Worrying about all the logistics that goes into putting on a wedding. Removed me from tunnel vision of the NFR and other personal goals that I’ve set for myself. Like my vision of what is truly important in life was clarified. As I watched my new bride step off a beautiful horse drawn carriage. It all occurred to me that between my obsession to become successful in rodeo and the pitfalls of life on the road. It was easy for me or anyone else to lose track of “the good stuff” as Kenney Chesney sings about. Far too many people think that success, or money, or popularity will give them what they’ve been needing to feel rewarded in life. I used to look at people that have achieved more than me and was jealous, even bitter. Now I look at people like Kory Koontz or Patrick Smith who have had both, success in and out of the arena, and I look up to those people. Winning without dignity isn’t enough. My Dad has always told me that the world is full of talented derelicts. I’m not so sure that most of them didn’t go out and buy a PRCA card. Be careful who you surround yourself with. Be careful who you look up to. Because one day you’ll wake up and you’ll be one of them and you won’t even remember how you got there.

Because of the wedding I haven’t roped for about three weeks. Rachel and I went to Maui to see some friends for our honeymoon and it was a nice break. I’m flying over the Pacific as I write this and i feel well rested and eager to get back to the fight. I’m getting up good at all the rodeos that we’ve entered thus far. My life feels like it has a nice balance to it and I can hear that old feeling calling to me again. Soon the rodeo season will be in full swing and I’m so excited I can hardly hold a thought in my head. The Bible says God favors the married man and with Rachel and my family behind me. I feel like It is just the beginning to the best years of my life. So look out NFR, with my priorities firmly in place, I’m headed your way. Till next time – TW

Kaleb and I started roping at Caldwell the second week of August and had instant success. As of writing this we’ve won a little under $14k. We get along good and have fun roping. He ropes extremely well handles steers better than anyone I’ve ever roped with and I have high hopes for next year with him. I don’t do well when roping becomes work. For me to do my best, It has to be fun. Kaleb is great at that, he doesn’t take himself too seriously, and in almost every situation bad or good you can always see him smile. You can’t tell if he just won or lost. Clay Cooper is just like that. Golfers talk about mastering your emotions. The best in rodeo, the best in sports, can do it. Having fun is the best way to ensure that you wont be nervous and will likely preform at your best. He makes it easy for me to be my best and I look forward to 2011 season.

The Tour Finale is this week and I have $40k won. If I do good there, I should have a good shot at the finals. Pendleton got 155 teams because it is there 100 year anniversary. So, it should pay great as well. Plenty of opportunity for me but all I can do is heel my steers and let the secretaries figure it out. Kaleb didn’t make it so I’ll heel for Steve Purcella, who won it last year and made a late season run to make the NFR. Thats just what I need.

I put a little highlight reel together for you guys. Click here to see it. Summer Highlights . We are booking  lessons at the Training Center for the fall. We will be heading home in a few weeks so call or email for availability. If your interested in coming for a few days, available dates are October 19-21, November 1-4, and Nov 26. Till next time- TW

Of course, just like always, when you quit roping with someone, You do nothing but win. We were no different. Dave and I made Great runs everywhere. Won 5th at Huntsville, 4th at Nacogdoches, and 3rd at the tour rodeo Austin. I also went to that Jackpot I mentioned and won 2nd and 4th. I heeled 31 steers in a row those three weeks, starting at the Strait and $29,000. Performance wise, my best ever. I feel like I’ve got my heeling finally figured out. It took me longer than I’d hoped, but I feel like I understand every aspect of it and I’m thankful for that.

So, I headed to California to start my new partnership with Broc. As I made the 2000 mile drive by myself I hoped that we would start off with a bang. Usually, I told myself, that doesn’t happen. Be ready to work on it, and accept losing for a while, until Broc and I find our niche. Thats just what happened. We drew bad and had heck and several rodeos right in a row. The spring in California is known for tons of good jackpots. We were jackpotting good but one of us would make a mistake somewhere along the way. All part of building a team. Young guys like to throw a fit at the first sign of adversity. It was nice to see Broc handle it with maturity and work through it. He turned the two very best steers at Clovis and we placed on our second one. I am very excited to get a chance to heel for him. I think we learned a lot this spring and It’s nice that we have a two month break before Reno and the 4th of July. I’m sure we’ll be in top form by then and ready to make a run at the NFR. If I’ve learned anything from my Dad it’s positive attitude and hard work will get you anywhere you want to go. I feel like I finally have a partner with the same mind set, determination, and work ethic as me. I feel overwhelmed with excitement when I think about the possibilities for Broc and I.

Till next time -TW

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Walt, I wanted to take the time and drop you this email , and to thank you for teaching me to rope. No we have never met, but I have been trying to learn for a while now. I have been to a clinic and have watched many video instructional tapes. I was so discouraged, but wanted to keep trying to rope. I was waiting for my wife while she shopped in this particular store that had different DVD’s on team roping. Now understand I have bought them all  Speed ,Ricky’s, Jake’s, and they are all good, but there was something missing. So my wife ask if I was going to buy another DVD . I laughed and said I guess, and took your video on “heading” home. Well to save this from being a long email , that was in October 09. I made 18 in the call back out of 300 teams in the Circle T Arena team roping November 22  and qualified for the finals in May. Went to my good friends , Don and Jenifer Barnes arena in Mineral Wells and won the buckle for that Sunday January 10 th .You just made it easier for me to understand what I was doing wrong. I started late in life on this roping trail for I am 53 now and have been at this for about a year and a half, but I so enjoy it. I hope to meet you some day, and to thank you in person…..I just wanted to say good job Walt…and Thanks Eric.

DEAR  WALT, TRAVIS AND DARLENE,

MY NAME IS CURTIS HAWORTH  I’M IN NORTHERN ALBERTA RUNNING A DRILLING RIG IN THE FROZEN TUNDRA.MY WIFE JUST SENT ME MY COPY OF YOURE NEW DVDS UP WITH MY ROPING PARTNER.WE WATCH THEM DAILY AS WELL AS ROPE THE SAW HORSE EVERY DAY FOR A FEW HOURS .I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOURE FAMILY  FOR ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT  PUT INTO MAKING THEM AND HELPING PEOPLE. THEY ARE AN INVALUABLE TOOL TO US .THEY HELPS US MORE THAN I CAN SAY.THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT YOURE FAMILY GIVES TO MAKING PEOPLE BETTER ROPERS AND IN MY VIEW BETTER PEOPLE IS SECOUND TO NONE.I WENT TO  A CLINC FROM WALT LAST YEAR AND COULDN’T BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE WOULD GO TO THE LENGTHS THAT HE DOES TO HELP EVERY SINGLE PERSON.HE CHANGED MY ROPING AND HOW I APROACH AND LOOK AT THINGS NOT JUST IN THE ROPEN PEN EITHER .HE TOLD US MONDAY IS HATE MAIL DAY THOSE PEOPLE OUT TO LUNCH. THE WAY HE EXPLANES AND SHOWS YOU IN PERSON AS WELL AS IN YOURE DVDS IS INCREADABLY EASY TO UNDERSTAND.ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US THAT YOU HAVE HELPED UP HEAR THANK YOU FOR YOURE DEDICATION AND THE  SACRIFICES YOURE FAMILY MAKES TO IMPROVE AND MAKE BETTER ROPERS AND PEOPLE.                  THANK YOU CURTIS

Walt, just wanted to drop you a line telling you how much I enjoyed and learned @ your school 2-15.  Really liked the way you and Travis were informal but really professional, makes it alot easier when you are not intimidated by your professor.  Thanks to your wife and mother, the whole school was just great.  Thanks again and best of luck!  Jim Davenport