In this switch-end session, Clay O'Brien Cooper heads on a green colt he started heeling on last fall and breaks down the feel he's after in a head horse, from a collected frame and dropped hindquarters to soft, adjustable control through the corner. He talks about developing a young horse throug...

In this switch-end session, Jake Barnes and Clay O'Brien Cooper flip their roles, with Jake heeling and Clay heading, and the conversation gets honest fast. Jake, a header for most of his pro career, opens up about how much harder heeling is for him, why timing the fast-hopping cattle feels like ...

In the final session before Reno, Jake Barnes and Clay O'Brien Cooper get into the mental side of roping and what it takes to stay sharp when you're living on the road. Clay explains how the best ropers process information in bits and pieces, making adjustments off just a handful of runs instead ...

Still prepping for Reno, Jake Barnes and Clay O'Brien Cooper turn up the intensity in this session and leave the pen with confidence. Jake breaks down how to handle a steer that keeps ducking left, why steer training matters when a steer won't give you a good pattern, and how to regroup mid-pract...

On day two of filming in the practice pen, Jake Barnes and Clay O'Brien Cooper get ready for the Reno Rodeo and dig into the science of making fast, repeatable runs. Both legends are big believers in studying film the way pro athletes do, and in this session they break down exactly what the tape ...

Clay O'Brien Cooper breaks down one of the fundamental dynamics of the swing: you are either a locker or a roller. He demonstrates both on the dummy, walking through the advantages and disadvantages of each and how rope speed factors into both styles. There is no right or wrong answer, just what ...

For Jake Barnes and Clay O'Brien Cooper, a day in the practice pen is just another day doing what they love, but there is nothing random about how they go about it. They have reprogrammed their sessions to get the most out of every run, using slower cattle for their horses and faster cattle for t...

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...

In this in-depth discussion, Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper break down one of the most technical—and often misunderstood—aspects of team roping: how to handle dragging or heavy steers.

Clay explains the difference between a steer that’s dragging versus one that’s getting heavy, and how the...

In this episode, Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper focus on details that separate good practice from great preparation. Jake rides a seasoned 17-year-old horse—one he admits he almost overlooked in the past—and shares how this horse has become one of his best yet. From Ariat World Series of Tea...

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...

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
...

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 ...

Clay O’Brien Cooper explains the way heel ropes are tied and the importance of understanding how to care for a rope in all climates.

Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper are in their 60s, and they’re figuring out the best way to maximize their time in the arena to balance their health, longevity, horses and roping ability. This practice session is a mix of speeds of steers, horned cattle and muleys and great trainer lead steers...

Clay O'Brien Cooper is constantly monitoring how his horse is feeling throughout a practice session and adjusting his practice and his game plan based on the responsiveness he's feeling. He talks about how he evaluates and tests his horse in a practice session.

Jake Barnes and Clay O'Brien Cooper share expectations for young horses and the way they handle spooking and flightiness in the practice pen.

Jake Barnes and Clay O'Brien Cooper talk through a windy practice session on two very green horses, roping exceptionally slow cattle and trying to maintain control. 

As Jake Barnes and Clay O'Brien Cooper prepared to make an appearance at the 2022 Resistol Reno Open, Roping.com got into the practice pen with these two legends to learn how they prepare for full-contact competition.

Clay O'Brien Cooper covers riding young horses in adverse conditions, as well as keeping a young horse focused throughout a practice session.