During the ten days of the NFR in Las Vegas, we all get to watch the product of a year-long—and often lifelong—journey to the Thomas & Mack. What we don’t always see is the small army behind each competitor who helps make that run possible.

In this episode, I’m thrilled to sit down with Lorissa Jo Merritt— sister of Katelyn Scott and sister-in-law to Halyn Lide, who both qualified for this year’s National Finals Rodeo. While Lorissa is a talented horsewoman herself, her role behind the scenes is one we don’t talk about enough—and it is a pivotal role in the road to the NFR.

Lorissa shares how she's embraced her role as the “horse finder” and “accountability partner" in Katelyn's journey, the story of how Peanut Seed—Katelyn’s main mount for this year’s finals—came into their lives, how he got his name, and the team effort that goes into an NFR qualification.