Cowkids Only - November/December
November/December 2024
Brought to you by The Bell Mare Book Company
Special thanks to Smarty Rodeo for connecting us with Tyson!
Ask a Pro:
Tyson Durfey
This month’s blog features world champion tie-down roper and mental skills coach Tyson Durfey. Tyson shares with us some of the ups-and-downs he experienced throughout his career in the Thomas and Mack. He talks about what helped him compete well and what held him back. He also shared some behind-the-scenes photos and stories from the NFR. As we get ready to watch the best 10 days of rodeo, we hope you enjoy and learn from the insights Tyson was kind enough to share with us!
Ask a Pro:
World Champion Calf Roper and Mental Skills Coach
Tyson Durfey
Question: What lessons did you learn over the years about preparing for a big event like the NFR?
Tyson’s Answer:
Being prepared is something I have always been good at. In fact, sometimes I over prepare myself. I would over practice trying to make myself perfect. I learned that I was trying to control the outcome of my 10 rounds at the NFR. I was trying to make myself so perfect before I left for Vegas so I could keep from making any mistakes. What I was trying to do was control the outcome.
In 2015 and 2016, I felt like I was able to prepare myself through good practice, but mentally, I had accepted the fact that I couldn’t control the outcome. I realized I had to expect to win because I was confident in the work I had put in ahead of time, but my happiness and confidence did not depend on whether I won or not. I learned that I had to practice like I was never going to get another day to practice in my life, but when I got to the NFR I had to let go of the outcome. I knew I did the work. I knew I couldn’t control the outcome. I was just going to go do my job the best I could and let the winning take care of itself. And, if I didn’t win, I didn’t beat myself up because I knew that I had done everything I possibly could to be prepared prior to nodding my head.
The years prior to 2015, I tried to force the winning. And, you can’t force winning, especially in rodeo.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced at the NFR?
Tyson’s Answer:
In 2016, when I won the tie-down roping world championship, I barely made the NFR. I came into the NFR in 14th place. That year I was especially focused and I was really good at eliminating negative thoughts. I feel like I won the championship that year because, 1) It was part of God’s plan for me and 2) In my mind, I was able to minimize the things that went wrong and build upon the things that went right. For example, in the 5th round, they let my calf out without me nodding my head. They thought I was leaving the box, but I was just jumping my horse out of the corner at the time. Unfortunately, my horse went ahead and left when the calf did so I had to rope. I was 18 seconds. Even though that run made it look like the world championship had slipped through my fingers again, I was able to keep my mind right by focusing more on the good runs I made than the bad run. In the 10th go-round I drew a calf that hadn’t been tied faster than 11 throughout the whole NFR. But, again, I kept my mind focused on how well I had been roping all week and I was able to tie that calf in 7.4 and ultimately win the world championship.
Question: The NFR was your biggest event. What advice do you have for rodeo kids on competing at their biggest event?
Tyson’s Answer:
A mistake I see a lot of people make, not just rodeo kids, is to compare themselves with others and themselves. Comparing yourself with where you are at and where you want to be should only be done in a positive way. Comparing yourself with your competition adds even more pressure to the situation and always leads to mistakes.
When I was younger I used to compare myself to all the guys who were better than me. I never compared myself to people that weren’t as good as me, I was always comparing myself with the guys above me. That comparison was a mind trap. It kept me in a negative frame of mind all the time. What I learned was I had to recognize when I was falling into that trap and thinking those thoughts and stop my mind from going down the comparison road. The way that worked best for me, was to remind myself that God created me to be me and not someone else. I would memorize scripture and combat the negative thoughts with God’s promises.
Question: What is it like behind the chute at the NFR? Are you keeping track of what is going on inside the arena? Or is your game plan created before you ever saddle your horse?
Tyson’s Answer:
Whatever is happening in the arena is not something I can control, so I have a general awareness, but I don’t let it overpower my thoughts. When I was competing at the NFR, I knew I had seen all of these runs in the practice pen before. I knew how to read the barrier on all kinds of calves no matter what they did. I had 90% of my plan formed before I ever arrived in Las Vegas. The years I fell into the trap of, “Fred Whitfield, Cody Ohl, or whoever, did this, so now I have to do that,” were the years I competed the worst. The years I did the best, I stuck with my game plan 90% of the time. The other 10%, I made minor adjustments based on the calf I had drawn. For example, if I had a great run going and knew my calf was really good, I might put a wrap and a hooey on him. But the 10% change was always on little things, never anything major.
Tyson Durfey’s behind-the-chute view during the NFR in the Thomas and Mack.
Question: What advice do you have for rodeo kids who have a goal of making the NFR someday?
Tyson’s Answer:
When I was a kid, my only goal in life was to become a National Finals Rodeo qualifier. I was fortunate enough to get to live my dream, but I didn’t just luck into it. Here is my advice:
If your dream is to make the NFR, you have to train and practice like crazy.
Be patient with yourself and with God’s timing. If you are truly putting the work in, you will achieve your goal when the time is right.
Make sure you set your goals so high there is no way you can achieve them without God’s help.
Find someone who believes in you even more than you believe in yourself and make them part of your team. They don’t have to be a professional rodeo cowboy or cowgirl. They just have to be able to picture you standing on the stage in the Thomas and Mack receiving that gold buckle and saddle as much or more than you do.
Be mindful of what you do inside and outside of the arena. Sponsorships are key to professional rodeo. Sponsors want the cowboys and cowgirls who wear their patches to be professional at all times. Make sure your actions align with the direction you want to go.
Question: What is your favorite NFR memory?
Tyson’s Answer:
My favorite memory was walking out on the stage and thanking my Dad for all the time and effort he poured into me as a kid and then submitting my gold buckle to Jesus and giving Him the glory.
Question: What is your favorite thing to read?
Tyson’s Answer:
I love to learn so I have read a lot of things. Mental toughness and sports psychology books probably make up the bulk of what I have read.
Tyson has helped more than 1,000 tie-down and breakaway ropers improve their mental game and roping through his No Limits Mentorship program. To learn more about Tyson and his program, visit TysonDurfey.com.
Cowkid Devotional
By High Call Ministries Pastor Kelly Cronkhite
Kelly is not your typical pastor. He’s a Jesus-loving cowboy, rancher and roper.
I bet you might have heard your parents say something like, “It is better to give than to receive.” But, did you know Jesus actually said that first? In Acts 20:35, Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” We hear about this verse a lot during the holidays because many of us have the tradition of giving presents to our loved ones at Christmas.
When Jesus said it is better to give than to receive, I’m not exactly sure he was thinking about brightly-wrapped Christmas presents. I think Jesus meant to put the needs of others before yourself. If you see someone is a dollar short at the concession stand line, give them a dollar. Even if it means you can’t buy as much for yourself. If your sibling is at the trailer struggling to get their cinch tight, stop and help them. Even if it means you have less time to get your own horse ready. Play with a kid at school who looks like they are having a hard day and could use a friend. Even if it means not getting to spend time with the friends you usually play with.
Jesus is the master at noticing the needs of others and then cheerfully setting his own needs aside and helping them. We can learn from His example and give others our attention, time, friendship, help, and so on. And you know what God says He will do if you bless others? He will bless you back and then some. In Luke 6:38 the Bible says, “Give and you will receive. Your gift will be returned to you in full — pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
However, God wants us to give cheerfully and out of the goodness of our heart. Not because you read that you should in this month’s cowkid devotional. In 2 Corinthians 9:7, the Bible says, “You must decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
So, I encourage you to keep your eyes, ears and hearts open to notice the needs of others. If you feel like you can give to them cheerfully, do it! If you give with the right heart, it really is better to give than to receive.
Horse Care Tip of the Month
By Equine Veterinarian Zach Bruggen
Stalling Tips
Dr. Bruggen shares his advice for helping horses stay comfortable in a stall during out-of-town rodeos.
During the NFR, many horses spend their almost two weeks in Vegas inside temporary stall barns outside of the Thomas and Mack. Most of the horses at the NFR are very used to being away from home and in stalls, but the contestants still go above and beyond to keep them feeling their best throughout all 10 rounds. If you are planning to haul and stall your horse for an out-of-town rodeo, here are some of the things the pros do to keep their horses comfortable during big rodeos.
Walks aren’t just for dogs. Horses were meant to move almost constantly. Horses who are comfortable in stalls and hold still most of the time can get swelling in their legs from lack of movement. There are leg wraps made for horses to prevent swelling you can use, but taking your horse out to move around also helps a lot. In addition to helping reduce swelling, it also can keep them from getting bored.
Warm up slower than you normally do. If your horse has been stalled overnight, especially if they are old, they might need a little longer and slower warm up than usual to loosen their muscles and joints. Spend extra time walking and trotting them during their warm up.
Pack extra hay. Some horses will eat more hay than usual when they are confined to a stall. Keeping them busy with high-quality hay can also help them from getting bored or nervous while they are stalled.
Check with the facility before you go to see if the stalls are on concrete or dirt. If the stalls have a concrete floor, stall mats, extra shavings or cushioned boots can help keep your horse from getting sore from standing on a hard surface for the weekend.
Some horses get very nervous when they are stalled. Try to stall them where they can see their friends and talk to your veterinarian about possibly giving them medication to help keep them calm and safe while they are in a stall.
Exercise of the Month:
Warm Up Like an NFR Athlete
By Logan Corbett with Champion Living Fitness
Want to know what the Champion Living Fitness NFR athletes are going to be doing before they compete in the Thomas and Mack? Get the behind-the-chutes insider scoop from Logan!
Rodeo Word of the Month:
Average
Average
During the NFR you will hear the announcers and commentators talking a lot about the “average.” In rodeo, the word average means the total of their times or scores throughout the rodeo. So, at the NFR, the average champion in the timed events would be the cowboy or cowgirl with the fastest (lowest) time throughout the 10 rounds when all of their times are added together. For the roughstock events, the cowboy with the highest score when all of their scores are added together will be awarded the average champion.
Rodeo Math Problem of the Month:
Who Won the NFR Average?
And the average champion is….
Here is an example of how the average champion is determined at the NFR in a timed event like barrel racing and a roughstock event like bull riding. Solve the problems to see who won the average! In the roughstock events, “NS” stands for no score, or zero points.
Who won the average in the barrel racing?
Who won the average in the bull riding?
Reading Comprehension:
Bull Care Facts
The author of the Short Go Children’s Books recently teamed up with the PBR team the Texas Rattlers to put together a book about what life is like for a PBR bucking bull. Check out some of these cool facts about PBR bulls from the new book, “Venom’s Eight-Second Dream.” To get a copy of the book, have your parents e-mail us at thebellmarebookco@gmail.com.
The PBR has more than 100 different stock contractors, or bull owners. Some stock contractors have small herds, while others might own as many as 200 bulls.
Bucking bulls eat 10 to 15 pounds of special grain made to fit their individual needs every day. Many stock contractors also will add vitamins, minerals and supplements to the bull’s feed to keep them feeling their best.
They also eat 15 pounds of high-quality hay.
The PBR requires bulls to arrive at least 24 hours before an event to let them get used to their new surroundings and have plenty of time to rest before they perform.
The average-sized PBR bucking bull weighs between 1,600 and 1,800 pounds. Most PBR bull riders weigh less than 200 pounds, giving the bull a serious advantage!
Most PBR bucking bulls are between the ages of 5 and 10. When bulls are retired, they return to their home ranch to become herd sires who father the next generation of athletes talented enough to buck in the PBR.
Test Your Comprehension:
How much does the average PBR bull weigh?
How many stock contractors are there in the PBR?
How much hay does a PBR bull eat each day?
Thank you for reading our blog! We want to hear your thoughts! Click here to send us any questions, comments or feedback you have!
〰️
Thank you for reading our blog! We want to hear your thoughts! Click here to send us any questions, comments or feedback you have! 〰️