ADS
Amber Carson winning 2nd (Reserve Champion) breakaway roper at the 2019 Indian National Finals Rodeo on her horse, ‘Swede’. [Photo: Clay Guardipee with Rodeo Ready]
Much like the majestic figure eight of a perfect calf loop, the sport of breakaway roping for women is gaining strides in the sport of rodeo and beyond.
For Amber Carson of Grassy Butte, North Dakota, calf loops and rodeos are what this cowgirl knows, and to her amazement, the sport of breakaway roping, which she said she once thought she may trade-in for team roping, is becoming the fastest-growing, money-earning rodeo sport for female athletes to compete in at the professional level next to barrel racing.
“It’s amazing. I grew up roping from when I was little, all the way through college. Where I lived in Poplar, Montana, there weren’t that many breakaway jackpots to go to. It was hard to find traveling partners that wanted to go the five plus hours it took, and ladies’ breakaway wasn’t an event at the PRCA rodeos,” said Carson, “At one point, I had almost completely switched over to team roping, because there was more money to be won at those jackpots and breakaway roping wasn’t always feasible. Having Houston Rodeo matching the money for the ladies’ breakaway equal to the other events is such an opportunity for young girls roping now that they should start swinging a rope as soon as they can.”
[Photo: Olie’s Images]
Another amazing thing about Carson is that she has managed to have success on both sides of the roping boxes, switching from three second and under breakaway runs to ‘having some luck’ in the heading side of team roping.
“The transition between the two roping events was a bit tough at the beginning,” admited Carson, “I had to work on patience in the team roping and handling cattle versus in the breakaway, I have to get the rope out of my hand quickly,” said Carson. “It also helped that I was able to practice on a lot of steers, thanks to my husband, who is a team roper.”
Carson noted that the swing in both events needs to come very naturally and should be muscle memory. However, she said calves are a little different type of animal than a horned roping steer.
“The two most important things I focus on in the breakaway roping are my score and my target,” Carson said, “The delivery for roping calves versus heading are different, but that swing stays the same. I might have a little bigger loop roping calves, so I can throw it fast; where steers, I have a few more swings to feel the rope.”
[Photo: 4-C Photography]
The two events go hand-in-hand, and rodeo events, in general, are athletic sports, according to the cowgirl. Carson said she grew up playing multiple sports and feels that sports and the athleticism required in the ultra-fast runs of breakaway are a good crossover for each other.
“I encourage young rodeo athletes to play sports if they can. At the end of the day, kids still must be kids and individual/team sports encourage a lot of skills that go right along with rodeo,” added Carson.
When it comes to the horsepower that Carson finds works best for her events, she didn’t hesitate to say the word, speed. “Chasing calves or steers, you need to have run. My dad was always adamant about finding the right horse and the right fit for us when we were roping. I prefer a smaller horse that I can see around when it comes to roping calves, and, at the end of the day, a great rope horse has a whole lot of try and heart,” said Carson.
Everyone has preferences when it comes to which type of rope they use. “I have long fingers, but I don’t like a thick rope in either event. I need something that isn’t too heavy, but still has enough weight in the rope to feel my tip.” Carson said she uses a four or five strand rope across both events, because that’s what fits in her hand best.
She encourages girls and youth to attend jackpots, like the Vohs family roping jackpots outside of Dickinson, N.D. Jason and Natasha Vohs and their daughters host a summer and fall breakaway, tie down, and goat tying series. They cater to all categories of ropers. “A roping like that is the perfect set up to have a chance to practice and be in a competitive atmosphere for all levels.”
In true cowgirl spirit, Carson encourages kids to get involved in rodeo any way they can. “Start roping the dummy year-round and rope slower calves when starting out. There are so many places kids can access knowledge now days about roping and horsemanship. Just listen to any pro that is out there on social media or places like X-Factor roping, and you can pick up a lot,” smiled the cowgirl.
Amber Carson makes her home with her husband, Layne Carson, outside of Grassy Butte, N.D. They swing ropes and win, from the amateur ranks across a five-state region to the professional rodeos. Coming from a ranch in Eastern Montana and graduating from the University of Montana, this cowgirl finds Western North Dakota a natural fit and has an ‘open loop’ to help any roper that crosses her path.
Tisa Peek is a long-time horse trainer, competitor in barrel racing and team roping, and writer about the equine. Rodeo and horses run deep in her roots. JT Family Equine is where she calls home, south of Bismarck, ND. Tisa, along with her husband, Jon, and boys, Blu and River, train horses and host clinics. Tisa is the host for Dakota Cowboy on BEK TV.