Cowkids Only - June 2024
June 2024
Brought to you by The Bell Mare Book Company
Photos of Kelsie Domer courtesy of Smarty
Ask a Pro:
Kelsie Domer
This month’s blog features professional roper, Kelsie Domer. Kelsie is not a one-trick-pony. This all-around cowgirl is a talented header, heeler, breakaway roper and tie-down roper. But even more importantly, she is really good at teaching rodeo kids how to improve their roping skills. Coming off her recent success at the BFI and the Women’s Rodeo Championship, Kelsie shares her advice for youth heelers. If you are heeling currently, or thinking about starting, be sure to check out Kelsie’s advice!
Ask a Pro:
Professional Roper and All-Around Cowgirl
Kelsie Domer
Question: What position do you recommend for youth heelers going down the pen?
Kelsie’s Answer:
In the box, I recommend watching the steer instead of the header. That way you can react to how the steer breaks and runs. When I am running down the pen, I want my horse’s nose even with the steer’s back feet. I don’t want to be too high up by their head, or way off to the right. I want to be far enough away from the steer, I’m not messing up my header’s swing and I want my horses’s nose even with the steer’s back feet. Once I have my horse in position, then I start swinging my rope.
Question: What advice do you have for kids to get the correct swing and rope angle when they are heeling?
Kelsie’s Answer:
Once my header catches the steer and is making the corner, I try to get my tip angled right over the steer’s hips. Lots of professional heelers will have their tip at more of an angle, but they are throwing so fast around the corner. I think most junior or high school rodeos don't require that fast of a shot, so I would encourage kids to swing their tip over the steer’s hips so they can improve their catch percentage. If your tip is too high, or too straight down, you have to adjust your angle when you throw to catch two feet. If you swing right over the hips, your angles can stay the same all the way through your delivery.
Question: Where should heelers focus their eyes?
Kelsie’s Answer:
That can be different for everyone, but I would say most people should be looking at the steer’s right hock. Don’t get caught watching the head rope go on. I focus on the hips on the way down the pen to get my tip right and then I look at the hock as I am getting ready to throw.
Question: What are your recommendations for correctly delivering a heel loop?
Kelsie’s Answer:
Heeling is different than breakaway or calf roping, because you heel more with the tip of your rope than the part of your rope that is in your hand. But, they are the same in that your loop does what your hand does. So when you deliver your rope, your pinky has to be down to get your bottom strand on the ground. Your hand will look like you are going to shake someone’s hand when you deliver your rope. Don’t get fooled by some of the pictures you see in magazines or on social media. Lots of times, you will see a picture of a professional heeler with his hand turned over and the pinky is up and thumb is down, but at that point, they are going for their slack. If the picture had been taken a split second sooner, their pinky would have been down delivering their rope.
Kelsie Chace-Domer says you should deliver your heel loop like you were going to shake someone’s hand, with your pinky down and thumb up.
Question: What are your recommendations for roping cattle that don’t hop and/or aren’t handled well?
Kelsie’s Answer:
Lots of junior rodeo cattle are bigger and have been roped a bunch. So they might drag, or shuffle their feet going across the pen. On those cattle, it is even more important to get your bottom strand on the ground. Getting the bottom strand on the ground gives you the best chance of getting the feet roped. There are some cattle you can rope out of the air, or scoop, or whatever you want to call it, but for me, I like to lay a big open trap in front of the feet.
Question: What are your recommendations for handling your slack when you are heeling?
Kelsie’s Answer:
It’s really hard to not go to the saddle horn too soon, but it is really important not to rush to the horn. That’s how you lose legs, or even both feet. Pull your slack all the way up to the top and almost wait until you feel your hand being pulled down, then get your dally. If you are tying on, let the steer pull the rope out of your hand.
Question: If kids aren’t ready to heel live cattle yet, or don’t have practice cattle at home, what can they do to improve their roping?
Kelsie’s Answer:
Roping goats on foot is a really great way to learn timing and delivery. Cesar de la Cruz, Jade Corkill, Patrick Smith, and many other professional heelers recommend rodeo kids spend time roping goats to help them learn to heel. Put the goat on a stake and teach them to run around in a left-hand circle. Roping goats is done on foot, so since there aren’t any large animals involved, kids of all ages can practice with or without their parents help. Taller goats with longer legs are the best to rope.
Also, there are lots of great sleds that help teach kids how to rope and dally safely now. Smarty dummies and other sleds, help take some of the unpredictability out of team roping. The sleds let parents go at a speed their kids are able to handle and increase as the kid’s skills increase.
Question: What ropes do you recommend for youth heelers?
Kelsie’s Answer:
Don’t be afraid to heel with a head rope. Heel ropes are heavy and stiff and there are a lot of kids that just can’t swing them. Even the softest heel ropes. A head rope is going to be more comfortable in a kid’s hands than a heel rope. I also recommend a rope with fewer strands because they are typically smaller around and fit better in smaller hands. Swinging a stiff rope that is really hard to swing can lead to bad habits. When I was roping for Charly Crawford, we would rope so many steers a day in the practice pen that my arm couldn’t swing a heel rope all day. So, I would heel with a head rope. Even now, if I know I am going to have a long day in the practice pen, I still use a head rope so I don't develop bad habits from my arm getting tired.
Heel ropes are designed to be much stiffer than a head rope. If your arm and hand aren’t big and strong enough to correctly swing a heel rope, Kelsie Domer recommends using a head rope.
Question: What is your mindset if you know you didn’t draw the best? How do you overcome the luck of the draw?
Kelsie’s Answer:
Focus on what you can control. What you draw - good or bad - is out of your control. Even if you draw a good steer, your header could miss, or that steer could decide to do something different than it typically does. If you see that you have a steer that hasn’t been great, don’t focus on that. Focus on getting out good, getting into position and then do the best you can with what you drew. Don’t completely disregard the steer’s habits. If you know they run hard, make sure you aren’t late so you have the best chance at catching them. But, don’t let yourself think, “This steer is too fast for me and I am not going to catch them.” I always research my cattle so I have an idea of what they might do, but I don’t let a bad draw get me down before the chute even opens. That’s defeating yourself.
Question: What made you decide to get back into team roping?
Kelsie’s Answer:
I used to team rope even more than I roped calves, but then when I got pregnant with my daughter, Oaklynn, I decided to just focus on breakaway because I knew I couldn’t do it all. Then, after she was born, I just kind of stuck with breakaway because I was plenty busy with her and didn’t have time for multiple events. But, this year before the BFI, Whitney DeSalvo and Kayelen Helton, both called and asked me if I would heel for them. I hadn’t practiced or gone hardly anywhere, but when two amazing partners call and want to turn one for you, you just enter. My husband, Ryan, heels and has a horse I can heel on, so I sent my entries in before I could talk myself out of it. I ended up winning second with Whitney and that qualified me for the women’s finals in Ft. Worth where we won both rounds.
If you could get in a time machine and tell your younger self something, what would you say?
Kelsie’s Answer:
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. If something is in your heart, you can figure out a way to make it happen. Just work hard and go for it!
Kelsie Chace-Domer with her daughter, Oaklynn. Photo courtesy of Smarty.
Question: What is your favorite thing to read?
Kelsie’s Answer:
Right now, I am reading a book I found in an airport that is about finding your true potential called “Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things.” The book is basically about realizing that you can do more than you think you can if you have the right mindset and the right amount of try.
Joke Break!
What do you call a rabbit in the arena?
(Keep reading to learn the answer!)
Cowkid Devotional
By High Call Ministries Pastor Kelly Cronkhite
Kelly is not your typical pastor. He’s a Jesus-loving cowboy, rancher and roper.
You might have heard the term “God-fearing” in church or from a pastor, or maybe you have even read it in the Bible. Most of the time, the word “fear” means to be afraid, but in this case, it doesn’t. To fear God, does not necessarily mean to be afraid of Him. It means we are so in awe of how miraculous He is, we would never question His ability.
For example, in my church, there is a rodeo kid who looks up to the professional calf roper Caleb Smidt. If Caleb Smidt told this boy that he needed to rope calves a certain way, the boy would never question Caleb’s advice, because he is in awe of him. He admires and looks up to Caleb. That is how we need to feel about God. If God says to love others as you love yourself, we do it not because we are afraid of what might happen if we don’t, but because we are so in awe of the Lord, that we can’t imagine anything He says could be wrong. If you aren’t sure if you are in awe of God, I recommend you spend more time praying and reading your Bible. A good place to start is in Proverbs. In order to truly be amazed by our Lord, you have to spend time studying His word and spending time in His company.
If you don’t go to church, start going! Lots of rodeos have a good cowboy service Sunday mornings before the event starts. Or, talk to your parents about finding a church close to where you live. If going to church isn’t an option, no one can ever take away your right to pray and anyone is capable of praying anytime, anywhere. Just start setting aside some time for God with your prayers - out loud or silent. As you start making this a habit, you will start to pray more often and outside of your set time. As you develop a relationship with God, you will start to feel in awe of Him, and understand what it means to be God-fearing. Our God is a loving, forgiving and merciful father who is happy to love you just as you are as He helps take you to where you are going.
“Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.”
- Proverbs 3:7
“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”
- Proverbs 9:10
“Those who fear the Lord are secure.” - Proverbs 14:26
“Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain.” - Proverbs 14:27
Joke Answer:
A dust bunny!
Horse Care Tip of the Month
By Equine Veterinarian Zach Bruggen
Buzz Off Bugs!
Keeping bugs off your horses can be an almost impossible task. Here are some veterinarian-approved options to help keep the bugs away.
Fly sheets and fly leggings are great options for preventing flies and mosquitoes from biting your horse. Here are some recommendations and cautions to consider:
Fly sheets should fit the horse well and allow for air flow. While we want to protect the horse from bug bites, we also don’t want them to get too hot, or get a poorly-fitting blanket caught on something in their pen or pasture.
Fly leggings greatly reduce the amount of stomping your horse does, which can help keep their legs and feet from getting sore. I like the leggings that are loose-fitting and are made of mesh so the horse’s legs don’t overheat.
Fly masks help keep flies out of eyes and can protect blazed-faced horses from getting sunburned.
Fly sprays help too.
It would be nearly impossible to fly spray your horse as often as they would need it to truly keep bugs away, but they do help for a short period of time.
There is a product called Ultra-Boss that is made for horses and cattle that is supposed to last longer. I fill a one-quart fly spray bottle with water and then mix in 60 mililiters of Ultra Boss and spray my own horses daily. You can find Ultra Boss at most tack and feed stores, but it might be in the cattle section. Ultra-Boss also works well to repel ticks.
Before you try any new bug-prevention product, I recommend testing a small spot on the horse’s skin to make sure they aren’t sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Some fly sprays work better in certain areas of the country than others. If you try a new fly spray and it doesn’t stop the bugs, try a different one and see if you have better luck.
Cattle tags aren’t just for cattle.
While you are in the cattle section grabbing Ultra Boss, see if they have any cattle ear tags with insecticide (bug killer and repellent) in them. Ear tags can be braided into the horse’s mane and tail to help keep bugs away. If you aren’t sure if the kind your store has is safe for horses, ask your veterinarian.
You can also spray your property.
Agita 10 WG is a product that is mixed with water and sprayed in the barn aisle and stall walls. This product attracts flies, but kills them as soon as they eat the product. Spraying it around the areas your horses hang out can really help cut down on the flies.
A little cleanliness can go along way.
Cleaning up messes that attract flies really helps too. Flies love manure, urine, hoof trimmings and horse feed. Keeping feed closed up tight and all the messes your horse makes cleaned up, also will help keep the flies away.
Exercise of the Month:
Kettlebell Halo
By Logan Corbett with Champion Living Fitness
If you are a team roper, calf roper and/or breakaway roper, you should be doing kettlebell halos! This simple, but effective exercise helps strengthen the muscles in your arms, shoulders and upper back that you need for a strong swing pattern. They also improve coordination, stability and flexibility so you can swing your rope with accuracy and speed without losing your balance in the saddle. In the video below, I show you how to do a kettlebell halo, and talk about other objects that work in place of a kettlebell if you don’t have one. Take your cowboy hat off and do three to four halos around your head each direction at least three days a week and I bet you notice a big difference by next month!
Rodeo Word of the Month:
Pantyhose
Pantyhose
Don’t laugh! This really is a rodeo word! When heelers rope a steer around their hips instead of by their back feet, people will say they “pantyhosed” the steer. The illustrator of our Short Go children’s books drew a picture to show you what we are talking about!
Rodeo Math Problem of the Month:
Team Roping Penalties
Team ropers can get penalties by either breaking the barrier, or dropping a leg. At most rodeos, if a header breaks the barrier, 10 seconds is added to the run. If a heeler misses a leg, 5 seconds is added to the run. At their junior high rodeo finals, Elsie and Max roped three steers. On their first steer, they had a clean run with no penalties of 9.2 seconds. On their second run, they were 10.1 seconds, but Max slipped a leg. On their short-go steer, they were 8.3 seconds, but Elsie broke the barrier. In order to make nationals, their total time had to be less than 44 seconds on three-head. Did Elsie and Max make nationals?
Reading Comprehension:
Mind Fuel
Ty Hillman and his wife, 6-time NFR barrel racer Stevi Hillman, wrote a book called “Mind Fuel” to help rodeo athletes work on overcoming adversity and improving their competitive mindset. This is a page from their book that talks about effective practice:
“There is no substitute for intentional, well-structured practice.
I am amazed how many people just go through the motions at practice and never get any better. They have been doing their sport or profession for years and they continue to operate at the same level or actually regress (get worse.) Part of the problem for these people is, they never take the time to focus on a specific outcome they want from their practice sessions and they do nothing intentional to improve. Coach John Wooden, the winningest college basketball coach of all time, used to spend several hours preparing for his 1.5 hour practice. He knew exactly what he was going to do, when he was going to do it, and had it written on a card that he carried at every practice.
He paid so much attention to detail, he even placed the basketballs in certain areas of the court so there would be no wasted time chasing down basketballs to do a drill. The amount of time you practice is not near as important as the quality of the work done in the practice.
Today, be intentional with your practice session and determine what you want to accomplish and exactly what you are going to do to accomplish it. When practice is over, evaluate your performance and your practice and make adjustments so you get the results you desire.”
Test Your Comprehension!
What does the word “intentional” mean to you?
How could you be more intentional when practicing your rodeo events?
The amount of ______ you practice is not near as important as the quality of the work done in the practice.