ProRodeo Sports News - February 9, 2018

KOLTON SCHMIDT • Residence: Barrhead, Alberta • Age: 23 • PRCA member since 2012 • Header • Finished 72nd in 2017

TY BLASINGAME • Residence: Sugar City, Colo. • Age: 33 • PRCA member since 2002 • Header • Finished 49th in 2017

TYLER WADE • Residence: Terrell, Texas • Age: 25 • PRCA member since 2012 • Header • Finished 28th in 2017

What changes have you had to make to your roping now that you’re roping with Cole Davison? We’re both really aggressive, so one of us tries to be the conservative one. We mix and match and try to make it work. Team roping is a sport of reaction, so we practice this way. What are the advantages you see from roping with Davison? He has one of the best horses going and he’s an exceptional athlete. He’s a talented roper and ropes great, but there are so many guys that rope great – so if you can have an advantage, I think his horse is that. COLE DAVISON • Residence: Stephenville, Texas • Age: 28 (turns 29 on Feb. 16) • PRCA member since 2008 • Heeler • Finished 27th in 2017 What changes have you had to make to your roping now that you’re roping with Schmidt? We both tend to run over ourselves and get over ourselves. So we’re sticking to our plan and not beating ourselves and not trying to do too much and just letting things work the way they’re supposed to. I haven’t changed my roping at all. We both took more risks in the past and tried to be too fast, so we slowed down and don’t do as much and just let everything happen the way it’s going to. It works in practice, but it hasn’t connected at the rodeos, but we’ve only been to two so far. What are the advantages you see from roping with Schmidt? We’re both very committed to roping and are committed to our horses, and he has good horses and I’m getting better horses. We were friends to start with and we can tell each other what we think and neither of us get mad about it. When it’s a team event and working things out, it’s hard enough; so if you’re going against each other it’s more difficult.

What changes have you had to make to your roping now that you’re roping with Tyan? He ropes really fast, and the approach was I could use my head a bit more and not reach as much, but I’m still going to reach a bit. We both have to be fast because the game is so much faster now than it was five years ago. What are the advantages you see from roping with Tyan? He’s a really relaxed guy and that fits me, and he doesn’t worry about a lot. He’s not going to worry if I miss a few steers and he’s easy to get along with. It’s a partnership in the arena and out of the arena and being on the same page with practices. And you have to spend time together – so if you can’t be friends, it’s going to be hard. But, if he’s easy to get along with, it makes it so much easier. He’s one of the most talented heelers there is, and he rides a good heel horse and he could be as good as there is heeling-wise. I’m an older veteran now, so I know where we need to go and what we need to do, and he heels steers good, so it works for me. LEVI TYAN • Residence: Wallace, Neb. • Age: 27 • PRCA member since 2011 • Heeler • Finished 57th in 2017 What changes have you had to make to your roping now that you’re roping with Blasingame? Not any really, he ropes great and gives us a chance to win every time. I tried not to change anything, we’ve roped together for a while now and had some success. Hopefully it keeps up. What are the advantages you see from roping with Blasingame? He’s got amazing ability with a rope and has a chance to win no matter where you are; it could be a short 4-second rodeo or a long set up like Cheyenne (Wyo.).

What changes have you had to make to your roping now that you’re roping with Yates? I told him where I wanted the steer to be and we found a comfortable routine. He knows where to haze them and knows how I will handle them. You don’t have to tell him how to heel, he heels really good. I tell him my plan and we try to execute it. It’s good to have a young guy with good horses who can catch fast, and we feed off each other with that. What are the advantages you see from roping with Yates? Obviously, horse power, and he is younger and wants to go. He’s been in Stephenville the last couple of weeks and going to ropings. He’s not married or tied down, it’s strictly roping, and I like that. I’m married and there are times I can’t do stuff, and we try to make it work. He can be on the road whenever. The big deal for me is making a living with my rope, as long as I can do that, I am happy. TREY YATES • Residence: Pueblo, Colo. • Age: 22 • PRCA member since 2013 • Heeler • Finished 76th in 2017 What changes have you had to make to your roping now that you’re roping with Wade? I had to change some things. I never roped with anyone who reaches like he does. He handles cattle well on a long rope, but most guys get closer and I’d ride around them and throw fast. But now I have to be an offensive player. He has the speed, so I need to be disciplined about my roping. What are the advantages you see from roping with Wade? He’s made the NFR and been out here rodeoing for a while, and he’s learned how to win and enter and where to go where he’s comfortable going. The main thing from roping with him that makes me feel good is he has a lot of faith in me as a partner. That’s big in a team sport, you have to have confidence in your partner as well as yourself, and I have full-fledged confidence in him as well.

ProRodeo Sports News 2/9/18

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