Matt Sherwood
Matt Sherwood won a world title the first time he rode into the Thomas & Mack. He built his roping career while raising a family and running a business. Sherwood understands doing it the hard way, so he breaks down roping to help navigate every element of the sport.
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Full Heeling Dummy Roping Lesson
Matt Sherwood is a two-time World Champion Header, as well as an American finalist in the heeling behind Derrick Begay. In this video, he explains position on the ground on the heeling dummy.
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Being Ahead on Quick Hopping Steers
Keeping your timing on a fast-hopping steer is critical to prevent roping a right leg. Two-time World Champion Matt Sherwood explains how he stays ahead of the steer to keep both feet in his loop.
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Timing on Your Delivery
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Heeling High Hopping Steers
Don’t get distracted by a steer with big hops. Two-time world champion Matt Sherwood talks about whether or not you should adjust your loop and your delivery on steers that really get air.
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Heel Rope Angle and the Bottom Strand
The angle of your swing affects the way your bottom strand drives to the ground. Matt Sherwood demonstrates how heel rope angle changes the bottom strand's connection with the ground and the feet.
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Controlling Your Loop
Riding a strong horse through the corner means you've got to be intentional about controlling your heel loop. Matt Sherwood talks through a game plan on a horse he knows doesn't work in a way that lets him throw fast.
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Dummy Roping: Tip Control Drill
This is a must-do dummy drill from Matt Sherwood on controlling your tip. Watch an entire dummy-roping session from one of Sherwood's clinics here.
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Learn to Let Your Heel Rope Slide
Are you slamming your rope down to dally? Matt Sherwood explains how you should finish your run with your heel rope.
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Bridle and Tie-Down Adjustments
Is your bit too low in your horse's mouth? Too high? How do heelers differ in their tie-down adjustments from headers? Two-time World Champion Matt Sherwood breaks it down.
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Slowing Down the Run
How do you work on your horse and your roping at the same time? World Champion Matt Sherwood talks about how he approaches the corner on a horse that needs help through the turn and how he still is able to heel fast in the process.
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Riding Into the Box
Riding into the box may sound basic—but there is a right and a wrong way to do it. Matt Sherwood talks about how he sets his horse up for success from the start.
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Heel Horse Control in the Box
Keeping your heel horse on go in the box but still in control is a critical skill you can master in the practice pen. Matt Sherwood shows you how.
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Is Your Horse Making It Hard to See the Feet?
Is your horse making your heel shot harder thanks to where he carries his head? Here's how to tell and how to fix it.
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Full Heading Dummy Roping Lesson
Matt Sherwood is a two-time World Champion Header, and in this video he gives a full dummy roping lesson with a group of recreational ropers.
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Hand Separation Through the Corner
The type of horse you're riding can affect how you use your hands through your delivery. In this video, two-time World Champion Matt Sherwood discusses a challenge he faces with his horse and his left hand.
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Rope Maintenance
How should you prepare your heel rope? Matt Sherwood talks about getting a good stretch on a heel rope and demonstrates how to do it.
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Mental Mistakes in the Throw
Being able to think through a run rather than panic is critical in both heading and heeling. Watch Matt Sherwood make a mistake on his heeling delivery, and he explains why it was a mistake and what he should have done differently.
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Productive Practice
What should you focus on in a practice, and how should you assess your own roping? Matt Sherwood talks about a struggle he's addressed in his heeling and how he builds a practice around it.