Episodes

The X Factor Roping Podcast is going to feature a series of mental game episodes the Lyman Tenny. Episode 1 in this podcast series will feature discussions including optimal mental performance, belief in self, self-assessment, visualization, and muscle memory. Lyman Tenny is a mental game coach at Tenny Training. It is believed that upwards of 80% of success is attributed to one’s mental game. Tenny Training helps individuals become aware of thoughts and belief systems that control them so they...

Jake Cooper has been a member of the PRCA since 2004 and has qualified for the NFR three times. He recently made the decision to try his hand in the rope horse futurity world with the purchase of a stallion named Reys of Pep. In this podcast, he discusses the changes he has made to be successful in the futurity world and his plans for the future.

This summer looked different for the 2014 Resistol Rookie of the Year Header, Billy Bob Brown. He and his partner, Kirby Blankenship decided to rodeo for about a month to see how it would go. They captured the coveted 2023 Cheyenne Frontier Days Team Roping Championship and Billy Bob finds himself inside the top 30 headers in the world. Listen as he discusses his summer and how his mental game has played a huge role in his success.

Billy Myers is the founder of the Platinum Metal Rope Horse Futurity and Sale. August 31- September 2 will be the very first event with the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma being the host. In this podcast, Billy dives in the idea behind this even, details about the event, breeding/raising horses and building a successful horse program.

Professional rodeo athletes are headed into the final quarter of the 2023 regular season. Paden Bray was recently crowned the California Rodeo Salinas All-Around Champion, the Days of ’47 Champion Heeler, and is currently ranked 9th in the Heeling World Standings. In this podcast he shares about making adjustments on the road, the hardest part of being on the road, trusting the process, finding balance, and asking people for advice.

It’s no secret that your mental game plays a huge role in the roping arena. 23 year old, Jared Fillmore, from Payson, Utah shares his perspective on life and rodeo. This is a deep dive into the relationship between winning and self worth.

The 2023 Cowboy Christmas run has officially wrapped up and we got the opportunity to catch up with two PRCA rookies. Cutter Thomison and Chet Weitz shared their experience of the Fourth of July. They discuss the struggles on the road, staying mentally strong, and the importance of having friends that they can count on for advice.

J.C. Yeahquo started his professional rodeo career in 2020 with his brother, L.J. Yeahquo. Throughout the past couple of years, he has learned that he must do HIS job and stay true to the run they like to make as a team. J.C. and his brother have had a strong start to the 2023 season and he is looking forward to the summer run.

L.J. Yeahquo and his brother, J.C., have taken the team roping world by storm this winter with big wins at Rapid City, South Dakota; Jackson, Mississippi; Austin, Texas; and San Angelo, Texas. L.J., the heeler in this brother partnership, shares his thoughts on winning and losing, competing at a professional level, and staying true to your run.

Cory Kidd is from Statesville, North Carolina. In this podcast, Cory discusses what it was like growing up roping on the east coast, the move to Texas, and the adjustments he has made along the way. In 2022, he ended up 16th in the PRCA World Standings. He talks about this accomplishment and how he has stayed mentally strong as he enters a new rodeo season.

Logan Medlin is a three-time NFR Qualifier from Tatum, New Mexico. Listen as Logan discusses winning/losing, horsepower, and mental toughness.

Kolton Schmidt is a two-time NFR Qualifier from Barrhead, Alberta. Kolton is constantly trying to become more competitive mentally. In this podcast, he discusses some of the methods he has used to become more mentally strong and how he had to shift his mindset about winning. This podcast can be watched at: https://xftr.net/schmidtpodcast

Tristan Mahoney, the owner of TM Bits & Spurs, has one goal–to bring you quality handmade bits and spurs at a reasonable price. It doesn’t matter what your horse needs, he has a bit that will fit both horse and rider. Every bit and spur is handmade by Tristan, in his Florence, AZ shop. To order your own TM Bits and Spurs, contact Tristan by email: tmahoney11@gmail.com or by phone 480-459-1411.

There is no doubt that the most elite athletes in the world make their mental game a priority—constantly training their minds to better handle pressure and adversity. Ty Hillman, is a mental skills coach that focuses on helping and training people to develop a competitive mindset. In this podcast, he discusses his thoughts on success, failure, working through slumps, and training methods to become more mentally strong. Ty and his wife, Stevi Hillman, wrote a book called, Mind Fuel: Mental Traini...

Cole Matier moved from Alberta, Canada to Texas at the age of 17. He now specializes in riding young cow horses, rope horses, and barrel horses. During this podcast, he discusses how he got his start in the industry and created a horse training business of his own.

Oklahoma native, Tyler Merrill was born into the horse industry and was raised showing horses in a number of different disciplines. After graduating from military school, Tyler began training horses professionally. He currently shows horses in the Snaffle Bit Futurity, hackamore, reining, NCHA, NRCHA, American Rope Horse Futurity, Riata Buckle Futurity, Royal Crown Futurity, and more. Listen as Tyler talks about his career as a horse trainer and how manages his busy business. To watch this podca...

This special edition podcast features NFR heelers Jade Corkill and Hunter Koch. The two sit down together to discuss and compare each other’s careers and experiences as an elite team roper. To watch the video verison of this podcast, visit: https://xftr.net/corkillkochpodcast

Lightning Aguilera credits his first NFR qualification to his head horse, Jess A Moose, 2022 AQHA Head Horse of the Year. In this podcast, Lightning discusses his childhood, adjustments he has made to his heading to be more consistent, horsepower, and his preparation for the NFR.

Cole Davison introduces World Classic Events, a roping production he started. Cole discusses the format of the roping and how he hopes it will encourage more teams to enter. He also breaks down some of his runs from a previous event and shares the three goals he has for his horses. To watch this rundown, visit: https://xftr.net/davisonwcerundown

2022 PRCA Rookie of the Year, Tanner James, got the full rodeo experience this year. He battled the urge to go home when he wasn’t winning, endured partner swaps, and competed in arenas he had never been to before. Listen as he talks about how he stayed mentally strong and motivated to keep pushing forward. To watch this podcast, visit: https://xftr.net/tannerjamespodcast

In this episode of The Rundown, Chase Tryan talks roping with draw partners, doing your job, and staying hooked with the run no matter what happens. To view “The Rundown” videos discussed in this podcast, visit: https://xftr.net/tryanopenshowdown

Kellan and Carson Johnson, brothers from Casper, Wyoming, are no strangers to team roping and the cowboy way of life. Between the two of them, they hold three College National Team Roping Titles. In this podcast, Kellan and Carson discuss what it is like to rodeo hard all summer long and finish in the top 20 in the world. To watch this podcast, visit: https://xftr.net/johnsonpodcast

33-year-old Chase Tryan qualified for his first NFR in 2012. His second NFR qualification would come years later. Chase discusses that during those years, team roping changed. He had to adjust his style of roping to become one of the best heelers in the world. Listen as Chase takes us through the highs and the lows of his career and the things he had to learn in order to remain at the top of his game.

X Factor’s new PRACTICE Rundown gives cowboys the opportunity to break down runs from the practice pen. Here is your chance to hear NFR heeler, Jake Long break down some of his practice runs. Listen as he takes us through several runs explaining his ideal practice sessions, style of roping, and how it changes from horse to horse. If you would like to watch this PRACTICE Rundown, visit: https://xftr.net/longpracticerundown