In this episode, Dylan Hancock reflects on his first two appearances at the Cinch Timed Event Championship and breaks down what he learned competing in rodeo’s ultimate all-around test at the Lazy E Arena.

After a strong debut in 2024—winning money in multiple rounds and gaining valuable experience—Hancock returned the following year and battled through the 25-head marathon to finish second overall. He walks through each discipline, including team roping (heading and heeling), steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and tripping, explaining where he found success, where he struggled, and how small adjustments across five rounds can add up in the average.

Hancock opens up about the challenges of the tripping event, the difficulty of practicing consistently while traveling to winter rodeos like Denver, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Florida, and the mental grind of staying focused when sitting eighth going into the final round. He also shares how confidence from a second-place finish fuels his preparation heading into the next championship.

From improving his heading consistency and fine-tuning his heeling to working on left-handed ties in steer wrestling and sharpening fundamentals in tie-down roping, Dylan explains how every tenth of a second matters in the Ironman format. With limited practice days and constant travel, preparation becomes about quality over quantity.

This is an honest look at the preparation, mindset, and adjustments required to compete at the highest level of all-around rodeo—and what it takes to be ready when the marathon begins.