Behind The Buckles Episode 12 w/ Catherine Asmussen

In this episode of Behind the Buckles, we welcome rookie barrel racer Catherine Asmussen. Raised in a family deeply rooted in the racehorse industry, Catherine brings a unique horsewoman’s perspective to the barrel racing arena. She shares what it has been like stepping into her first year of competition, the influence of her family’s racing background, the transition into the sport, and the dedication it takes to chase her goals one run at a time. Tune in for an honest conversation about horses, heritage, and finding your place behind the buckles.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Spears coffee. Really? Bucking good.

unknown 0:06

I hate that I have to do this part every time.

SPEAKER_01 0:08

You're doing great.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Hello and welcome back to Behind the Buckles. This is episode 12 with our good friend Catherine Asmuson. I'm saying that right, right? Yes. Okay, I've just said it like that since I met you over the phone, and that's just what I've gone with. So we are finally all back together. I was kind of gallivanting around the country for or countries for a little bit, but now we're back and have to take our lives seriously and be serious again. So here we are, and we got Catherine to sit down with us. And we're even more professional now because we have mics and headphones. Yeah, look at it. So just take note of that.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Moving on up.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

So Catherine, we're gonna let you kind of take it away. Don't worry too much. We just want to know about your past, how you kind of got started in barrel racing or horses in your family, and then we'll kind of dive in and ask you questions as we go.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Yeah. Awesome. Well, horses have definitely been a huge part of my life growing up since before I can even remember. I grew up in Europe. My dad rode races over there for some big families. And from there, when I was 10 years old, I moved back to the States and the English thing just wasn't cutting it. I wanted to go fast and do all the things. So I started, I had ponies and all kinds of horses, and we did a few 4-8 shows. And from there, I knew that speed events were more of my thing.

SPEAKER_02 1:36

Tell us about living in France, growing up there with horses. And you told me about some pony club situation and how you created it, or tell us about pony club in France.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

So growing up in France, Pony Club is super popular. It's kind of like the in thing. We all go, we all ride together and we take lessons and we have our own horses, and it's fun, it's something that kids can do together, and you have a nice little camaraderie. And from there, when I moved to the States, I moved to Laredo, Texas, and there wasn't very many kids that rode or did anything. So my sisters and I would kind of just ride by ourselves. And we thought like we really needed pony club in the states. So growing up, my parents were a little bit strict, and they said, when you guys start making your own money, you can make your own rules. And we decided to start a little pony club business. Well, our business kind of took off and really grew, and we still have it today. So we have a bunch of kids that ride with us, and kids that have gone on and got full full ride scholarships to college and didn't know anything about horses, and then just came to Pony Club once, and it kind of like shaped their life. And now they're running and call at college rodeos and have horses, and their parents never thought they'd own a trailer or a truck, but there they are. I love that.

SPEAKER_04 3:06

So when we we not, I'm sure it's not the same thing, but growing up a little bit, we had Pony Club, but that was mainly like for jumping and a little bit like crop. I mean, and when I say that the loosely, very loosely, but uh, is that like with your pony club, or was yours like a basis of horsemanship?

SPEAKER_00 3:25

Well, in Europe, it jumping is big, dressage is big. So we we started out riding English when we were younger, but in the States, we did we had a lot of Western horses, and the kids would do pull bending and barrel racing, and we'd haul them to little rodeos. And I'm still a huge sucker for pony horses and for all we have all the colors, all the kinds, all the sizes.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

You and me both. You've seen my pony haird. Yes. So when you guys moved back, did you bring horses with you, or was it like starting fresh when you got back to Texas?

SPEAKER_00 4:06

Well, we did bring my mom got to bring her horses, and our ponies went to a friend's in Europe. We did not get to ship our ponies overseas. So my mom was the lucky one. But we did have my grandparents had a I actually had a Morgan horse that would kind of jump, and he was bought out of a pony club, and we had a Welsh pony, and then from there we started, we got the traditional Texas quarter horse and went from there. Perfect.

SPEAKER_02 4:38

So when you moved back, was your dad because your dad was a jockey in in France, right? Yeah, and so when you moved back, was he still jockeying here or how do you think?

SPEAKER_00 4:48

No, so once we moved back, he said he's like, I'm gonna retire, I'm gonna just be with the kids and go back. My grandparents, we have a racetrack in Laredo, Texas, because Laredo, they're actually from South Dakota, but because Laredo has great weather all year, you can train all year. We're not limited to snow or anything like that. So we do have a race, uh six-eighths of a mile racetrack in Laredo with a bunch of barns, and he was just gonna come back and help my grandparents. Well, then he started training and braiding and buying horses that didn't last long, so he started training as well, and we kind of just went from there.

SPEAKER_04 5:32

So your grandparents uh stayed in the States the whole time and they've always had racehorses.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Yes, they've always had race horses, and my dad rode went at 16 in New York and got a big opportunity. Got high, he was really he was a great apprentice in New York at a young age, and when he was 18, he got a big opportunity to go ride exclusively for the Niarcos family in Europe, so that's kind of what got him to Europe. Okay, that's cool. Yeah, went from there.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

So tell us um your grandparents had race horses, and then they had Steve and Cash, your uncle and dad. And so tell us about your uncle and stuff, uh, Steve, as well.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

So Steve is the leading thorbred trainer in wins in the United States. So he's had a very successful career training some of the best horses, having some really, really great thorbred race horses. And he has three sons, and his two of his sons are jockeys, and they're doing that now. So they're and they're all super tall, but they are really disciplined, crazy disciplined, way better disciplined than we are. Eating and working out and just really staying on top of it, and they're having my I have a cousin right now that's riding in Dallas, Texas, and then one that's riding in Kentucky, and they're having a great, like successful career. They don't know how long it's gonna last because making weight is definitely a challenge for them because they're 5'11, they are definitely what is jockey weight? Jockey weight's about like 125. Holy yes, 115. Like you could be 120, but it's pretty much so.

SPEAKER_02 7:23

I think when I left eighth grade, that's when the dream kind of went away for me. I think grade four eighth grade for me. Yeah, yeah, that's why we had to do barrel horses, but yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 7:34

Yeah, I was gonna say I didn't know exactly what really tall it meant, you know, like our husbands are six four, but I mean 5'11 and 120 pounds is pretty thin. Yeah, it's hard. You have to be in shape, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

And and like so, my family were I married into a wrestling family, and so it there's a lot of like cutting weight, making weight, and not as much, you know, in the younger ages, but my husband's a high school wrestling coach, and there's a lot of like you know, weight talk in our family, and and not for us really, but you know, for the kids, and not for my kids, that sounded bad, but for the high school kids, you know, making weight and cutting weight, and there's an art to it, and it's not something that's like natural for people to like think about and to think about that, like for you since you had that background, is that something that you like bring into the barrel horse world?

SPEAKER_00 8:33

Well, it's definitely when we start talking about splint boots and polo wraps and all the things, they're definitely like it is a big, it's a huge factor because weight and race horses is crazy, and we do talk about weight like crazy. People look at us like, what is going on in this family? And we're on the airplane talking about weight, and we've had people like chirping, you should not talk to your daughters about weight and things like that. But it's just growing up is just something that I mean. Every race you run, you get weighed before, you get weighed after, you weigh yourself in the jox room to make sure you're gonna make weight, like it's it's insane, and I know that just everything shoes on your horse, splint boots, saddle pads, saddles, it's definitely did you ever jockey? I've galloped horses, but I did not ever like ride a race or anything.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

So, with that, like what do you run your horses in? Like, do you have a saddle pad and a saddle that's like a lighter weight, or do you think I don't think about it?

SPEAKER_00 9:40

I don't necessarily I do think about it, and I do own a master saddle, and it just kind of depends on the horse, but I don't run in split boots, I run in polo wraps, and I do take it into consideration. But then I see Lisa Lockhart go out there and smash us all with this, like with a regular saddle, and I'm like, if she can do it, we better get to jocking as well.

SPEAKER_01 10:03

Yeah, no, that's that is true.

SPEAKER_04 10:06

Uh, tell me about I always wonder about this when I watch the races. Some have I don't I'm not gonna say it because yes, like polo wraps splint boots, but some horses are wrapped, but most are not.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

No, it kind of just depends. They'll wrap them with vet wrap, like if a horse tends to hit or something, they'll just wrap their legs in vet wrap. And but normally okay. I didn't know if it was vet wrap, I didn't know if it was something that had gotten wet, like it almost no, they'll put like a little piece of plastic, sometimes depending, and some vet wrap, but they don't like if they interfere, yes, yes, and your family is always been thoroughbreds, right? We've had quarter horses as well, and my mom does break and train a lot of quarter horses. That's actually how I got my bare homework, but mainly we have um we've trained thoroughbreds, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:00

Yeah, because we were talking about this when you first came to the place to stay. We were talking, I was asking you like, is there any like horses that you guys have ever raised that you've tried to make barrel horses, but none of the race horses, right?

SPEAKER_00 11:12

Like, well, I do have uh my backup horse right now is a thoroughbred, and we bred him and raised him and raised him. And uh he's a solid 1D horse. He's won some money and done well. He's not as seasoned, so he's not my number one horse at the moment. But I also the mayor that I do run is a mayor. We broke a quarter horse that we've broke, and my grandparents also started out. My grandma was the trainer, my grandpa was the jockey because you couldn't train and ride your own horses, so you had so she ended up being the trainer, and she rode like Blaze and Jedelina's dad, and uh he rode my grandfather, and so he's rode a lot of like good, great quarter horses, and but mainly now there's a a little more money in thorbreds, so that's kind of where we're at.

SPEAKER_02 12:07

So, what is your backup horse? What is his breeding then?

SPEAKER_00 12:10

He is a little expectations. Uh his dad is little expectations, and he's uh uh thorbred that we had and we stood. He passed now, he's he was a little older, but he's a quick, short distance thoroughbred, and he ended up being valid expectations. His full brother ended up being a really good horse for polo horses and things. They were really quick at a short distance.

SPEAKER_02 12:40

So, does your family have a lot of studs? Like, do you guys do a lot of your own breeding for your racehorses? And you guys stand a lot of the studs and own the mares and stuff like that?

SPEAKER_00 12:48

We do have a stud standing in Arkansas that was fourth in the derby. We actually owned him with Irv Woolsey that passed away, which was George Street's manager for a lot of years. So we have we still have him in Arkansas, and we do we still dabble in a few. We breed probably like 15 mares a year, and but that's about all we have at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

And how is the mare that you're running right now, like your number one? Like how's she bred?

SPEAKER_00 13:18

She is by Louisiana Cartel, that's a horse that stood in South Texas. He actually also passed away, um, owned by Hadad Ranch, and she's out of a Trace Ace Mare.

SPEAKER_01 13:31

Oh, okay. So she's so I mean there's there's a lot of like rough run.

SPEAKER_02 13:36

Yes. She's she's very fast. What did you know the Trace Ace Mare, or did you buy her when she was, or did you guys raise her?

SPEAKER_00 13:43

No, we broke her, and um my mom actually broke her, and one of her owner had a bunch of horses, and he was just kind of cutting down on horses and was gonna spend more time with his grandkids. So when he when he was cutting down on horses, he gifted her to me, and then I trained her and I faturied her and then derbied her a little bit, and it would last year was her last derby year, and I was like, Well, I'm either gonna have to rodeo or yeah, so she never went to the track. No, she did go to the track, she did, and we got her back, and then when when we got her back, she had an injury when she was a two-year-old, so she went usually in the quarter horse world, their furity years huge when they're they fraturity as two, and she had an injury, so she went to the racetrack a little later, and then we got her back. She ran, I think, twice, and then when we got her back, um I started training her for barrels.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Perfect. So is that what sorry, Maggie? Go ahead. I was like, so is that what got you into the rodeo thing? You're like, okay, I want to keep running her, I don't want to sell her, so now I have to rodeo to do that.

SPEAKER_00 14:56

That is exactly. I said, I'm 33. I just turned 33. So I was waiting to have that horse, and I usually always sell because the name of the game is sell sell. And I said, when I have the horse, I'll I'll try to go. So I've saved my rookie year till I was 33 years old.

SPEAKER_01 15:18

I was gonna just like that. Was gonna be my next question is so this rookie race that's happening currently is looking pretty good. And the fact that like you have obviously done it very smart. Like, you have you have the horses, you hired a very good entry girl, yes. Um, so like how so did you rodeo on a permit for a few years, or did you like how did that work?

SPEAKER_00 15:48

I went to a few rodeos on a permit and just filled my permit and also like mainly like barrel races, but I knew nothing. And the best decision I ever made was hiring a rodeo manager.

SPEAKER_01 16:02

Shout out, shout out to you.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

I would not even have five thousand dollars in earnings if I entered myself.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

Well, that's I'm not even I just was gonna ask, I'm like, I didn't even think about how you did fill your permit. Exactly, exactly that and I say that out of love, but I'm like sitting here, I'm like, God, I did forget she had to fill her permit on her own, and I just don't know how that happened.

SPEAKER_00 16:38

No, I don't permit a hot minute ago, and there was no online portal for WPRA, yeah, and no, it was definitely interesting, but I'm very, very blessed and fortunate. If anybody wants to try to rodeo, fill your permit, all of the above. I suggest you get a rodeo manager, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:06

Call us. Yeah, and that's how we all became friends because you were coming up here, and then we're like, we need a place to stay. And then instantly we were like, Yeah, I think we're gonna be friends.

SPEAKER_00 17:17

Yes, yes, Rainy Operator house, and then there was like no looking back.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

I know, and I got introduced to you guys in Eagle, and I'm like, Okay, these are my people. Yeah, we're gonna hang out. Yeah, so sorry about it.

SPEAKER_02 17:33

But now she's just like stayed at your parents' house, they've moved in. I'm like, it's fine, it's great. She's like, I'm so sorry. I'm like, uh, I grew up in a rodeo family. This is what happens. I told her, I'm like, well, next week, or whenever call doll is, I feel like I entered it so long ago. But I'm like, you're gonna open your trailer door at my house, and you're just it's gonna look like a capri, like a capri lot. Yeah, like the rodeo parking lot.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Yeah. So like just be prepared for that. Like when you're friends with Rainy, like so at our place in Wickenburg this winter, I'm like, everybody is like getting ready to go home. Well, there's a bunch of winter rodeos, and like you kind of pass in through Wickenburg, whatever.

SPEAKER_02 18:08

And her husband, so we like my parents' place is where I usually stay. Yeah, well, then her husband was going back to Idaho, Jerry, and I was like, Well, I don't want to be here by myself. Abby had left and she had a bunch of pens opened up.

SPEAKER_01 18:20

It was just us, so I'm like, You moved into her place. Yeah, I'm like, You have to come stay with me because it's just us. So then pretty soon, like I walk out, I'm going to like ride and feed and get everything. Like, I just had like a few horses left, and I look over and I'm like, counting the capri's. I'm like, so then pretty soon, like, we're Rainy and I are riding that morning, and then like all of a sudden, there's all these refies that keep just rolling out of the capris, and I'm like, Oh, good morning.

SPEAKER_02 18:49

I was like, I'm like, just so you know, there's gonna be like 15 bull riders here. I'm like, whatever, just plug them in. Yeah, it's fine, it's just the way that it goes, but yeah, so I'm and shout out Jalen. I wish she could have been here with us, but um, because that's how we because you called me in I think September, or that's when we kind of got because Jalen set it all up, and then yeah, we've been off to the races, and you are crushing it, and I'm really excited for the next couple weeks with your horse. Yes, circling back to the rookie race, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:21

Can we talk about that a little bit? Like you were so successful in Reno. Like, tell us about tell us about Reno.

SPEAKER_02 19:28

Yes, well, I think we should you should start with when I sent you to Canada. Oh, and tell us about your experience in Canada, then to the all the badass you've been doing. Yeah, okay, that's a good that's a good idea.

SPEAKER_04 19:40

And then I'm gonna tell my version of Rainey's version of going to Canada, but go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 19:44

Well, I've watched Rainey's videos in Canada, and she is just like a Canadian superstar, let me tell you. Yeah, she is just because I whipped to the first.

SPEAKER_04 19:57

You have to, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:58

So Rainey said she's like, I think Canada would be a good fit for you. And I was like, you know what? You're the boss because trust me, she knows what she's doing, she always guides me the right way. Well, then we get to Canada, and it was definitely the first place we go. Do you remember where that was?

SPEAKER_02 20:21

Falkland.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

Falkland. So there are some interesting people in Falkland that were coming up to her trailer and talking to us, and I was like, well, like this is kind of how it's going. I ran my backup horse there. He ran decent. It was okay. As I continue going, I thought I was a 1D barrel racer. Maybe I was a 6D barrel racer by the time I was in Canada. I don't know what was going on. I don't know if it was my confidence, I don't know what was happening. But I brought soil, yes, it was foreign soil. My horses didn't like it.

SPEAKER_02 20:57

So so she goes, and this is before we were like super close. So she's not like really telling me, but Jalen was doing great, and so I'm like, they're like loving Canada. Well, then you gotta tell them about the Calgary qualifier because that is a hilarious story.

SPEAKER_00 21:11

So I'm ready to go home. I'm like, or not even go home. I was like, you know what? I just want to run with the sharks in the US of A. It's not working out for me. No, my horses are just not handling the ground, I'm just not handling any part of Canada. I lost a bunch of weight, my eating schedule was off. I don't know what it was, all of the above. But I'm going to the Calgary, we go to the Calgary qualifier, and the first day I run, I think I hit a barrel on my good horse. My backup horse tries to jump the out gate, takes down the man. Like, this is just a disaster. I was like, this is Canada for me. Like Canada just does not like me. And I was like, do I expect anything else? I have done some crazy things on runs that I've never even done with a two-year-old, but my nine-year-old horse is just starting to just run up the arena or just turn on the same side, all of the above.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

Sydney Graham was like, We went for supper. And then he's like, I literally thought you killed the gay guy. I was like, I thought I killed myself, Sydney. I thought you were worried about the gay guy. Yeah, him too. Literally. She's like, Sydney's like, I was just so worried about the gay guy. She's like, he was fine.

SPEAKER_01 22:35

I was worried about me.

SPEAKER_00 22:37

I was worried about coming back to my younger days of show jumping. Right. Because I was about to show jump the outgame. So I am packing up. I am ready to go back to the States. I am like, let's go. Like, let's get out of here. And on the on the speaker, they're like, you can enter. And it's a one person makes it back. And the friend I was hauling with that was killing it in Canada. I was just trying to be as positive as I could be because I just wanted out of Canada. And she had qualified for calories, and I was so happy for her, but I was like, I'm so happy for you. I just wanted to leave. Like, I am done. Love you, bye. I love you bye. And then I said, you know what? I'm here. Let me just I had loaded up my stall mats. I was just ready to go. And I run and she smokes a run. So she qualifies for Calgary.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

You qualify your horse. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 23:36

Yeah. My horse. So it was so amazing. It really was. And then she went to Calgary and she did so good. And it made me change my whole view on Canada. And now I want to come back all the time.

SPEAKER_02 23:50

I know. I was like, and now you're not entered in any Canadian roading house.

SPEAKER_00 23:55

I tried to walk up at Pinocchio because I had to go back up for Calgary. So I tried to walk up at Pinocchio, and they're like, oh yeah, we have a draw out, go to the office, whatever. They're like, oh, so I drive all the way to Pinoca, do all the things, and then I walk up to the office and like, oh no, sorry, we filled it. Oh no.

SPEAKER_02 24:13

I mean, the ground wasn't amazing. I don't think anybody even missed it. I don't think I was missing out after the fact.

SPEAKER_00 24:19

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 24:20

So I wasn't, yeah, it was fine. Yeah, but it was just so funny because she's like, I was throwing all my crap in the trailer. And then, but yeah, you can tell my Canadian story then because I've never talked about it on here.

SPEAKER_04 24:35

So she sends you to Canada because you know Canada's so great and she loves it. I'll tell you what, when this one got back to the States after being in Canada by herself, she had thrown all of her stuff, like thrown her train, all everything. That sucker was in the dirt. We were done. But we have some Canadian friends. And was it Williams Lake that you showed up to? Yes. So she's texting. She's like, I don't know where I am.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

This is taking forever. I don't know if I'm gonna make it. She's like sending us updates. I'm on a dirt road.

SPEAKER_02 25:03

And then I was out of service for three and a half hours. So they couldn't. I took a dirt road from Pinoca to Williams Lake.

SPEAKER_04 25:09

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 25:10

And that's just giving me anxiety.

SPEAKER_04 25:11

Our steer wrestling, she pulls in and she's like, I just drove a dirt road all the way here. And our steer wrestling buddies who have lived in Canada their whole life are like, Rainey, I have never ever been on a dirt road coming to Williams Lake.

SPEAKER_02 25:25

Yeah, Kurt goes three hours. Kurt goes, nobody takes that way. Nobody goes that way. I was so even though like you're probably like, I don't know much about BC, but you're probably like safer up there because Washington is like kind of ghetto. Sorry, Washington. But as soon as I cross back, like north of Seattle, I'm like, oh my god, I'm home.

SPEAKER_04 25:45

She rolls in on the fourth of July, like her trailer door's broken, crap is thrown in the trailer. She's like, I need out of here. No one get in my pins.

SPEAKER_01 25:53

She literally called me in her pins. She called me halfway through this trip, and she's like, I will fly you up here if you will just drive with me. And I'm like, I can't, like, my kids have rodeos, like, I can't.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

And she was like, Oh, this is I'll make it quick, but so I was like, I'm just gonna make the finals at Pinoca. And my Shelby Spielman lives in Pinoca. So I'm like, I'm just gonna get to stay with her, like making the finals at Pinocchio so easy. And so I'm like, I'm just gonna make it, then I don't have to go to Williams Lake, whatever. So I run, I'm like a few out of making it back. So I'm like, now I have to drive to Williams Lake. Jordan was hurt that year, and so I'm like calling him. I'm like, I don't know if I want, I think I just want to turn out. He's like, you committed to this, like you have time. So I drive halfway and I stop at this like ghetto campground to stay at, and Callahan or Callahan trying now. She's like, I posted about it. She's like, Yeah, just be careful because there's like a bunch of coyotes that'll eat your dog. And so I like I like locked my wiener dog and my bulldog in the trailer. I'm like, they don't even get to go to the bathroom. It was so sketchy there. Like, and I get up the next morning, I'm like, and I'm like, Jordan, look at my location because I just turned down this road and I don't think this looks right. And he's like, Rainey, I am 13 hours from you. You are you figure this shit out yourself. Good luck. So three and a half hours on the dirt road later, I'm like, I'm not coming back to Canada for a while.

SPEAKER_00 27:19

Well, you could have fooled us because we watched her videos, and then we're like, Oh, this is where we're running. Let's watch and see how it looks. And then Rainey's like, has an amazing horse, four-wheel drive the whole way, all the things, and I'm like, Oh my gosh, you can't judge a video off of Flash.

SPEAKER_01 27:37

I'm just gonna say she is a superhuman, super horse, super freak, like that matter. You anytime Rainey is like, it was great, I ran Flash. I'm like, was it great, or was it?

SPEAKER_02 27:51

Literally, there's so many places. I'm like, yeah, that's like my favorite rodeo. And people are like, that rodeo sucks. I'm like, oh yeah, you're right.

SPEAKER_00 28:01

Oh, okay. Now I know.

SPEAKER_04 28:04

No, yeah, we're giving you the insight. We don't always hear that should go.

SPEAKER_00 28:09

We'd go to Canada and then we just see everyone outside their trailer. We're like, what is going on here? Well, of course, no one has service that no one is in their trailer, everyone is out just socializing because there is no cell phone service.

SPEAKER_02 28:23

No, that is my favorite thing about Canada, though. Everybody's so nice, and then you get back down here and they're like, Don't talk to me.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

That's me all the time. So I'm a little bit socially awkward.

SPEAKER_02 28:33

So she was saying today, she's like, I haven't talked to like anybody out the road before.

SPEAKER_01 28:38

I just kind of do my own thing, and same. Yeah, I went to the Calgary qualifier and uh cedar, no, no, no, the Celina. And Rainy calls me that night and she's like, Did you like talk to anybody today?

SPEAKER_02 28:53

And I'm like, She's like, No, I'm eating top ramen in my trailer.

SPEAKER_04 28:58

But where was it? Was it at the Ruby Buckle? She literally messaged us and she's or messaged me and she's like, So I actually made a friend.

SPEAKER_02 29:05

She told us if you guys would have been friends, because you were in Celina too. I knew that's crazy. Yeah, it's Rainey's fault. She didn't hook us up. I know exactly. I'm sorry, yeah. They were like before they like showed up to the house, they're like, We just thought you were like some like old woman that enters rodeos in Idaho for us, some old friends, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:26

Some old called my whole family, and I was like, Oh my goodness, you don't even know my rodeo manager is famous.

SPEAKER_02 29:35

No, yeah, I am not the famous one. That's for sure. And then I will say this is so funny, and I hope you're okay with me telling this story. So she calls me, and um, we can cut if you need, but she calls me. I've like not talked to her on the phone very much. I don't think she I had ever spoken to her on the phone. You were turning out of Huntsville or something, and so you call me and whatever, and I called Jennifer, California, and I'm like, I think there might be a language barrier. Oh my god. And then I met her in person, and I'm like, no, there's not.

SPEAKER_00 30:14

She's kind of normal. She's gonna get a little funky on the phone.

SPEAKER_02 30:18

Well, I'm like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 30:20

Like, if my do I need to transcribe iPhones for that, really? I would say we can leave that in because that just makes Rainy look like she's homeschooled or something. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 30:34

Sometimes homeschool kids when Catherine gets to talking fast, though, you should be like, hold that thought. I was just like, wow, she was talking so fast. I'm like, I don't know. I was like, oh my gosh. And then I told Jennifer, and we went for dinner. And Jennifer's like, yeah, I can understand her perfectly. I'm like, I know, I'm sorry. It was the phone, guys.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

It was the phone.

SPEAKER_02 31:01

I think it was rainy, it was a rainy issue. It must have been my issue. Speaking of being famous, I was watching the pink buckle because you were at the pink buckle, and I didn't, I hadn't met you yet, but we I was entering you, and um, you go to run in the arena, or maybe someone was like, Oh, running a horse that you bred, and they're like, This is like from a long line of like you know, amazing breeding, and this family is like so important. And I was like, Oh, maybe she's a big deal.

SPEAKER_01 31:30

Speaking of famous, yeah, speaking of famous.

SPEAKER_02 31:32

I'm like, you're talking about us being famous, and your family is like some of the most well-known horse trainers ever.

SPEAKER_00 31:39

Well, that's why we have a little bit of pressure rainy in the barrel industry here.

SPEAKER_02 31:43

I know honestly, we should get the scale out and like start winning us.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

Wow, no, no, absolutely not. I don't actually own a lot of it. I don't know. My horse could maybe go faster. Well, you know, I will say when I put my niece on them, they do run faster than they do with me. So I'm not it could be a weight issue, it could also just be like a stay out of their way jockey issue. I don't know, maybe it's it's just me. Yeah, no, I don't think it's just you.

SPEAKER_02 32:11

You were gonna say something. She was gonna make fun of me for that comment. And then yeah, Catherine came up, she's our best friend. Then she ended up buying a horse from Megan. Like, you're just integrated now, yeah, in our life.

SPEAKER_00 32:23

I'm totally inviting myself to Arizona, all the things. I got I got pens.

SPEAKER_01 32:28

Yes, he loves it at my house. Yeah, the others will be great.

SPEAKER_04 32:31

Compound living is fantastic. So yes, I got a hookup, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

You're gonna be sick of us by the end of it. Um, so what have you thought? Now we'll we'll circle all the way back because that's what happens here. We go on tangents, and so people just have to stay locked in. So you leave Canada, and I think your first rodeo was Reno, right?

SPEAKER_00 32:51

Like coming from Canada. Oh, I think it was Eagle, yep, yep. And she so I leave Canada. I cannot even get a check if I prayed and tried and did all the things, and then I come to Eagle and the arena's deep and all the things, and she smokes it. She gets we get a check.

SPEAKER_04 33:08

She was just happy to be back when in the world.

SPEAKER_00 33:10

Yeah, she was just like, I like America, American soil, all the things America. She loves it. So then that was super good. And then after that, I don't know where we went from there. You would know better than I would. I know.

SPEAKER_02 33:25

I'm having a hard time remembering because I'm like, I'm already on to like Caldwell and like Ellensburg already closes tomorrow. So I even forget the rodeos in between. So I think then you went to Reno, like well, because no, you went to Logendale. I don't know if you did. Maybe before. Oh tell us about Reno. Tell us about your experience at Reno.

SPEAKER_00 33:45

Reno was awesome. I um I did probably go, I went to Eagle, and then maybe I went somewhere else, and then I went to Reno. And my first run at Reno, I kind of tripped going into the arena, like kind of slipped, and she had a good run, and we made it back to the to the short go. Or no, we had to make two runs. Yeah, yeah, because you have to be your second run that night. Yeah, and then my second run was smoking, and she had the fastest run of the rodeo for a hot minute until Sydney, my little bestie over here. Yeah, I do text Sydney for tons of things. Also, I'm like, okay, at this rodeo, does it have this? Or what do I like? What do I need? She's so sweet and so humble and just the best person. But Sydney had to come and humble me a little bit for sure. And so she had the second fastest time at Reno, and then we came back and the finals, and I think she was fourth. So it was a good yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:45

When you run a 16-7 at Reno, it's like a big deal.

SPEAKER_00 34:48

Like I was like it was definitely it was and it was a beautiful round.

SPEAKER_02 34:52

It was awesome.

SPEAKER_00 34:53

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 34:54

Did you feel like that's like where your momentum, or do you feel like it started at the Calgary qualifier? Because rodeo is like really new to you, and like so. This is like a lot going on.

SPEAKER_00 35:02

No, it definitely is, and I like coming from trying to train fraternity horses and all that, like you cannot like you are running against the best, and you have to just go zero to a hundred. You cannot want to play it safe. And I do think at some rodeos, like if you you just you ride smarter, you don't have to necessarily like you can you ride your setup, and that's what I've definitely learned at a lot of these rodeos coming from Texas to small pens and indoors, and she did do good at San Angelo, but we are going to a bunch of. I don't think I know people have asked me, like, oh, what have you? I had not run on very many, I'd probably run on like three standard patterns, yeah. In like her dirt, like, we don't run on very many standard patterns in comparison up here, like everything's a standard. So she really likes big, she's fast, and she really likes big outdoor pens, and she does like deep ground. Also, she isn't the biggest mare, but she does like deep ground, and then I think that I think Canada was just so hard on me, and I was just so set on getting back to the states, and I was like, I know I can like I can do good in the states, like I feel like I'm strong and I'm good in the states, and I think just after that humbling experience, being a 7, 8D barrel racer, I don't even know. Not even, but I belonged at a play day in Canada, let me tell you. I have kids that do pony club that could outrun me.

SPEAKER_04 36:34

Yeah, I mean, yes, it has I will definitely say something that I want to touch on with you, just don't lose your thought there. But um, so I have a lot of lesson clients, and some of them have like some fantastic horses. I mean, absolutely, like you have some amazing horses, super horses, and so they're now we're just transitioning into rodeo, and I'm like, okay, these are the things like this, and they're like, Okay, yeah, well, I'll run this or I'll do that. And just even like the last two weeks, I've gotten multiple messages. They're like, this is so hard. They're like, this is so much harder. Like, we had no idea it was this hard. And I'm like, Well, that's what we were trying to talk about. But people take, I mean, you're going to different countries, but I mean, it you're doing you're fantastic, like you're you can win the rookie of the year, and you're even sitting here telling like people who are listening that yeah, I I can't do I not I can't do this. I'm I struggled. We have struggles because people don't realize how hard it actually is, right?

SPEAKER_01 37:30

Outside in, it looks like, oh, it's so glamorous, like everything is everything's going good. And social media obviously is like a highlight reel, right? Yes, it doesn't matter. And so you don't see the like lows. Yes, no, I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_00 37:44

Yeah, there are a ton of lows, and that's why they I've been asked, like, how is it rodeoing with your friends? Is it hard or are you like, is it hard just being friends? And I was like, you know what? Like, if you can do this and you can win at this level, like I am so happy for you because it is so difficult, and you go through so much like unsound horses and just all the like everything, and it's it's difficult. And you as fast as you go up is as fast as you can come down, and it is very humbling. Like, you work so hard. I really like I really tried to plan and and the start of my rookie year, my mayor had had bad feet, and we kind of struggled with her feet at the beginning. And I ran at Austin, I qualified for Austin, a super tough qualifier in Stevenville, qualified for Austin. I think she was like second or third in the qualifier, super strong. I go to Arizona, I'm one out, and I go to Austin and I break the pattern. She has never broke the pattern, not even being a fraturity. I fraturted her at three, three to four, never has broke the pattern in her life, was so sore in her feet. I went to the vet right before and broke breaks the pattern at Austin in front of like you think you're so good, you're on cloud nine, you qualify for Austin, it's my rookie year, I'm doing all the things, and like let me humble you and bring you back to reality.

SPEAKER_04 39:10

Yes, it's a very humbling little sport.

SPEAKER_00 39:13

Yeah, yes, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 39:14

Even what you went through in the last five days.

SPEAKER_00 39:18

Yes. Well, right now my mare is three-legged, she has a huge abscess. I've been going to the event on the daily, getting her all I am her personal slave. Yeah, at the moment.

SPEAKER_02 39:29

You're on her schedule.

SPEAKER_00 39:30

Yes, I am on her schedule. Whatever she wants, she gets.

SPEAKER_02 39:34

Yeah, but she drives to get some shoes on. Did you go to Washington? Is that like where you're looking? I drove to Washington, but those that that helped me like 100%. But then she goes and so she has to turn out of Idaho Falls, and I'm like, okay, Castle Rock has a lot added, and she's like, because I was like, well, maybe, but I'm like, okay, we can't go to Idaho Falls. I'm like, okay, we'll go to Castle Rock, and I'm sitting there, and I pull out Facebook, and I'm like, Good old Facebook. My gosh, they canceled the barrels at Castle Rock. So you drove like 20 hours in like all included, stopped to sleep for like a minute at my house, yes, and gets to Castle Rock, and they cancel it.

SPEAKER_00 40:14

And I'm like, well, cancel because I was it's and Rainey texts me, our barrels canceled, and I'm like, Well, my horse is saddled at the trailer, LASIK's all the things, bandages. She is a hundred percent like ready to go, and she says, our barrels canceled. So I go out as I'm getting my whole little get up on, and barrels are indeed canceled. So did they like rerun you guys, or did they just no? Well, then we had to be rerun for Sunday, and that's when my abscess came up, and uh, so I did not make it to Castle Rock after my 20-hour.

SPEAKER_02 40:51

But yeah, you were also she was up at another rodeo Saturday night, and yeah, barrels at Castle Rock was gonna be 7 a.m. on Sunday, and I'm like, there's just too much now, too, going on, like in the next couple weeks that your horse is gonna be amazing at. But it's like that's another thing that like people don't even think about, like all the hours. Like, you got to Castle Rock and you're like a zombie, and you give your LASIKs and you do all your things, and then it's like, um, sorry, you don't get to run here.

SPEAKER_01 41:18

Yes, well, and then yeah, because I mean, obviously, you have interference, like you have other rodeos you're at, you have other plans, like that's just well, I guess it's just what they say.

SPEAKER_02 41:29

That's just rodeo, and people like we were talking about yesterday, too, like how so many people have gone home now. And it it's just you know, some years are just like that, like you just have to go home, and it's so hard to stay hooked and be positive. And like, even though we've been like laughing and joking, I do feel like you've been done a really good job of staying like the course and staying positive of like because this shit is hard.

SPEAKER_04 41:53

Yeah, August in the Northwest is a lot. I mean, all of it's a lot, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:57

But not even to mention all the smoke and the fires and air and environmental things, but yeah, you have later in the year, so you have other things that are going on too.

SPEAKER_00 42:09

No, it's definitely I committed to this and I said I'm gonna just try it 100%. And there's ups and there's downs and there's all the things, and that's why I think like just having you all and just having just someone guide you and put you on the right path. Like, don't be afraid of getting like a mentor or somebody to help you. And you also think like it's not possible, but it definitely is possible. And reach out, and you guys, like, I feel like I'm family, and it's been like one of my greatest blessings because without this, like just going to raine's and letting my horses rest for a couple of days, then lay down, and just it's just such it makes such just the smallest thing makes the biggest difference.

SPEAKER_01 42:49

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And and there is like something to like the people that you meet while you're doing it, like yes, I mean, oh yeah, that's like that's the whole point, right? Like horses bring us all together. Like, if it wasn't for horses, like we wouldn't all be sitting at this table. If it wasn't for rodeo, we wouldn't all be sitting at this table. And like it just gives you some great opportunities. Yeah, it sometimes is hard, but at the end of the day, like, no, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 43:17

Yeah, and like going back to the social media side of it, like it's all like butterflies and puppies. Because like Jordan always says, he's like, people are like, Wow, you've been writing so great! And he's like, Yeah, I don't post the buckoffs on Facebook, you know. No, 100%, and you're so right with like the fact that okay, so you did win a check at Eagle, but then like you would have like a rough three weeks or so, and then you go to Reno and you run a 16 7, and you're like, This rodeo stuff is amazing.

SPEAKER_00 43:46

No, like exactly it's such a drug, like you're gambling on yourself and on your horse, and on your work, and everything that you put into it, and it is and it just takes that one time that it just Changes everything just like Canada. I mean, Canada was tough on me. I'm not gonna lie. And then I just go to that Calgary qualifier. Calgary was one of the most amazing experiences, and like money could not buy that experience. Like it was so amazing, and it was such an amazing rodeo. Everything about it was just top class. And I was like, this made I would do Canada a million times over just to live this again. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:26

And you like experienced, you know, there's people that have made the NFR, you know, Jordan's made it six times, not to keep talking about him. This was his very first Calgary stampede, um, just because of other things, but it's like, and you as a rookie, like got to go experience, probably. I always say Houston is my favorite, but after experiencing Calgary this year, I'm like, it's like you said, it's like one of the most amazing things. And if you wouldn't have been like, you know what, screw it, I'm gonna run my horse again. And I'm gonna we're gonna see what happens.

SPEAKER_01 44:57

And I think that is so amazing because like well, you're one run away from no, you're there and you have to risk it for the biscuit.

SPEAKER_02 45:05

Yeah, you totally do, and like like you said, these horses out here are amazing, and it just I feel like every year, I mean, we just saw with Hebrew City, like a 1649 on a rodeo standard, which Utah's always known for amazing grounds and Hebrew City too. But it's like I feel like every year it just gets stouter, and you hear people talk about like uh I want to go to like these duckoff rodeos and and stuff like that, and I there is no, there's like no duckoffs anymore. Every like everybody has a good horse, you know what I mean? And so yeah, if you're willing to like stick it out and bet on yourself, I feel like you get a lot out of it too, and you learn a lot about yourself too. Oh, definitely.

SPEAKER_04 45:44

So, what was the goal when you loaded up this spring? Like when you're like, all right, I'm going, I'm going to the northwest, I'm going to Canada.

SPEAKER_00 45:53

No, and I was like, I'm gonna try to do all the things for this rookie race. It's been a tough start with my mare and things like that. But I was like, I set foot, I'm gonna try this, and I wanted to try this, and I I mean, I make a lot of sacrifices at home. I have a daughter and things like that, but and a lot of fraternity horses that are gonna be a little behind. But I wanted like I made this commitment, and just like with a little bit of proper guidance, it really has definitely paid off. And the people that I've met, even in Canada, amazing, just all along the way, and the places that I've seen and crazy things, it's insane, like it's so awesome.

SPEAKER_02 46:33

Yeah, yes. Do you have a memory? Maybe we've already talked about it, that sticks out to you the most, like your favorite so far of the summer?

SPEAKER_00 46:42

Well, Calgary was definitely absolutely amazing, and Reno also. I had a friend fly up to Reno and she helped me, and it's just really been super, it's just been a super experience. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:58

And so from here, you got New Plymouth, Caldwell, no New Plymouth.

SPEAKER_02 47:05

Well, this is so funny. I send her a whole schedule.

SPEAKER_00 47:08

Yes, I was gonna say, I just Rainey sends me the schedule. People ask me, like, where are you going next? I was like, Well, whatever's on the schedule.

SPEAKER_01 47:16

I send her the Rainy, where is she next? Where am I going?

SPEAKER_02 47:20

Well, I send her like this whole because we do everything in like Excel spreadsheets, and like then it's like a you know, and I send it to her. I'm like, Does this look good? Like, this was like I don't know, two weeks ago. And she's like, if you think that looks good, that looks good. Like, I don't even think she looks like I was like, You are the professional.

SPEAKER_04 47:34

She's like, These sounds mean nothing to me.

SPEAKER_00 47:36

So where I don't even know where I'm going half the time. I'm like, okay, GPS. Put it in the rodeo groom.

SPEAKER_02 47:45

Yeah, yeah. So Colville Logan, and then next week, obviously Hermiston, uh, Calispell, those, and then she'll be back at Caldwell Gooding. Um, and those. And I like once this abscess comes out on your mare, I'm like, they better watch out.

SPEAKER_00 47:58

Yeah, I'm just waiting for this.

SPEAKER_02 48:01

It's coming, it is, and so that's um, I will say, like, that is a nice thing too. Like, you've totally just kind of left it to me and Jennifer. Like, we obviously collaborate and stuff, but it's nice, like you do trust us, and I feel like we have put you in like pretty good.

SPEAKER_00 48:17

No, you all have definitely set me up for success, and you guys are professionals at your job, and I definitely am very grateful for that.

SPEAKER_02 48:27

So funny though, the first night I meet you, her and Jalen come to the house, and she said, like, her husband was like, You don't like she takes my trailer and he's like, You don't even like stay at like other people's house down here. Like, what are you doing? And she was like, Well, we're just family. And the first night she comes over, there's all the steer wrestlers at my parents' house. We had bull riders, Lan was home, and she came down and like it was just chaos. Like, you just got to meet everybody, and now my dad's like, Yeah, Catherine's like one of my daughters. I guess met her like three times.

SPEAKER_00 49:00

No, for sure. I uh there's people that I've known all my life. I would never stay at their house, I would never even drive their vehicle. My husband's like, she's probably just nice, and she offers her vehicle. You're not supposed to take her up on the offer.

SPEAKER_03 49:13

Oh no, no, no. No, no.

SPEAKER_00 49:15

I was like, I've already driven her car more than I've driven your truck, so it's fine.

SPEAKER_02 49:18

It's fine. They know me, they know that that's a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_01 49:21

Just seriously take it whenever you when Catherine was in Joseph the other weekend, you know, that's yeah, that's Abby Nice hometown. So my parents had the VIP booth rented, and she runs. And after she runs, I like open the sliding window and I'm like, getting through it.

SPEAKER_00 49:37

I know, and I was like, I don't know anybody that rodeos who is this.

SPEAKER_01 49:41

I'm just yelling out the window. I'm like, hey, I'm gonna text you my parents' address. Like, just there's pens, just go there. She's like, Okay.

SPEAKER_02 49:51

She's just following us blindly now.

SPEAKER_00 49:53

I know I'm like, no, honestly, it's been the best, it has been the best thing, and I highly recommend if anybody wants to rodeo, find yourself a set of very good friends, offer their house, their vehicles, their horse trailers, their horses.

SPEAKER_02 50:08

Yeah, Jalen did run my horse at Nampa. Yes. I was like, I I mean, she's been in two perfs, so it'll be fine. You can run her there, it's not, it's not a problem.

SPEAKER_01 50:18

It's totally good.

SPEAKER_02 50:20

So, all right, do you guys have any more questions?

SPEAKER_01 50:24

I mean, I feel like we touched on it. Yeah, I love it.

SPEAKER_02 50:27

This has been awesome. Once you win the rookie, because I'm putting it out there, yeah, have you back on. Yeah, and talk about it.

SPEAKER_04 50:33

We'll have a whole like 2.0.

unknown 50:35

I love that.

SPEAKER_02 50:36

And now that you get to like you're now you know Abby, so now like you might have to be in our group chat too. So it's yes, I'm gonna have to make a weasel my way in there. I love it. Well, thank you so much. This was great.

SPEAKER_04 50:46

Yeah, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 50:47

All right, spears coffee, really fucking good.