The Breakdown

Amy Wilson is a well-known face in Western media circles for her 11-year career on television and radio. But Wilson's road to media royalty wasn't as easy as one would think.

Crowned Miss Rodeo America, Amy spent a year being the face of the rodeo industry before returning home to work three jobs while searching for a new opportunity promoting rodeo and agriculture. After constantly putting herself out there, she was hired on by RFD-TV and moved to Omaha.

Fast forward more than a decade and Wilson has taken the next step in her career—becoming the Western Sports Media Manager for Equine Network. In this new role, Wilson will manage relationships with partners that stream events through Equine Network, commentate alongside Dru Stewart at events and network among the Western industry for new partnership opportunities.

Listen to the newest episode of The Breakdown Podcast to hear Amy Wilson's story, plans for her career and 2024 goals for herself and her horses.

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Link: Fast Back Ropes

This episode is brought to you by Fast Back Ropes. Fast Back Ropes was created in 1995 with a single mission in mind – to build the best rope on the market. And That will always be their number one goal.

Fast Back focuses on building the best product possible and treating customers with the respect they deserve… and That philosophy has served them well for nearly 30 years.

Besides being a great company, Fast Back features two ropes breakaway ropers love.

The ‘Edge’ is a four-strand calf rope made of texturized poly. This rope is durable, meaning it stands up in all conditions.

Their other rope is ‘Athena,’ which is made exclusively for breakaway ropers. It’s pink with a purple poly core that gives enhanced tip weight and durability. It’s made for all conditions and delivers a snappy loop and close.

Coming this fall, September 29, 2024: the Buckle Breakaway Bonanza.

The Pink, Ruby and Riata Buckles are combining all of their efforts into one mega-event for the progeny of stallions across the three programs. This will double the number of horses that are eligible to compete for the payout in the fall of 2024.

This collaboration will guarantee a $200,000 purse, plus a $50,000 guarantee for 5-and-under breakaway horses. These changes will make this one of the largest breakaway ropings in the world, if not the largest breakaway purse offered this season.

Chelsea Shaffer, host of The Team Roping Journal's The Score, sits down with Clint Robinson to talk through all the details of the Buckle Breakaway Bonanza.

2022 WPRA Breakaway World Champion Martha Angelone needs no introduction. The NFR Open Champion, 4x WRWC World Champion, WCRA Champion and VRQ Bonus Winner two years running knows how to make both ProRodeo and the WCRA family of events work for her. The Breakdown caught up with Martha following her solid week of WRWC competition where she racked up $50K in earnings.

This episode is supported by Purina and their new RepleniMash® product. Check out RepleniMash® and Martha’s favorite Purina® Ultium® Competition feed at your local feed retailer.  

Connect with Your Hosts: The Breakaway Roping Journal

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Purina® RepleniMash® Product - Horse Mash

This episode is brought to you by Purina RepleniMash. Attention horse owners. Are you looking to help your horse recover with ease, after a strenuous workout? Would you like to nourish your horse and their digestive system? If so, try the new Purina RepleniMash Product. It’s much more than a mash. RepleniMash promotes hydration, replenishes electrolytes and supports gastric comfort. Put Purina’s research to the test. Stop into your local Purina retailer and grab a bag of Purina Replenimash product.

Amy Ohrt came away with the $60,000 Women's Rodeo World Championship Breakaway Title thanks to a 1.76-second run inside AT&T Stadium on May 18, 2024. Hear her perspective on the biggest win of her career, the story behind her main mount "Frothy" and what molded her into a cowgirl that regularly competes in five events.

Connect with Your Hosts: The Breakaway Roping Journal

Follow on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Episode-Specific Links

Purina® RepleniMash® Product - Horse Mash

This episode is brought to you by Purina RepleniMash. Attention horse owners. Are you looking to help your horse recover with ease, after a strenuous workout? Would you like to nourish your horse and their digestive system? If so, try the new Purina RepleniMash Product. It’s much more than a mash. RepleniMash promotes hydration, replenishes electrolytes and supports gastric comfort. Put Purina’s research to the test. Stop into your local Purina retailer and grab a bag of Purina Replenimash product.

Buckle up for another breakaway-focused Breakdown episode featuring a ProRodeo summer run preview and talk with the producer of Patriot Reno, TC Long. Patriot Reno is in new hands this year and is hosting an open breakaway on June 28 in perfect timing with the Reno Rodeo. They’ll also be a Ladies Open Team Roping with #9.5 Incentive, 4D Barrel Race, Open Calf Roping and more. Get all the details about the Patriot Reno Open Breakaway Roping here, or on https://patriotevent.com/patriot-reno/.

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Patriot Reno

Purina® RepleniMash® Product - Horse Mash

Hali Williams has grown from formidable youth to NFBR-Qualifying talent. In this episode of The Breakdown podcast, co-host Lillian sits down with Hali to hear about the importance of childhood sports on the physical strength of young ropers, the different effects of solid horses throughout her youth rodeo career, and what 2024 holds for her.

This episode is sponsored by Purina and their new Replenimash product that helps keep your horses hydrated and nourished.

Connect with Your Hosts: The Breakaway Roping Journal

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Link: Purina® RepleniMash® Product - Horse Mash

Dylan Hancock notched the biggest win of his career so far taking home the 2024 San Angelo Rodeo title, a win even more important as it's his hometown rodeo.

Hancock, the reigning Resistol Rookie of the Year All-Around Cowboy and Tie-Down Roper, entered the short round April 19, ninth in the average. After winning the short round with a 7.8-second run, Hancock secured the average win with a 24.9 on three calves to take home $12,472 between the short round win and average title. 

Hancock joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about the win, goals for the year and more.

• The Tie-Down Breakdown: Dez Johnson
• The Tie-Down Breakdown: Westyn Hughes
• The Tie-Down Breakdown: The Shane Hanchey Story
• Introducing The Breakdown Podcast

You’re on your way to that big roping event when your rig breaks down on a bad curve. It’s a long holiday weekend, it’s pouring rain and it’s getting dark. Worst of all, you have horses in tow, and they’re no happier about this than you are. Here’s where USRoper comes in handy. This nationwide roadside assistance program has been developed specifically for the competitive roper on the road. If you’re a member, 24/7 nationwide roadside assistance for vehicles and/or horse trailers is just a phone call away. Learn more at usroper.com.

Macy Young dominated the 2024 Bob Feist Invitational Breakaway Roping with an aggregate of 10.63 seconds on 3 head. The Breakdown podcast got to sit down with Macy to discuss some how the BFI magic came to be, plus the breakaway practicing it takes to ace “catch mode” inside the Lazy E Arena. This episode is supported by Fastback Ropes. Check out their lineup of ropes suited for breakaway ropers at https://fastbackropes.com/#

Connect with Your Hosts: The Breakaway Roping Journal

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Link: Fast Back Ropes

Calf pushers are some of the most important yet unrecognized helpers in the sport of rodeo. Desmon “Dez” Johnson just might be the most famous calf pusher in the industry, and while he's a respected household name, there's a chance spectators have never heard of him.

Johnson was the official calf pusher at the 2022 and 2023 NFBRs at the Southpoint Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he also frequently works Joe Beaver’s junior ropings. The Huntsville, Texas, native has one of the hardest jobs in the sport.

On this episode of The Tie-Down Breakdown, Johnson joins the host of our sister podcast The Breakaway Breakdown, Lilian Kent, for an interview to talk about his background, how he got started pushing calves and his method. While Johnson talks a lot about his technique in terms of the breakaway roping, this is a lesson anyone can learn from—tie-down ropers themselves, dads or even tie-down roping, breakaway husbands.

• The Tie-Down Breakdown: Westyn Hughes
• The Tie-Down Breakdown: The Shane Hanchey Story
• Introducing The Breakdown Podcast

Roping.com is the online training resource for ropers. In addition to thousands of videos and exclusive roping films in your back pocket, members get private access to World Champion coaches like Caleb Smidt and Shad Mayfield, NFR qualifiers like Justin Maass, plus horse trainers like Logan Harkey every day. Join now for only $29.95/month. 

Hear from the 2024 RodeoHouston Champion Jackie Crawford, who won this bucket list rodeo and pocketed $50,000, pushing her to No. 1 in the World with $76,408 won. Jackie breaks down the setup at RodeoHouston, what she was trying to see on the start and how she dealt with tough calves to emerge victorious. This episode of The Breakdown is sponsored by Purina, with their Replenimash product that encourages hydration and gastric comfort.

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Link: Horse Feed & Supplements l Purina