b'2018 RAM 1500 SLT 4X2 1999 FORD F-150 2004 FORD SUPER DUTY2011 FORD TRANSIT F-350 DRW 4DR WAGON#T2102 $23,788 #P8319A $5,934 #82693A $6,995 #X9820 $9,799 ROPING TIPS: MASTERING THE MENTAL GAME OF TEAM ROPING2005 FORD SUPER DUTY2018 RAM 1500 SLT 4X22015 FORD EXPLORER2018 FORD TRANSIT T-150Reprinted from @CraigSmithTeamRoping I allowed the stories in my mind to continue to the pointthe firm personal realization that our best is always enough. F-350 SRW 4WD QUAD CAB FWD 4DR XLT GVWR SWING-O MINI-VAN on InstaGram that it affected my attitude and my actions in and out of theThis can give us a lot of peace and really keep us even-H ave you ever struggled with your roping, and thenarena. Sometimes even to the point of blaming my horsekeeled without becoming a victim on an emotional roller and taking it out on him. I knew something had to change ifcoaster. The truth is, all we can ever do in any competitive let the frustration get to you so much that it causedwe were going to keep roping and be a consistent, successfulsituation is our best at the given time. No matter what kind things to fall apart even more? Or have you ever letteam. I had to really dig deep and admit to myself that theof results we end up with, if we can look back and know in out of balance emotions triggered by a sub-par performancethoughts going through my head were limiting me. our heart we gave our preparation and performance our influence how you treated others, your horses, or negativelyvery best shot, we can have satisfaction and contentedness impact your outlook in general? Maybe you can relate to this story. Looking back, I knowin that with no regrets, what-ifs or frustration regardless of #P8316A $14,787 #T2102 $22,788 #19120A $22,989 #P6171 $22,995 now that when were struggling with something, we getthe results.Ive certainly been there, Im sure we all havebut theto decide the meaning behind it. A bad day of roping ability to control our thoughts and self-talk is a skill wesimply might mean we need to make some adjustments inWe cant do more than our best. But heres the thingcan must develop if we want to stay progressive and bouncethe practice pen to get back on track. Struggling or beingyou honestly say that you ARE doing your best? If not, 1928 FORD MODLE A 2018 FORD F-150 2WD2016 FORD SUPER DUTYback quickly when a performance doesnt go the way wechallenged by something doesnt have to define our ability.whats in the way of that? What has to change in your life so SUPERCREW F-550 DRW 4WD intended. There are so many factors we cant control in teamHow we handle it, however, is very likely to define how soonthat you can truly apply yourself to the best of your ability? roping. But the good news is that we literally get to choosewe get to the other side of that challenge. Its just temporary. If I cant give my best to preparing my horse and myself to how we perceive our results, regardless of whether the worldcompete, I wont enter. Anything worth doing is worth is tends to view them as good or bad. The only meaningThere is no failure, only feedback. We dont have to identifyworth doing to the best of our ability.anything has is the meaning we give it. Its completelywith it or become it or let it impact us emotionally at all.within our control. It serves our roping, our loved ones, andWe can choose to stay neutral. Looking back, I knew I needed to work on my horse to everyone and everything around us if we intentionally flipcorrect the problem hed developed with ducking out and I the script and assign meaning to things that empower usTo take this as far as we can in the opposite direction,didnt do it. I wasnt taking the right, consistent action steps #C5271 $27,995 #P9861 $29,732 #19107A $46,754 versus the opposite. consider thisevery time you bump up against some kindto resolve the issue at its source. It wasnt my best and I do of challenge related to your roping, youre fixing to learncarry some regret over those ropings I should have won.As an example, many years ago Gus was a horse I purchasedsomething that will ultimately help you be better. The bestA few years later at the USTRC Finals in Oklahoma City, while attending college that didnt have much team ropingin the world are the best because theyve experienced a lotGus and I were about to run the most important steer OVER500 experience but was a finished tie-down roping horse. Heof challengesand then overcome them. of our lives in the chute-out round coming back second could really run and I was excited to finish him in a wayhigh call. As I watched the first 18 teams run their steers, that fit my roping style. We ran a lot of steers in the practiceFailure isnt the opposite of success, its part of success. I remember sitting there behind the chute watching the pen, and at team ropings and rodeos, but I was reallyscore and remaining calm yet optimistic. My partner and struggling with my dallying and lost my rope a lot whenInstead of getting frustrated, get curious get fascinated! IfI had worked on all aspects of our roping and simulated NEWFORDS I rode him. I tried to excuse it as a temporary problem atyou feel inspired to achieve big things, youve got to have faiththis roping several times before we left Wyoming headed to first, but it continued and got worse to the point that I wasand patience in the processthat its all unfolding as it shouldOklahoma. All that preparation was as much about working IN STOCK getting frustrated, embarrassed, depressed, and unconfidentand that youre constantly presented with opportunities toon our mental strength as it was our roping fundamentals. in my roping. learn and grow- that will support your on-going, long termWe were fortunate to win Reserve Champions that day, but success. A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner. Everyno matter what had happened on our last steer, we would Up to this point in my career, I had a lot of confidence in mymistake is one you never have to make again, thats somethinghave been able to ride out of the arena knowing we did roping when I was riding any of my other horses. But everyto get excited about! No matter what happens, its up to us toeverything we could to give ourselves a chance of winning. I time I backed in the box, I would develop a lot of anxietydecide how to interpret any situation we encounter. We get tohad no couldashouldawoulda about not winning first and tension in my body because I was unsure if I was goingassign meaning to everything that happens, so why not assignthat day. I had done my very best to prepare.to get my dally or not. About half the time I was successfulmeaning that supports, encourages and empowers us to be at and the other half not. I was constantly beating myself upour best? If you take shortcuts, skip practice, short change your mentally. When I did make successful runs, I felt like ithorse in some way, thatll haunt youyoure living out was because I got lucky. At this point, because the negativeIn my case, I was allowing the negative self-talk to defineof alignment and expecting a big return on a minimal self-talk had gotten so out of hand, I was roping not to lose,my ability as a team roper and limit my success. Being ableinvestment. But win, lose or draw, you can have peace (and more than I was roping to win, and lost my rope severalto identify our need for a stronger mental game is the firsteasily remain emotionally stable) if youve done everything times for a chance to win some very big team ropings. step in creating change. This will require removing anyyou could do to prepare. Thats having personal integrity barriers that are holding us back from having a strong mentaland is something only you can know.During this time, Ill never forget when the 1991 Worldgame and then doing the inner work and adopting habits Champion Bobby Harris asked me to head for him at a bigto support it. This could include associating with differentThere are a lot of factors we cant control in a run, or about open roping. I only knew Bobby from a few of his schoolspeople that encourage and support us, as well as seekingour circumstances. However, we are always in control I attended shortly before. All I remember telling myselfoutside resources to confirm new, positive perspectives, suchof our thoughts and can choose our perspective and our was Dont lose your rope. We won the first round, butas podcasts or books to educate ourselves with techniques toattitudeand make sure that we choose empowering ones I lost my rope on our second steer. It was my dream andencourage and solidify our mindset and beliefs. that impact us, our roping and everyone we come in contact goal to rope in big ropings like that with great heelers. Iwith in a positive way. Then just like our roping, once was really disappointed in myself for throwing away a Outside of catching those negative thoughts and stories inwere committed to this, we get better and better at it with big opportunity.our mind and choosing a different mental path, is makingconsistent practice.ArizonaRealCountry.com April 2019 27'