The first is my new partner Matt Sherwood. Matt used to tell me, years ago, that we would someday rope. Matt called me in december and said that Randon had decided to take a year off, he had been thinking about partners, and my name kept coming to mind. He wanted to know if I was interested in heeling for him in the upcoming year. I leapt at the chance. I has always been a dream of mine to heel for him, and after telling him so, I could hardly hold another thought in my head for weeks.

Our first competition was Odessa. Even though we have roped a lot together in the past, it felt very different. I felt nervous and had a hard time being myself in the arena. In spite of my nerves, I did well in Odessa. I heeled two good steers at the rodeo, and all by two feet at the jackpot. I have made a little video of the rodeo, and you can watch it by clicking here,  Travis @ Odessa. We had some hard luck, and didn’t win much, but felt good about our performance and moved on to Denver.

Denver was another disappointment. To make a long story, short. In the first go, Matt broke out on a good steer. In the second go, Matt turned a great steer that was going left, and I didn’t get down the arena far enough, got inside, and roped a leg…. Damn. People that have never rodeoed, or maybe people that have never played sports, don’t understand winning is a process. Look at the Miami Heat as an example. Very talented individuals on the team, but not yet working like the well oiled machine that they know there capable of. Matt and I are no different. We both understand that our jobs, as teammates, is to keep our nose down, stay positive, encourage each other, and winning will take care of itself.

Next on the list was Ft. Worth. We made a pretty good run on our first steer, 6.o. I heeled the steer good but I could have heeled him faster. I told myself good job and left it at that. The second steer was more challenging. He checked off and came left, hard. When Matt turned him his butt swung into the left fence and I had to keep swinging and riding. Finally roped him to be 8.0…. I thought a lot about it. I could have been more aggressive and we could have been high call on the steers we had. I’m an aggressive heeler anyway. Thats who I am. The mental pressure of heeling for a two time World Champ had left me with a no mistakes attitude, an afraid to make a mistake attitude, a losers attitude. I made myself a promise right then, If I did lose at the rodeos, lose my partner, and the worst did happen. I could live with it, as long as I was aggressive, and roped like myself. No more nerves, no more worrying, Just have fun and enjoy the ride, don’t be so obsessed with the destination.

So, with my new attitude, We headed for Rapid City. It was very cold (-27 with the wind chill). We flew up and got mounted. Matt rode Seth Gurney’s horse and I rode Jett Johnson’s. I had rode Jett’s old Gray horse, that Jim Cooper now owns, and loved him. I called Jett and told him that. Asked him if anything he rode now, felt like his old gray. He said his sorrel did, and I was welcome to him. He was right. His horse felt great to me. One of the best I’ve ever mounted out on. Matt didn’t get the best start on the first steer, but we made a good run 6.0. We made a great run on our second steer and were 4.8. Winning 5th in the second round and 5th in the ave $3k worth if it holds. I was proud that I kept my nerves under control and allowed myself to rope like I can.

I’m very excited to be getting the kinks out with Matt, and excited to see what the future holds. Special thanks to Jett Johnson for the ride. He is a great heeler and a very good guy. If any of you get the chance to talk with him you won’t regret it. Thanks for keeping up with me. I’ll keep you posted on how San Antonio and San Angelo go, here in a week or so. Thanks again

-TW

Well, Round 2 didn’t go like I’d hoped. We drew a steer that Jade Corkill missed in the first round. He was slow enough, but when I seen him go with Jade I thought he didn’t handle very good. The steer kind of fought his head and wanted to push down the arena, towards the catch pen. Well, He did the same thing for me and I still heeled him but it came right off, just as fast as I roped him…… Damn. But thats heeling for you. If your gonna be great at this, it can’t be the end of the world when you miss. You have to be like a relief pitcher. If they hit it out of the park and win the game, you have to be mentaly tough enough to came back tomorrow night and have your best stuff ready. It’s not a sprint, its a marathon.

Anyway till next time, -TW

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