A: I think really in the last two years, it just shows how solid she has gotten. It’s so nice having a horse that you back in the box and I never have to worry about her anymore. On all different scores, all different setups, she tries so hard every time.
Q: All these winter building rodeos have different setups, scores and calves—how hard is it to make those changes on the same horse and see success?
A: It’s really hard. Every place is different, and you’ve got to adjust quick. But she’s pretty much the same every time, which makes it a lot easier on me.
Q: You said you don’t change much—what do you actually adjust on her from rodeo to rodeo?
A: I use really light bits on her—the only thing I ever change up is her bit. I don’t use the same bit at Fort Worth that I do at Houston. If I need to see a little bit more, I just put a little bit more bit in her mouth.
Q: What makes Scandal so consistent across those rodeos?
A: She had a really good foundation put on her, and I think we always can go back to that. You see a lot of horses get tight when we’re always throwing fast, and she had such a good foundation that I rarely ever practice on her. If she ever gets tight, I go rope two or three calves on her in the practice pen and she gets freed right back up.
Q: You’ve talked about how smart she is—what do you mean by that?
A: She’s really, really smart. She really remembers the last thing she did. If you go free her up in a practice pen, she’s going to be free at the next rodeo. It doesn’t take much. It just takes me riding her good and preparing her a little bit and she gives it 100%.
Q: You’ve only had her a few years—when did you realize she could be this kind of horse?
A: It clicked right away. She’s tiny, and I think that throws people off, but the first calf I ran on her she broke so hard I almost came out of the back of the saddle. We made five good runs right away and it was just like, wow—when it’s a fit, it’s a fit.
Q: You’re balancing rodeo with three kids—what does your prep actually look like?
A: I don’t practice very much. I try to take care of my shoulder, and with three kids we’re busy with school and sports. So when I do practice, I try to make it count. I might only run three or four calves, but I pick a couple things to work on and really focus on those.
Q: These winter rodeos are a waiting game—you run, then sit, then run again. How do you handle that mentally?
A: I think it’s big to just do your job every time. There’s a lot of waiting, and you never really know how it’s going to shake out. A lot of times if you just do your job, it ends up working out—even when you don’t think it will.
Q: You cashed in at every stop and worked your way into the Top 15—how does that set up your season?
A: It’s awesome. I was a little frustrated because I didn’t finish as strong as I wanted at some of them, but looking back, it’s hard to be upset. I just kind of nickeled and dimed my way through, but it adds up. And getting those tour points is big for me, especially since I won’t go as hard in the summer.
Q: What makes Scandal the kind of horse you can build a season around?
A: She’s just one I can count on. She’s smart, she doesn’t take much, and she tries hard every time. I’m really thankful to have her.
