Apr 27, 2020
The Rodeo Hiatus
By Susan Kanode and Johna Cravens
Looking at the standings in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Womenās Professional Rodeo Association it would appear that rodeo has come to a standstill. And in fact, it nearly has as events across the country were cancelled or postponed. Social distancing and shelter in place protocols have seen rodeoās cancelling, changing their dates and waiting to see what happens.
No rodeo wants to cancel, and many communities depend on them for local fund raising, boosts to their economies and as a sure-fire way to go somewhere and have a good time. So until that happens and rodeo contestants can make their way across North Americaās highways to participate, they have found themselves with time on their hands. We checked in with a few of them to see what they are doing.
Hereās part 1 —
BAREBACK RIDERS —
Tim OāConnell ā Iāve been getting quality time with my family. Thatās huge. And Iāve been doing a lot of cooking and thatās fun. Well maybe I shouldnāt say cooking but grilling. Weāve got a freezer full of meat. I grilled pork chops last night with a bourbon butter glaze. Iāve also got back to woodworking. I made Hazenās crib and we have friends that are expecting so I started on a crib for them.
We just got into the twos with Hazen (Tim and Samiās son). We are taking a lot of walks. I donāt think people understand how much we miss when we are gone. When we are home, we donāt have to do anything special, we can make everyday activities fun. For me, just being an active father is fun.
After they closed the gym I started working out at home. Itās not the most fun, but we have to make do. My trainer is sending me workouts and we are doing our best to be ready.
Tilden Hooper āThis has given me the opportunity to get a lot of stuff done around the house. Iāve been getting organized. Itās kind of like a minor injury where you make the most of your time and do what you can. Iāve got a gym in my garage so that hasnāt changed. We know we have at least a month and probably more before we get back to riding, so I donāt want to train super hard. My training regime has really changed and it will change again to get ārodeo ready.ā
Iāve always had injuries, so I learned a long time ago not to depend on being able to rodeo. This has been similar to what Iāve been doing the last five years. I would pick and choose my winter rodeos, then take time off and get ready for the summer.
Bill Tutor ā I broke my collar bone at the NFR in 2018. I was out until the end of February. Then in June, I tore my groin away from my pelvis and had surgery in Philadelphia. I came back in October and it wasnāt good. Then this winter, things started picking up. (Bill is 25th in the standings).
We are having our first baby the end of July and I have a lot of projects going. We bought a house about five miles from ours from a guy that was in the middle of flipping it. Iād been working on that all winter and now Iām finishing it up. Iām excited to get it off my to-do-list.
Iāve been working on our house too getting ready for the baby. And I keep a handful of horseshoeing clients, so Iāve been shoeing horses. My wife (Ashlynn) has transitioned to working at home so thatās been different for us.
Iāve been going to the gym three times a week when Iāve been at home and now thatās changed. Sean Ready with Justin Sportsmedicine has designed workouts that are event specific, so Iāve been depending on those to keep me in shape. And Iāve been riding the bucking machine. Iām trying to stay on top of things.
Iāve been talking to my rodeo buddies quite a bit and it sure is going to be fun when we get to compete again. Weāve thrown every possible scenario out there. No one knows when, but I think everybody will be eager to get back to it.
Steer Wrestlers ā
Matt Reeves ā Iām having a guy look at our HVAC while I can afford it and Iām home. It wasnāt going to make it through another Texas summer. Timing is everything. Weāve got a lot of cattle work to do to.
My wife still has a job. Sheās a nurse and that aināt going away. Iām going to keep practicing, run cattle and work calves. Before this, I didnāt practice a lot. At my age, 100 steers on the ground are too much for me. I run a few a week to keep my horses in shape and stay ready. When we start back everybody will be fresh and we will all be figuring out how to make things work.
Iāve been on the tractor, getting hay fields ready and planting sudan. Thereās always plenty to do and no matter what I seem to find ways to keep busy. I donāt like farming, but itās part of the deal around here. I like having cows and they like to eat, so I farm.
Tyler Pearson ā Right now, Iām headed to town for groceries. This is the first time Iāve put my wallet in my pocket for two weeks. Weāve had a lot of rain and the weatherās been so nasty we just started practicing again.Ā We also have 100 head of cattle and it the time of year that cows are calving. I have been tagging calves with my kids helping.
Scooter has been turned out. With the weather getting better we will be exercising him a lot more or heāll get fat. Heās an easy keeper, I think he could gain weight just from dirt. Thatās not on his diet, but weāll work to keep him in shape until weāre ready to go again.
Tyler Waguespack ā I havenāt been doing too much. No businesses are open here in Louisiana. Weāve been staying around the house. The only people Iām around are my wife, my mom and dad, and my sister. Weāve been practicing, checking cows and fishing. We had a wet winter but lately the weatherās been nice, so the routine is wake up, feed, check cows, practice.Ā
Jacob Talley ā My mom runs a gym that had to close to the public. But Iām lucky that I can still work out there. Weāve been doing more of an off-season workout since everything is suspended. My traveling partner Justin Schaefer lives just down the road. We have all our horses and 35 steers here, so we still get plenty of practice time in.
Team roping Headers ā
Kal Fuller ā My girlfriend, Hallie Webbās dad, Brandon, has a ranch in south Texas that Iāve been staying at. Weāve been working cows and practicing every day. Iām trying to keep myself busy and keep everything ready so when we get to go back, weāll be prepared. Weāve branded bulls and some cows, and I help with whatever needs to be done.
The weather here is a lot better right now than it is at home in Montana. Last year, I set a goal of winning rookie of the year. I accomplished that and now have a new set of goals. Iāve been roping with Reagan Ward. Heās one of my best friends and we talk every day. Weāre still making plans and working towards our goals, just a little different than we had expected.
Luke Brown ā Iāve got a lot of things going on around our place and have accomplished some things that I usually donāt have time to do. It seems like Iām always in a rush to get to a rodeo or jackpot, so getting to be at home and do things besides rope has actually been pretty fun.
This couldnāt have come at a better time for me. (Luke is number one in the world standings and won RFD-TVās The American with Joseph Harrison.) Weāve been pretty conservative with the money Iāve won this winter. Most of our projects around here needed more work than money so that was good.
I still rope three or four hours every day and keep my horses in shape. Iāve been roping with Patrick Smith and we plan to enter together again as soon as we can.
Ty Blasingame ā I was in the third set at San Antonio when I cut my finger off. I was ready to come back at Houston and Austin. Iām not sure I was 100 percent, but I was ready to try. Now, thatās been put on hold and maybe itās a good thing. Iāve been working, building fence, putting in waterlines and riding outside horses. Iām also trying to ride my horses every day and keep them tuned up.
A guy takes what he does for granted, then something like this happens and itās a challenge. I donāt want to go get a full-time job and not give it 100 percent because as soon as I can Iāll go back to roping.
I havenāt run a steer in competition since I cut my finger off. Thatās been driving me up a wall. I reach a lot when I rope, and it doesnāt feel like Iām comfortable yet. When my rope goes to running along my saddle horn, it sets me back a little bit. Itās amazing what a difference the end of that finger makes. Just doing little things like picking up change is different. Itās a game changer for sure and itās mental. Iām ready to get back in the game.
Dustin Egusquiza ā Iām in Mineral Wells, Texas, staying with my girlfriend and her parents. The toughest part is that itās been too wet to rope. Hopefully that will clear. Weāve been fishing in the ponds around here and hunting coyotes.
This has been a good time to focus on health. Iāve been trying to eat a little better and Iāve been roping the dummy a lot. When the weather gets better, weāll do more practicing in the arena and the dummy will get a break.
Team roping heelers ā
Joseph Harrison ā My finger is in three pieces of the pie of our industry. I show horses, I ride horses for trainer Bobby Lewis and I train heel horses, so my routine hasnāt changed much.
This break has given me more time to get some of my young horses ready. My wife keeps my good ones legged up and runs a few steers on them. I feel bad right now for sponsors. We canāt help promote them when weāre at home. They are feeling the impact much more than I am and I hope they can all hang in there.
Logan Medlin ā Iāve been roping with Charly Crawford for about a year and weāve had a good winter. I finished 17th one year and making the finals (WNFR) is definitely a goal. But Iāve been doing this long enough to know that a good winter might not get you there so Iām looking forward to competing again.
Charly and I have both been roping at home. Iāve been riding some young horses of mine and have a couple of outside horses too. I turned my good horses out just to let them chill. I havenāt swung a leg over my main horse for three weeks.
There is nothing like competition to keep you sharp. When Iām in the practice pen, I focus on fundamentals and I think thatās the best I can do until we are competing again. Iām looking forward to that and seeing my friends. I still talk to them on the phone, but itās not the same. I love to compete, not just in the rodeo arena, but I play basketball and do other things too. Now thatās all shut down.
My wife and I have been enjoying time here at home together. Sheās expecting, so when our daughter, Kamryn Lee Medlin, is born in a month that will change everything. I was going to be here when she was born no matter what, but now I wonāt need to juggle my rodeo schedule for that. Iām looking forward to being a dad.
Wesley Thorp ā Itās still kind of hard to believe that I ended last year as the world champion. Every time I think about it, it still feels pretty cool.Ā My wife, Susanna and I have two boys, Matthew and Charles. Normally I go out to the California rodeos in April. Last year I didnāt because Charles was born, so this year Iām home celebrating his birthday with him.
They get up pretty early, so my day starts about 6:30. We all have breakfast together. Then Iāll start riding horses. Chad Masters (Wesleyās current roping partner) lives pretty close so we practice together. He comes to my house a couple of days and I go to his. In the evenings, Iām home with the family.
Iāve got some young horses Iām riding; some outside horses and Iām fine tuning my seasoned horses. I also rope the dummy and practice tracking steers. I do basic drills on all of the horses. This has given me a chance to take a step back and evaluate what Iām doing and really break down my roping. I feel like Iām seeing benefit from that and it will help me get back in the groove when we do get started back up.
My family has travelled with me most of the time. Depending on how things look, they may stay home this summer. It will just depend on when and where we get started back, but I think we will be going so hard trying to rope as much as we can that I might be making some of those drives on my own.