Rodeo Lessons Learned

As the rodeo season comes to a close for me this summer here are a few of the lessons I learned (re-learned).

1) If you can feel it in your soul, your gut, your heart, listen!

• Sometimes this means keep pushing forward. Keeping chasing the goal. Keep fighting!

• Other times, this can mean regrouping, getting help, being more selective.

• Often, it's a combination of both. Listen to your gut!

  
  

2) If it goes wrong more than two times in a row, ask for help.

• I missed 5 or 6 calves in a row this summer at rodeos. I'd sent videos off, but seeing it in real time hits different. I finally asked one of the ropers I respect if she'd noticed anything. She hadn't really been paying attention to me specifically, but she was able to ask me questions and piece together what was probably happening.

• In my case, I was trying to beat my horse to the calf by leaning up over him too much. This caused my horse to anticipate my throw. That kept us just a smidge too far away from the calf consistently. It also took away my power to throw my rope far because my body wasn't balanced. As soon as we talked it through, I caught the next 4 calves in a row!

• This is very often the case for hitting or blowing off of barrels. The rider is trying to beat their horse around the turn, causing them to get out of position.

  
  

3) Keep yourself set up for success throughout the season.

• Figure out what works for you to keep you sharp throughout the summer. I didn't have calves for 6 weeks in the middle and it definitely hurt my performance. Moving forward, we'll make sure to have a few live calves around at all times when we're going hard.

  
  

4) Have grace for yourself. Even the best lose more than they win.

• When we have grace, we're able to be frustrated, but know that we WILL get to the other side of what's happening. Remember to learn through it. Today's frustrations can turn into tomorrows strengths IF we learn from them.

• Winners learn & move forward. Losers pout & focus on the past.

  
  

5) Sometimes your best isn't enough to be in the money.

• The draw, the ground, the weather, etc. all makes a difference. As long as you did everything you could with what the hand you were dealt, the draw you were given and the experience you have up to this point, you won. Every time you enter the arena, you have an opportunity to become more experienced and knowledgeable.

6) Make the arena your safe space.

• Things outside the arena can affect your performance inside the arena. Acknowledge those things so you can separate them from competition. Let the arena be the place you can let the walls down and make it happen!

• This year we had a long list of things going on at the farm, with trucks, injured horses, etc. I knew it was bothering me, but I didn't realize the extent of it until I got some help and talked it out. Once I was able to stop carrying that weight into the arena, I was able to open up, ride my horse and be aggressive again. Before that, I was in survival mode, and my nervous system was sabotaging my performance. The arena became my safe space where the rest didn't matter.

7) Be where you're at!

• Be where you're at with the people who surround you and enjoy the time you have in that place. If it's not enjoyable, it's not worth doing. Life is too short. Don't be so hard on yourself. Do your best. Analyze what went right first, what you can work on second. This doesn't last forever.

  
  

8) Surround yourself with people who want to be successful, including yourself!

• What we listen to, who we talk to you, who we share with all make a difference in life. When you're celebrating, celebrate together. Collect that feeling and share it with others so they can remind you what it's like when you need a little motivation. I don't care what anyone says, nobody does it alone.

• When I was struggling this summer, at one point I wanted to throw in the towel for the rest of the year. I had plenty of valid reasons to stay home. My husband, my parents, my coach all understood my reasons, but they also believed I could still go out strong. When I decided to keep going, to keep fighting, I pulled from their belief in my abilities to get myself pumped back up. That's what a good circle does. They remind you of who you are when you have a hard time seeing it for yourself.

• Surround yourself with who you really are. Journal regularly. Take some alone time to remind yourself of the work you've put in, the goals you have, what you've already overcome, how it will feel when you get it again. Be your biggest cheerleader.

  
  

8) Give the glory to God

• From sun up to sun down, day after day, we are SO incredibly blessed that God chose us, our families, our friends, the committees, the contractors, each of us to be part of the less than .1% of the world that lives this lifestyle. Stay grateful!