Mental Game – Josh Edwards

Josh Edwards isn’t one to settle for less than the best Retirement comes at the pinnacle of pickup man’s career I’m on a break from being at rodeos in 2024. I’m very grateful for the work that I’ve had at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver and the Fort Worth Stock Show & […]

The Way I Seet It – Part 3

By Susan Kanode It truly is the time of year when all roads lead to Vegas. We are counting down the days and soon hours to the first championship competition to complete rodeo’s 2023 season. I am so grateful for the women in rodeo, from those that volunteer on the committees, to the secretaries, timers […]

The Way I See It – Part 2

By Susan Kanode So there are lots of factors that make the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo special in every event. That is especially true in the timed events. It takes fast times to win with the short score and small arena. Contestants talk about the start all the time. At some rodeos, when they discuss it, […]

The Way I See It

By Susan Kanode I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. I went to a performance as a ticketed fan the final year it was held in Oklahoma City. And I was there the second year it was held in Las Vegas. That was in 1986. I’ve missed a […]

Zeke Thurston – A Glass Half Full

Sometimes you work for it, sometimes you are born with it. Most of the time it’s a lot of both. Zeke Thurston has a quiet confidence that has helped him win three gold buckles in the saddle bronc riding. It’s always there, surrounding him like dust from the arenas that he has played in since […]

Gary Leffew – Get Out Of Bed With An Agenda

The people that have been around for my whole rodeo career have become life-long friends. ProRodeo Hall of Famer Gary Leffew is one of those. Our first interactions came at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. He had a stuffed bull for people to get their pictures taken on. Before the rodeo started, they […]

Kelsie Domer – No Excuses

Kelsie Domer is a fierce competitor. Just ask any of her fellow breakaway ropers. “Looking at the breakaway roping, I think Kelsie Domer has the best mental game of any of us,” said Lari Dee Guy. “You can tell that she really works at it.” That’s high praise coming from the legendary cowgirl who has […]

Learning To Lose

If competing in rodeo events is really 90% mental, how does that work in team roping? What if partners aren’t both on the same page and one of them is struggling while the other one is at the top of the world. This journey into the mental side of rodeo has taken me to some […]

It’s A Battle Of Inches

By Susan Kanode It’s no secret that bullfighters put their lives on the line every day protecting bull riders. Theirs is not a battle for scores, fast-times or first-place paychecks. It’s a battle of inches where rewards are contestant’s health and wellbeing. A job well done sees a bull rider walking out of the arena, […]

Renewing my Faith

By Susan Kanode After more than 30 years of working with rodeo committees, writing press releases and feature stories, I’m starting to wonder when I might retire or what my “golden years” might look like. I have a hard time saying no when I know the outcome is for the betterment of our sport, the […]