Though Brayden Schmidt wasn’t set on rodeoing hard in 2024, the 20-year-old has found himself in contention for the Resistol Rookie Header of the Year title after a successful July.
Schmidt is currently No. 3 in the Resistol Rookie of the Year standings with $25,767.34 won on the year, $14,288 of which came from the beginning of July.
“I wasn’t planning on rodeoing as much as I did, but I did real good at Salinas, Casper and Laramie that week,” Schmidt, of Benton City, Washington, explained. “We won our set at Cheyenne then I flew to Joseph, Oregon, and did real good up here. I’ve kind of just plucked along about the last month.”
Originally, Schmidt thought he would do some rodeoing this year, but planned on spending some time at home. That’s not quite how it worked out, however. He’s been entered up all year, recognizing the best way to learn is to do.
“I told myself I’m not going to rodeo,” Schmidt said. “I wanted to stay home a little bit this year and get it figured out. But I ended up being entered a lot more than I thought. I mean, what else are you going to do, though? It’s not like I’m going to figure it out sitting at home.”
Strategic partners
Schmidt has spent much of the year roping with Pace Blanchard. However, when he is on the West Coast or in Reno, he partners with nine-time NFR qualifier Kyle Lockett.
“One year I went to the spring rodeos in California and then stayed out there and roped with Kyle for another couple weeks and went to all those rodeos,” Schmidt said. “Ever since then, I’ve roped with him some. I roped with him this spring in California a little bit and at Reno. He doesn’t really leave much, just for the important stuff.”
Schmidt started off July with roughly $11,000. After a slow Cowboy Christmas, he got the ball rolling at the Central Wyoming Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Casper) July 9-13. The next two weeks, including Cheyenne and Salinas, Schmidt began raking in money and climbing the rookie standings.
“It was a good week to start doing good,” Schmidt said. “Really, any week right now is a good time to start doing good. But those are fun rodeos; they are super cool. I roped with Kyle at Salinas, and so it was a good time to turn it around. The last couple weeks have been good for me.”
Schmidt recently picked up $2,873 between the rounds and a second-place finish at Chief Joseph Days in Joseph, Oregon, also kicking off his new partnership with Bucky Campbell.
“He hasn’t really been rodeoing the last year or so,” Schmidt said of the NFR qualifier. “Joseph, Oregon, was our first rodeo, and we did really good up there. It was good to start off like that.”
Schmidt’s horsepower
Schmidt isn’t lacking in the horse department, either.
“I’ve always got a bunch of horses around,” Schmidt said with a laugh. “Everyone’s always on me about my horses because I’ve always got different ones.”
Schmidt’s main mount, however, is a sorrel blaze-faced gelding he calls 77.
“I’ve got a couple around here that you’ll start seeing, but I’m gonna stay on that sorrel for quite a while,” Schmidt said. “He’s a little older, but he seems to be doing better the more I ride him. It’s nice to back in there and not worry about what your horse is gonna do.”
Having a diverse herd to choose from is important to Schmidt, but riding horses with similar qualities is also key.
“Something I’ve been working on lately is trying to get horses that are more alike—and maybe less of them. It does no good to have 10 horses that are all completely different,” Schmidt explained. “I’m trying to make my horses just more of the same to where it’s not so different whenever you’re switching back and forth.”
Learning the game
Despite having entered pretty hard on his permit, Schmidt recognizes the learning curve that comes in a guy’s rookie year.
“Rodeo is just something that no one can teach you,” Schmidt said. “You could live with the best guy in the world and he could tell you every little thing to do, but until you go do it yourself, no one can genuinely teach you about rodeo. It’s something you just have to do.”
Confidence is another lesson best learned on the ground, and something many struggle with as they crack out.
“Sometimes I don’t know if I belong out here because maybe this guy’s rodeoed 25 more years than me,” Schmidt admitted. “He’s been to this rodeo 25 more times than me and has all the better resources. You know he’s better than you, and you still have to somehow convince yourself that you’re gonna beat him. Which is silly; they were also in your shoes at one point and they also had to start somewhere.”
Like any rodeo cowboy, Schmidt dreams of making the NFR. But for now, Schmidt appreciates how important the Resistol Rookie of the Year title can be for a guy’s future.
“I think it’s just a steppingstone,” Schmidt said. “I think it’s super cool. You look at a lot of great guys who have won it, and it seems like everyone goes on to do something pretty important after it. For as much as I’ve rodeoed, it’d be cool to win it. It’s a huge accomplishment for the point I’m at in my career, and I think it’s only going to lead to bigger and better stuff.”
