Breaking It Down
Speed Williams
By Speed Williams
speedroping.com
Recently I was in my home state of Florida for three two-day schools. One of our discussions was “how do you get better.” When I’m teaching I give my students a scenario to complete – whether it’s an 11-second run or 5-second run. Then while watching the video, I break it down and look at every move both their left and right hands make and what their legs are doing during the run. We look at wasted motion during the run. It’s no different than looking at a business and eliminating excess expenses. When roping we need to eliminate excess time it takes to rope the cow. Starting from how you start your rope to how you face your horse.
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By Speed Williams
speedroping.com
For most team ropers the hardest steer to catch is when they are high team back, have 11 seconds to win and all they have to do is catch. Watch the ropings and notice how many teams fail in that situation. It’s not as common in the higher numbers, but it does happen. The lower number roping, the more common it is. Often times little things go wrong and that’s where you have to be able to ride and control your horse and take a high percentage shot.
By Speed Williams
speedroping.com
The name of this article is actually the topic this month. I’m often asked, “What can I do to get better?” It really comes down to some simple steps and the fundamentals of riding your horse and swinging your rope. Whether you’re heading or heeling, there are simple fundamentals to be accomplished for you to have a chance. It doesn’t matter what level you are, there are fundamental steps that cannot be overlooked. With professional ropers it’s the same thing, but different steps.
By Speed Williams
speedroping.com
When we found out the NFR was moving to Texas, I had several people call and want to know my thoughts. Initially it wasn’t going to pay as much as usual and some thought it was a bad idea. My response was if there was no NFR, it would be hard to get contestants to leave home and rodeo because with the exception of a few rodeos through the year, the NFR is where they make their money.