Barnes & Cooper: Inside the Practice Pen

Barnes & Cooper: Inside the Practice Pen

A behind-the-scenes look at how Hall of Fame team ropers Jake Barnes and Clay Cooper approach practice, horsemanship, and mental preparation. Each video explores a different aspect of their training—from handling muley cattle to evaluating horses and refining timing.

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Barnes & Cooper: Inside the Practice Pen
  • Evaluating and Roping Different Types of Cattle

    Team roping legends Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper put their experience to work on a diverse set of muley cattle and short horned steers—each one broke in a little differently and presenting unique challenges in the run. This practice session focuses on adjusting to the feel of each steer, m...

  • Horse Personalities, Scoring, and Practicing on Muley Steers

    Team roping training insights from Jake Barnes and Clay Cooper focus on managing horse quirks, scoring correctly, and using muley cattle to improve practice sessions.

    Hall of Fame ropers Jake Barnes and Clay Cooper share stories and strategies from their decades in the arena—covering everything...

  • Mental Aspect of Team Roping

    In this practice session, Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper switch things up—Jake rides a 7-year-old who hasn’t had a full year of roping yet, while Clay’s on a 6-year-old green horse. Together, they break down each run, how the muleys handled, and how their horses responded to different cattle...

  • Evaluating Horses, Fresh Cattle, and Heeling Lines

    Team roping greats Jake Barnes and Clay Cooper take a deep dive into evaluating horses, managing fresh muley calves, and building timing as both a header and a heeler. This practice session blends practical horse training tips with mental strategies for improving consistency.

    In this video, the...

  • Horse Quirks, Scoring, and Muley Practice

    Jake Barnes and Clay Cooper share stories of quirky horses, the importance of scoring, and why practicing on muley cattle sharpens ropers of all levels.

    They explain:
    - How to handle horses with unique quirks and personalities
    - Scoring tips and the cues that make a head horse leave the box
    ...

  • Practicing for Your Horse & Neck Catches

    Hall of Fame ropers Jake Barnes and Clay Cooper break down why practice should focus on your horse first and how to rope slow cattle and muley steers to build confidence and control.

    They cover:
    - Practicing for your horse vs. practicing for yourself
    - Why slow cattle keep horses relaxed and ...