injected to get started. They’re freshly shod, and I make sure we have saddles and pads that fit. I keep OE Nutra and the Gamechanger on my older horses, and that keeps them pretty well maintained. I am thinking of using Score from OE too on the road this summer.
What rodeo are you most looking forward to this summer?
I’m most looking forward to Cheyenne. The top 30 go in the perf, so it’s looking like I’m going to be in the slack again, which is a good thing. As long as I have my bay I’ll be excited. (Editor’s note: Wade and Kirchenschlager won “The Daddy” in 2016.)
Tell me about Clint.
He’s got a good work ethic. He’s got a really good horse, and he wants to win. That’s the biggest deal. He does a good job cleaning them up and catching two feet, and that’s the kind of partner I need. He’s from Lake City, Fla.
Outside of rodeo, what’s going on in your life?
My wife Jessi and I are looking for a place. I put on a lot of ropings, and moving cattle around keeps me pretty busy.
You’re getting ready to leave for the summer run. What’s the hardest part about leaving home?
I have a lot of horses and cows, and my wife rides outside horses. I’m leaving her all summer knowing she’s working and making money and I’m trying not to waste our time on the road.
What’s in your tack room in your trailer?
I really need the horses that I have to feel good. I think a lot of my good ones, so they’ve each got their own CSI Saddlepad that shapes to their back. My bay horse, even though he’s older, he spends a lot of time saddled. Sometimes I saddle him two hours ahead of time, so I don’t really want him getting back sore in the process. I have Trent Ward saddles for each of them, too, and I have tons of chain port bits in the trailer.
What feed do your horses on the road?
I usually try to buy Strategy because you can get it just about anywhere and it seems to keep them really level and healthy. We travel so much and have to buy hay from Oregon to Oklahoma, so to be able to keep the feed consistent is really important.
