The Score from The Team Roping Journal

If you don't know what the Women's Rodeo World Championships, want to know what it is, or want to get caught up on where you can nominate, who's leading the standings and more, then this episode of The Short Score is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Score changes pace this week, with an audio edition of The Rundown with Dakota Kirchenschlager—a feature one of our contributors, Bonnie Wheatley, wrote earlier this year. Dakota—a freakishly talented heeler originally from Colorado but who has long-since called Texas home—stepped away from an illustrious rodeo career to train horses, and this story is about that choice and the new director Dakota’s life is taking.Bonnie first text us about this story while she sat and watched a reined cow horse show in Fort Worth and noticed the announcer call Dakota’s name during the reining. I’d heard Cesar de la Cruz and my friends at the Myers ranch talk about how Dakota was taking his horsemanship to new heights, trading in the sale-barn stock he’d ridden in his youth for the refined, well-bred show horses he was now aboard. This story takes you through Dakota’s transformation, the people who’ve helped shape his story and the program he uses now to create some of the finest rope horses in the business.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eight-time World Champion Heeler Rich Skelton provides tips on helping your horse get the perfect stop. He shares which bits he likes to use, horsemanship and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You guessed it...We're back with another episode of The Short Score. Hosts Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave wrap-up all the big news from the ProRodeo trail, the tell you about the Resistol Rookie contenders that are still raking in money, which team ropers are dominating in their designated circuit standings and more.You will be caught up on what's to be expected for the USTRC National Finals presented by Cinch coming up in September, which ladies are leading the Women's Rodeo World Championship in the WCRA and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cesar de la Cruz is perhaps The Score's most popular guest, and for good reason. In our first podcast interview from 2019 with the nine-time NFR heeler, de la Cruz opened up about his upbringing on the rough side of Tucson and how it shaped the roper and man he is today. This time around, The Score's Chelsea Shaffer catches up with de la Cruz as he decides to go home after a brutal 2020 season, mired with cancelations and long drives between rodeos. de la Cruz is shifting to teaching roping lessons and making great horses, and he's regrouping for 2021. In the process, he's reflecting on the horse-making process and how he's grown and changed since the early years of his career, brought to you by Fast Back Ropes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pro Rodeo update, Circuit update, Resistol Rookie Update and more. That's what you'll be catching up on as you listen to this episode. This episode of The Short Score is a fun one. Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave review who the big winners are over the past weekend in ProRodeo, the Resistol Rookie race and talk a little bit about the two teams that switched things up in the Mountain States. Plus, the USTRC's National Finals presented by Cinch is still a go. Shaffer and Gustave go over some rules that will apply during the finals and what you can expect from the ropings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Short Score, brought to you by Soft-Ride Equine Comfort Boots, Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave talk about what happened the past weekend in ProRodeo, what's going on in the world standings and the Resistol Rookie race and talk about the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, which will now be happening in Greeley, Colorado. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rich Skelton, who is in the midst of his Heeler's Only Roping Clinic Tour, stopped by The Score Podcast after he spent two days in Colorado's 90-plus degree heat helping heelers elevate their roping on the Bones, on the Heel-O-Matic and on live steers. Fresh on his mind after all that was what every day ropers can do to hone their craft, and The Score host Chelsea Shaffer got to ask him questions about his career and how he's helping ropers across the country through his clinics. Skelton’s eight world titles have absolutely made him a legend, but to me, it’s his accessibility to the everyday roper that makes him stand out among Hall of Famers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Short Score is back with hosts Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave. On this episode Shaffer and Gustave go over what happened over the Cowboy Christmas run, the past weekend in ProRodeo, what's going on in the world standings and more. They then share updates on location changes for upcoming Ariat World Series of Team Ropings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kansas native Jake Long has qualified for nine Wrangler National Finals Rodeos, won two Ram National Circuit Finals titles and nearly every major jackpot in the sport. Not to mention he's been on some of the greatest horses in the history of the sport, including three-time PRCA/AQHA Horse of the Year, Colonel. In this odd rodeo season marked by cancelations and postponements, Long sits fifth in the PRCA's world standings with $41,158, heeling for three-time World Champion Clay Tryan—the third Tryan brother he's roped behind. This interview is a rare, candid opportunity with Long, who doesn't always say too much. In this interview, presented by Cactus Ropes, Jake and I talk about his journey over the last few decades that's transformed him into one of the sports greats and a horseman, too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In case you missed it, Montana's Kal Fuller and Oklahoma's Reagan Ward won $155,000 at the Feist June 21. It was the day before Reagan’s 33rd birthday, and Kal is just 20 years old. They smoked a 6.04-second short round steer at fourth call, then sat at the back end of the red-dirt arena to watch the third callback team of Tyler Wade and Billie Jack Saebens take a plus-five with a leg, see Cody Snow and Junior Nogueira suffer that same fate, then they held their breaths as Pace Freed and Cole Wilson fell just 7 hundreths of a second short of winning the roping. Their victory lap was as unexpected as it was glorious.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CR Bradley is one of the American Quarter Horse Association’s winningest ropers in horse show competition, as well as an NFR-qualifying tie-down roper and World Series of Team Roping Finale place.Bradley is originally from Hilliard, Ohio, but he got to the Lonestar state of Texas as fast as he could to pursue a roping career. He took with him a little roan mare his family raised that would eventually make a big splash across the roping world Twister Enola Gay—who carried him from his first AQHA Youth World Championship to the college finals to his first NFR, and eventually carried Tuf Cooper to two gold buckles.Bradley also won the AQHA Super Horse in 2014 as the only owner/breeder/trainer to ever win it on Roanie’s colt, Twisters Enola Rey.The NFR calf roper is spending just as much time heading and heeling these days as he is roping calves, and you can find him at the World Series ropings behind Jackie Crawford and as well as spinning steers at the rodeos.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kolton Schmidt is back with another roping lesson on The Score. Schmidt shares a personal struggle that he has encountered during his COVID-19 rodeo break. There have been more jackpots than ever and Schmidt has taken this break to practice more than ever and enter a few extra jackpots. He has found challenges between separating his practice sessions and his jackpotting. In this roping lesson, Schmidt discusses how he has to work at separating practice sessions from jackpotting by learning to react.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brock Hanson is a National Finals Rodeo header who swapped to the heel side to rope with Colorado's JB James. With almost a half-a-million in ProRodeo earnings and two NFR go-round wins to his name, Hanson is a deadly switch-ender who knows good horses, too. This time around, host Chelsea Shaffer talked to Hanson about making young horses—something many ProRodeo cowboys find themselves doing more and more of thanks to the COVID-19 crisis. But Hanson has always been skilled with a horse as much as he has been with a rope, and he talks about a variety of ways he brings young horses along and techniques he uses to make a good one.This episode is brought to you by Fast Back Ropes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tune in to hear all about the BIG roping action that happened over the weekend at ropings like the Steve Johnson Memorial, the Clay Logan Open roping, the USTRC's Cowboy Capital Classic and more. Plus, listen to find out some exciting news about the Bob Feist Invitational. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Sherwood was a businessman first and a professional team roper second, and that shows in his no-nonsense management of the PRCA’s team ropers. As the event rep for the ProRodeo’s team ropers, he’s tasked with representing NFR qualifiers, contenders and circuit cowboys alike—a job that’s not for the faint of heart. Not to mention, he’s a two-time world champ, eight-time NFR qualifier and George Strait champ with $1.3 million in career earnings.Sherwood’s a straight shooter, and that makes conversations like this one golden.This episode is brought to you by Manna Pro. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's been some jackpots going on so WE'RE BACK! Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave are back with The Short Score to bring you all of the team roping information you could ever want. Shaffer and Gustave talk about what has been going on at the jackpots that have recently happened over the last few weekends and what you can expect for the rest of the month of May. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2019 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo header Brenten Hall, from Jay, Oklahoma, took the world by storm after finishing the season fourth in the PRCA world standings with $237,061.19. What sets him apart from the rest is how he works at not overthinking his roping. In today’s audio roping tip, Hall talks about how he works at making roping as simple as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a little different than the typical team roper talk. Today's guests are Donene Taylor, the 2016 WPRA World Champion tie-down roper, author and mental performance coach, as well as her great friend Lari Dee Guy, who relies on Taylor for her mental coaching.Donene’s story is inspiring, to say the least. She built her career in the arena, piece by piece, from the ground up, all while battling anorexia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She relied on training from everyone from Trevor Brazile to Troy Pruitt, and she’s become a source of wisdom for some of the best in the industry.This conversation is eye opening, and one that can really expand your understanding of the mental side of the sport of team roping. Plus, Donene’s book—Heart of a Champion—is a must-read for competitors from every walk of life. [Read: Heart of a Champion] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buddy Hawkins II, a two-time Wrangler NFR qualifier from Columbus, Kansas, works as hard as anyone in the business to get his roping as sharp as it can be. Hawkins shares tips on how to maintain a good position while roping and how he's made use out of this downtime.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

California's Spencer Mitchell—a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier—is taking this COVID-19 downtime to focus on his heading.Mitchell takes the time to share tips on how to approach your roping to make it consistent and how to achieve a goal while roping the dummy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hope Thompson—a two-time Women's Professional Rodeo Association World Champion from Abilene, Texas—is one of the leading ladies in the industry who has made a name for herself with rope in hand. On this audio roping lesson, Thompson takes the time to talk through how slowing down your roping can, and will, help you to be fast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trey Yates—the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo average champ from Pueblo, Colorado—has lived and breathed team roping his entire life. So with COVID-19's Great Pause gripping the world, Yates is taking this first-ever down time to hone in his mental focus without the rat race of ProRodeo and jackpots. On this audio roping lesson, Yates talks through how he's approaching his practices so he's fresh and sharp when the ropings and rodeos start back up soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've waited to do an interview on 'The Score' with Clay O’Brien Cooper—the Champ—for years now. The seven-time world champion has almost $4 million in ProRodeo’s earnings, but it’s been his steady demeanor, paired with his monthly presence in The Team Roping Journal and our predecessor, Spin To Win, that’s made him one of the most beloved names in all of team roping. He’s as even keeled as it gets, and in times like these, when so little about life looks the same, Champ does. And for that, I’m ever grateful. Please enjoy today’s visit with Clay O’Brien Cooper, as a reminder of all that’s right and good with the world, brought to you by Manna Pro.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have something to share with you all. We are excited about the Ariat World Series of Team Roping's latest Practice Pen Challenge. We already have a few teams that have won the challenge and are headed to Las Vegas in December. Plus, don't forget to get entered in the Win A Day with Clay Smith, brought to you by ADM Animal Nutrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Repetitive practice—focusing on position, swing, target and delivery—will beat high-volume practice any day of the week, according to eight-time World Champion Rich Skelton on this episode of The Score's Roping Lesson bonus podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cowan family is credited for bringing us greats like Sun Frost and his son PC Frenchmans Hayday through their South Dakota Horse Program T4 Quarter Horses. Their program combines 50 years of breeding know-how with a solid, ranch-based start. Just recently, Trevor Brazile came across a brown mare from their program—registered as PC Ike Ike Baby—that he felt was too good not to go big time—so he quickly sold her to Clint Summers for his heading campaign. Brown Sugar carried Summers through RFD-TV’s The American and turned heads all winter until rodeo’s recent shut down.Their program offers weanlings and ready-to-ride ranch horses, and Breelyn Cowan has a hand in every step of the process with her dad Tigh’s careful guidance. Today, she joins The Score to offer a fresh perspective on reading a horse in the round pen and feeling colts in the earliest stages of making a good one.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An audio edition of This is Living: The Cody Nessmith Story, the story on how a rare, terminal cancer diagnosis couldn't keep Cody Nessmith from the 2019 Ariat World Series of Team Roping Finale.You can follow Cody's journey here: A Cowboy's Journey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oklahoma heeler Dustin Searcy has won jackpots and rodeos at every level, and his great horse Rio carried Wesley Thorp through the 2018 NFR. Searcy is spending time in the practice pen this month during the COVID-19 crisis tuning up his mounts. Here's what he's up to, and how you can implement his tips into your practice routine.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

California horse trainer Bert McGill makes head horses that ProRodeo's best seek out, year in and year out. For the first time, we've tapped McGill for an audio roping lesson on The Score, and he provided us with a lesson on pen roping—an often overlooked but critical step in the rope-horse-making process. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colby Lovell, rodeo's hog-hunting header from South Texas, has won almost $900,000 in his 14-year careering ProRodeo. He's roped with greats like Martin Lucero, Kory Koontz and Russell Cardoza, and he turned heads at the 2020 RFD-TV's The American heading for young-gun Jared Fillmore, placing second worth $25,000 a man. Lovell spends his spare time with his wife and two children working on the family's ranch making great horses, and he's spent much of the last year helping Cody Nessmith, a 23-year-old header battling cancer. In this episode of The Score, Lovell talks about his career and how his time with Nessmith has shaped his outlook and his career. This episode is brought to you by Nutrena. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave talk about the April 2020 issue and what they've been up to during this stay-at-home quarantine. This episode is brought to you by Straight Arrow. Visit www.manentailequine.com, www.cowboymagic.com, www.exhibitorsequine.com, www.straightarrowinc.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

National Finals Rodeo header Kolton Schmidt has honed his horsemanship with the likes of DT Horses’ legendary trainer Shawn Grant, and he’s spending his time during rodeo’s COVID-19 hiatus to instill confidence in his horses with a special set of drills. Applicable on the sled or slow steers, Schmidt’s advice is designed to improve roper’s horsemanship and insure that horses are sharp and focused. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rich Skelton, with his eight consecutive gold buckles, knows a thing or two about setting himself up for success in the practice pen. In this episode of The Score podcast, Skelton provides a quick roping tip as ropers head to the practice pen.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PRCA Team Roping director Matt Sherwood joins Chelsea Shaffer on The Short Score to talk about how he's dealing with COVID-19, the roping and rodeo cancelations and his glimpse of hope when this is all over. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roping Lesson with Lari Dee Guy: The Left HandThere’s no better time than now to hone your horsemanship. The staff at The Team Roping Journal is pairing up with the best in the world to provide regular audio tips that you can listen to while you’re riding, roping or just visualizing your runs.The first tip comes from WPRA World Champion and one of the rope horse industry’s leading trainers, Lari Dee Guy. Guy talks about how she uses her left hand and feet together to give clear signals to her horse, and how those signals affect her horse’s temperament in and out of the box. If you find tips like this useful, or have suggestions for ‘The Score’ team, email [email protected] or leave us a comment on the podcast app of your choice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve always known Tyler Wade as a reacher, as the best story teller who’s ever lived, and as a hustler, who worked as hard as anyone I’ve known to stay on the road. I’ve always been impressed by his work ethic and his insane talent, but at the 2019 NFR, I was blown away by his ability to catch 10 steers as insanely fast as he did. He was fun to watch, and I think—in my conversations with so many of the best in the world—he put most of the team roping world on notice that he’s not just the funny guy who tells the best stories and reaches the farthest. He’s one of my close friends, and for years I’ve honored his “NO PODCAST!” request, but for Season 3 of the Score, he’s lost his hall pass.This episode is brought to you by Patrick Smith's Raising Roosters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COVID-19 Update. How can we have this episode without talking about the corona virus?On this episode Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave talk about the corona virus and the effects that it's had on the world and the team roping community this far. They also talk about the winners of the Hork Dog 21, along with Paul Eaves tragic accident and the 2020 CINCH Timed Event Championships Champion Taylor Santos. Plus, what you need to know about the USTRC CINCH National Finals. They will still be held in Fort Worth, but the dates have changed to September 7 through the 14. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Short Score is more like a LONG score today. Enjoy three special interviews with the team roping champions at RFD-TV's The American. You'll hear from The American Open Champions Luke Brown and Joseph Harrison, the Ariat World Series of Team Roping's American Cowboy #12.5 Champions Buddy Reed and Hamp Conlan and the American Cowboy #10.5 Champions Octavio Espinoza and Erick Alvarado. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shay Carroll, a two-time NFR heeler, originally from La Junta, Colorado, is an interesting guy. He's an all-around hand who's shown up in a short-brimmed custom hat to bulldog at places like the Cinch Timed Event Championships, and he's a switch-ender who took a few years off of heeling to spin some steers. Now, he's a horseman, who shows quarter horses for the elite breeders at DT Horses. Shay's last trip to the Finals was in 2016, and this year he's teaming up with World Champion Levi Simpson.This episode of The Score is brought to you by Manna Pro. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave chat about the RFD-TVs The American Semi-Finals champions Nelson Wyatt and Logan Medlin, the Lone Star Shootout champions Cory Kidd V and Caleb Anderson, and upcoming events in PRCA Pro Rodeo, Ariat World Series of Team Roping and USTRC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chelsea Shaffer is back on The Short Score with co-host Kaitlin Gustave. The duo chat about the most recent team roping headlines, Madison Bumgarner. Shaffer and Gustave go over what happened in recent PRCA Pro Rodeo news and remind you about upcoming Ariat World Series of Team Roping and USTRC events. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Score co-host Kaitlin Gustave sits down with the Mike Cervi Jr. Pro Classic Open Champions Clay Tryan and Chase Tryan. The Tryan cousins roped five head in 32.23 seconds, worth $16,622 a man. This episode is brought to you by Fast Back Ropes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Short Score co-host, Kaitlin Gustave, talks with the Ariat World Series of Team Roping Open Title Fights Champions Garrett Rogers and Jake Minor on The Short Score. Gustave also catches you up on Arizona roping, who won the San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo and upcoming WSTR and USTRC events that you don't want to miss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another Tuesday with your friends Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave. But, hey, we've got a new sound.Today we chat about the winners of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, winners from recent USTRC and WSTR events, and events you need to know about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Sartain is roping’s miracle man. He won a world title way back in 2009 when he roped with Kollin VonAhn, and he’s made it to rodeo’s big show six times. He’s got over $1.1 million in ProRodeo earnings, but lately, he’s made a huge splash at the Ariat World Series of Team Roping Finale on the heel side. He cut his thumb off and started heeling to get his rope handling back up to par, and in the meantime he won $282,000 in the #12.5 Finale in 2018 and $127,000 in the #13.5 Finale. In 2019, he came back and won second in the #14.5 for another $136,000. But he’s back on the rodeo trail, confident in his renewed ability to reach. I’m glad he is—because he’s long been one of the best, most honest interviews in team roping, brought to you by Patrick Smith's Raising Roosters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Short Score co-host, Kaitlin Gustave, talks with Wildfire XXII Champions. Plus, Chelsea Shaffer and Gustave go over upcoming events and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Short Score co-host, Kaitlin Gustave, talks with National Western Stock Show Champions Cody Snow and Paul Eaves on The Short Score. Gustave also catches you up on the Wildfire XXII, the NTRL National Finals in Jacksonville, Florida and the Robertson Hill Winter Classic Open Roping, brought to you by the #RoadtoCTEC2020 Sweepstakes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barry Berg is a larger than life personality in the Western industry. He’s a staple, who’s helped shape the sport from the back of the Cactus Rope shop in Pleasanton, Texas. He’s famous for foot races, good ropes and good times, as well as a few catch phrases and a pretty tough heading game.We cover a whole lot of history and a whole lot of fun in this episode, and I can’t wait for you to hear it. You’re going to learn about The Future, Cactus’s new Core rope, and the 30 years of technology that’s gone into its creation, brought to you by Cactus Ropes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Short Score hosts Chelsea Shaffer and Kaitlin Gustave talk about the the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver, Colorado, an update on Kory Koontz accident, upcoming World Series of Team Roping and USTRC events and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.