Whatever level you want to be at, decide it and say, “This is what I’m doing.” Have a plan and you can accomplish it, but you must make the decision that is what you are going to do.

I was raised on a ranch with no phones and no tv, well maybe three channels if we were lucky. I had nothing to do except make my own fun. Billy Gallino (longtime South Dakota champion all-around cowboy) was my neighbor and my best friend. We just wanted to rope and ride with each other every day. We weren’t really taught anything about roping or rodeo. We just hung out and roped and rode our horses all the time.

Kids learn from other kids, and it’s more fun for them to learn a skill around their friends. I really think that is how kids learn a lot of roping and riding skills along the way by just doing it with friends and other kids. You can see it when you go to a youth rodeo or dummy roping jackpot. They are there having fun, competing against other youth, and the skills just start processing in their mind and through their ropes.

This happens with adults learning how to rope and ride as well. Just finding those people that are doing it, putting yourself in there is a great way to get to the level you have decided to be at.

Once the skill is acquired, learning how to win comes next. In junior high and high school, kids start learning how to use their skills to win. Adults at roping jackpots and events can put those skills to work, too, and learn how to win.

People that win don’t make the same mistakes time after time. They don’t run over the barrier or take bad throws. People of all levels can win – from beginning ropers to the pro level – if they rope for the situation in front of them. It all boils down to this; you must score, and you must catch to win at any level.

In my years of roping and rodeoing, I’ve seen a lot of natural talent and a lot of good horses, but making mistakes keeps these people from winning.

Slowing the game down in your mind and processing what’s going on in the moment, whether you’re competing or practicing, is really what must happen to win. You can see it in the best sports athletes on tv, the best guys in the world, they can control their mind and slow the game down.

I really work on the mental side every day, and I’m still a work in progress. I sure don’t have a lot of natural roping talent, so what has worked for me is slowing it down in my mind, giving one hundred percent each run, or it will fall apart.

Personal growth and mental development are huge in roping and riding and in any sport. Work on this and not making mistakes, and the arena will be that place you go to — TO WIN.

JB Lord (middle) with sons, Levi and Eli [Photo: submitted by JB Lord]