How do young ropers get the best possible runs? And what’s the best strategy for finding the best partner? Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper have won seven gold buckles, and they know a thing or two about building a team.

Life is about more than rodeo, but being married to a rodeo cowboy is no easy road. Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper have had completely different experiences with their marriages and their lives despite rodeoing side-by-side for decades, and this might be their most raw on-camera interview ev...

Jake Barnes talks about the gambling mindset that has helped, and hurt, him over the years and how it has impacted his life and career.

Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper have lived the ups and downs of the rodeo road together—and that has tested their friendship and their partnership since the 1970s. Along the way, they’ve figured out how to win, how to stay friends and how to live life after rodeo. They get real about what it ...

Jake Barnes and Clay Cooper still have fun with team roping, and they still like to switch ends from time to time to get a little practice in for the lower-numbered ropings. Watch them talk through their struggles with heading and heeling.

Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper ride some green horses, and they talk through getting their horses to leave off their hand and score flat. They use a lead steer, muleys, and horned cattle to work on these horses, talking about how they keep their horses calm in the practice pen to prepare for...

During this practice session, Jake Barnes rides a 12-year-old horse named "Skinner," while Clay O'Brien works with a 5-year-old mare. They focus on key aspects of roping, including timing, positioning, and maintaining a smooth turn flow when handling cattle. Jake stresses the importance of master...

Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper, now in their 60s, are adjusting their training to balance health, longevity, and peak performance. In this practice session, Jake works with a 17-year-old mare he’s recently purchased, dialing her in. Meanwhile, Clay focuses on rekindling his "jackpot" mindset...

Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper won the first-ever Mega Match, but they have never watched the Rodeo Video footage of the event. Sit down and watch the iconic roping with the two legends.

Seven-time World Champion Jake Barnes says he’s no rope guru, BUT the guy knows a thing or two about catching horns. In this video, he explains how he adjusts his rope for different scenarios—like the size of cattle, the score, the pace of the jackpot and more.

Clay O’Brien Cooper and Jake Barnes reminisce about their early days in rodeo, sharing unforgettable stories from jackpot ropings, including a freezing snowstorm at a memorial roping in Scobey, Montana, and the muddy, unpredictable conditions of outdoor ropings in Texas to sleeping in the truck b...

Clay O’Brien Cooper breaks down how heel ropes are tied, how they should lay, and what to consider when buying a rope. He also emphasizes the importance of proper rope care in different climates, explaining how temperature affects the way a rope performs.

Jake Barnes is riding a 12-year-old mare he’s been working with for about eight months. Early on, she was quick to charge on slow cattle, had trouble with scoring, and was lacking when it came to facing. Now, Jake has her dialed in to perform as a solid head horse. In this video, he shares the pr...

Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper ride some green horses, and they talk through getting their horses to leave off their hand and score flat. They use a lead steer, muleys and horned cattle to work on these horses, talking about how they keep their horses calm in the practice pen to prepare for ...

Clay O’Brien Cooper is the master of the heel loop, and in this video, he explains a common problem he sees with lower number heelers who come to his roping schools. Cooper explains how the angle of the heel loop stays consistent throughout the heeler’s delivery.

Trap or scoop? Handshake? Thumbs in? How exactly does The Champ view the heel loop delivery? This video breaks down Clay O’Brien Cooper’s theory on delivering the heel loop, with Jake Barnes’ take, too.

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...

Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper have witnessed the evolution of the sport of team roping, from a second-rate rodeo event to the largest sport in the Western performance industry and the richest recreational sport in the world. 

Team roping has thrived since the creation of the number system, now known as Global Handicaps. As these two G.O.A.T.s age, they’re seeing their numbers lowered, and they’re working through the challenges that come with that.

Jake and Clay break down the roping style of Junior Nogueira, highlighting what makes his style truly phenomenal. The legends also weigh in on Wesley Thorp’s technique, sharing insights into what they focus on during his runs and why his approach stands out.