ProRodeo Sports News - May 1, 2020

PRORODEO PREPARATION

Cowboys offer advice on rodeo prep during hiatus Practice Pens Photos courtesy Tim O’Connell Three-time bareback riding world champion Tim O’Connell has utilized weights and workout equipment at his home in Marshall, Mo., to stay fit while rodeos are on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BY TRACY RENCK W ith no exact date for PRCA rodeos to return because of

On getting on bucking horses I’ve seen a lot of people getting on horses, and I’m not saying that’s the wrong approach to do it, but if you’re getting on two horses once a month, what

good is that doing? For me, if I know if I have a shot to start setting a run up where I can go to three or four rodeos in a row, I might go the weekend before and get on a couple somewhere and feel my timing back out. Really for me, I’m at the point in my career that I don’t get on practice horses unless I’m about to get ready for the NFR, and I only get on a couple just to shake the rust off. I can do most of my stuff, truthfully, through visualization and my spur board and bucking machine. I can put myself, in my mind, on the rankest horse in the world on my spur board. I can make my body feel the things I need to feel.

the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, a couple questions facing PRCA cowboys are how much practicing should they do and what should they work on before the greenlight is given to return to the rodeo trail? ProRodeo Sports News talked to a variety of cowboys – multi-time world champions andWrangler National Finals Rodeo veterans – to see what their approach is during this unprecedented time. TIM O’CONNELL Marshall, Mo. • Three-time PRCA Bareback Riding World Champion (2016- 18), six-time Wrangler NFR qualifier (2014-19) I got kicked out of my gym (because of the pandemic), so my trainer brought me some dumbbells, some bands and jump rope, and he makes up workouts for me every day. I’m just staying in shape that way. I feel friggin’ good for this time of year. For me, it is a little bit different. When I first made the NFR I was pretty small. I weighed 145 pounds. Over the past four or five years, we have consistently been trying to add weight to my body. Now, I walk around about 160 pounds. Honestly, for me it is a battle to keep that good weight on. I feel really fast right now because I have been doing a lot of cardio workouts and I’ve been getting in some good workouts just with some dumbbells.

TREVOR BRAZILE Decatur, Texas • Brazile has won a PRCA-record 25 gold buckles – a record 14 in all-around (2002-04, 2006-15 and 2018), three in tie-down roping (2007, 2009-10), one in team roping (2010) and seven in steer roping (2006-07, 2011, 2013-15 and 2019) In the past, we have been home for a few days and there wasn’t time to make any big changes or something that needed to happen, whether it be within your horse or something

Brazile

ProRodeo Sports News 5/1/2020

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