The Rodeo Coach in Your Living Room

For years, the adage “Go west, young man…” was true for men and women across the country who wanted to pursue their rodeo dreams. The West was the epicenter of opportunity. While the West still holds this title in the rodeo world, those with the passion in their hearts for the sport who were born in other states now have access to incredible opportunities without having to relocate. 

Today, you can have a rodeo coach in your living room, even if one doesn’t exist in your community or neighboring towns. In-person clinics have always been and continue to be a great option, but the knowledge is often a one-time takeaway. After participants return home and put those skills into practice, they may encounter new struggles or have additional questions. Or, they may develop new issues with their own actions or their horses' actions that they need to troubleshoot.

The rise of internet coaching programs has provided the answer to this dilemma through constant, ongoing interaction with a coach, regardless of where the coach or student is located. This not only provided new possibilities for amateur and experienced rodeo athletes, but it has also given seasoned competitors turned coaches another source of income when they want to retire from the rodeo road.

The concept is simple, but has been split into two primary options. The first option is that a seasoned rodeo professional with titles and winnings under their belt offers to coach individuals through online groups and video chats for a monthly fee. Some groups cap the number of participants or the number of monthly video submissions, but many provide direct feedback from the coach on the participant’s uploaded recording. This allows insights from next-level athletes and the ability to get feedback and track progress over time. A few examples of this include Tyson Durfey’s “No Limits” mentorship program and Madison Outhier’s breakaway coaching. There are plenty of additional programs, and all offer good value, depending on the unique needs and interests of the participant.

The second option is that individuals can subscribe to discipline-specific platforms where multiple seasoned rodeo professionals have signed up to pre-record videos with tips, drills, and insights. The coaches are generally big names who are able to provide high-level insights from years of experience. These videos are only available to subscribers and are normally part of massive content libraries with new videos frequently being added to keep subscribers engaged long-term. The website Roping.com is a popular example of this format, as is Breakawayroping.com  and the Barrel Battalion.

Both program formats generally focus on both the rider and their horse, watching and analyzing the actions of both during runs and blending horse training tips into the fold.

The success of these models has grown exponentially, and deepened networking connections in the already tight-knit rodeo world. While the original programs were event-specific, there are now offshoots related to one-on-one sports psychology sessions, horsemanship and horse training, and rodeo fitness. With the rise of remote workers and nomadic lifestyles, this model will grow in success and popularity.