Dakota Kirchenschlager

Dakota Kirchenschlager

5 Seasons

Dakota Kirchenschlager, hailing from Whitesboro, Texas, is a highly regarded team roper and rope horse trainer. With an impressive track record including three-time qualification for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) and earning the title of 2011 Resistol Team Roping Rookie Heeler of the Year, Kirchenschlager has established himself as a prominent figure in the rodeo circuit and futurity pens.

Making his debut at the NFR at just 21 years old in 2012, Kirchenschlager's expertise extends beyond the arena. As the founder of DK Performance Horses, he blends insights gathered from reiners, reined cow horse trainers, and fellow ropers. His training philosophy places a strong emphasis on ensuring horses remain responsive and genuinely enjoy their work.

For those seeking top-tier instruction in team roping or rope horse training, Dakota Kirchenschlager offers unparalleled expertise and a proven record of success.

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Dakota Kirchenschlager
  • Practice Session: 4-Year-Old Stallion Now Lets Talk Money

    Episode 1

    Now Lets Talk Money has already been exceptional at the shows, so Dakota Kirchenschlager focuses on ensuring the horse peaks at the right time by making smooth, easy runs in the practice pen, both in the heading and the heeling. He explains what he’s doing and why every step of the way so ropers ...

  • Practice Session: 6-Year-Old Stallion Test My Metal

    Episode 2

    Dakota Kirchenschlager has won tens of thousands on the 6-year-old stallion Test My Metal. But along the way, Kirchenschlager has dealt with nervousness in the box, and he addresses that throughout the practice session.

  • Practice Session: 5-Year-Old Dual Smart Rey

    Episode 3

    Dakota Kirchenschlager practices every day for what each individual horse needs. In this session, Kirchenschlager heads and heels on a 5-year-old futurity horse, sometimes breakawaying, sometimes circling the steer and sometimes making runs to manage the horse throughout the practice.

  • Practice Session: 5-Year-Old Show Mare

    Episode 4

    Correcting bad habits is a long road that takes a lot of patience. Dakota Kirchenschlager and wife Emily own this talented young mare, but she came from a show-barn background and needs work in the team roping. Kirchenschlager works on gaining control, keeping her calm in the box and building the...

  • Brad Lund & Dakota Kirchenschlager | Practice Session

    Episode 5

  • Green Head & Heel Horse Training Runs

    Episode 6

    Dakota Kirchenschlager and Brad Lund talk ropers through an entire practice session on green horses, including addressing tightness in a heel horse and overbridling in an ex-reiner on the head side. 

  • Dialing Back Down Aggressive Green Horses | Practice Session

    Episode 7

    Brad Lund and Dakota Kirchenschlager both ride "over-achieving" young horses who need their intensity dialed back down, be it in the run or in the box. In this video, they talk through their approach to an entire practice session, complete with live runs and box work. 

  • Full Training Session on Riata Buckle Champion DT Hickorys Mistycat

    Episode 8

    On DT Hickorys Mistycat, Dakota Kirchenschlager addresses how to work on responsiveness in a young horse.