Tag Archives: roping

How to Rope (Video): Team Ropin’ Tips

February 23, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

Kwade Kosoff and Pace & Wells Thompson stayed after the 2nd Annual Dummy Ropin’ here at Smith & Edwards to show us some dummy ropin’ runs and give tips on how to head & heel rope.

Head & Heel Ropin’ Tips from Kwade & Kyle Kosoff

Dummy ropin’ is a ton of fun, whether you’re a team roper or a backyard roper. Kyle provided commentary on tips & what to watch for.

Start practicing after school or work and you’ll be a pro roper in no time. Then you can come show us your stuff in our next dummy ropin’ tournament!

These champions walked away with a Classic rope bag from Equibrand. Thanks to Equibrand, Cactus Ropes, & Lonestar Ropes for providing ropes & prizes!

Pace and Braxton, Round I dummy ropin’ winners!

Cinch and Stone, Round II winners!

What you need to know to Start Ropin’

Roping Terms & What they Mean

Spoke:: The amount of rope in your loop from the honda to your grip on the rope.
Slack:: The loose part of the rope. You have to pull the slack to pull the rope tight.
Dally:: Securing the rope to your saddlehorn, in Team Roping when riding a horse. If you’re not on a horse, still practice pulling your slack and pulling your hands up!
Tip:: Part of the loop, the point of the rope, furthest away from your hand.
Heading:: One player catching the calf dummy around the horns or the neck. Kyle’s Tip: Aim at the left horn when you rope the head.
Heeling:: The second player catching the calf dummy around the rear ankles. Kyle’s Tip: Aim at the left hock (ankle).
Honda:: The bit of rope that loops & knots to allow for a loop in your rope. Learn how to tie a honda from Tom. See Marty show how to put on a plastic speedburner.
Lay:: How stiff or soft your rope is. Heelers want a stiffer rope that will hold open longer (to get under the hooves). Heading ropes are softer.

How we Dummy Rope at Smith & Edwards – & you can in your backyard!

You need 3 people: a header, a heeler, and someone to push the dummy.

The header checks in with his heeler, and nods to the person pushing the dummy when he’s ready.

The header runs after the dummy and catches the horns or neck. Then, the header pulls the dummy straight, to the left, giving the heeler a good opportunity to get the rope under and around the dummy’s back legs. Pull the rope tight (dally the slack), and you’ve got it!

How to Score

We timed each run, from the moment the dummy moves forward, with a stopwatch. We stop the timer when the dummy is both headed & heeled.

It has to be a legal head catch: both horns, half a head (1 horn), or around the neck. We added a 5 second penalty if only caught one heel.

Come Give it a Try!

Ready to rope, too? Come in to our Western department and pick up your rope & dallies. Or, click over to Shop for Roping Supplies on our website. We’ll get you what you need!

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Kids’ Rodeo Outfits for Summer Rodeos

July 1, 2015 - posted by Misti Kosoff

At Smith and Edwards we like to think that we carry the best western clothing, rodeo gear and rodeo apparel in the area. Rather you are a youth rodeo participate or a PRCA top rodeo cowboy or cowgirl we have what you need to help you be competitive and look good doing it.

(Reminder: Are your kids ready for Mutton Bustin’? Bring them to Smith & Edwards and get registered for Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo’s Mutton Bustin’ competition!)

The Bull Rider

Like many young cowboys this handsome cowboy has big aspirations of being a competitive bull rider… much to his tie down roping Dad‘s dismay. He found just what he would need to climb on a bull and give it a try.

Gear:
Youth Phoenix Safety Vest – rodeo vests & gear available online here
Jr. steer riding rope $74.99 – Barstow ropes available online
Bull Riding Glove $47.99

You can explore Rodeo clothing for the whole family online! Click here to explore Wrangler, Cinch, and more Western brands online.
Clothing:
Roper solid snap front long sleeve shirt $24.95
Retro Wrangler jeans BRT20 (available online) in Night Sky, 12 oz. premium denim, comfortable mid rise, straight leg fits over cowboy boots. $26.95
Twister 10x hat $64.99
Smith and Edwards offers a full line of kids’ and adults’ Ariat Boots. You can even choose from Men’s, Ladies’, and Kids’ Spurs as well as Spur Straps.

The Roper

This blue-eyed heart breaker loves to rope anything that moves, or doesn’t move, in some cases. He is geared up and ready to compete and looking handsome as ever.

Gear:
Smith and Edwards offers a full line of Cactus Poly Ropes.
Rattler Boys Goat String $14.95

Clothing:
Roper plaid button front long sleeve shirt $27.99
Limited edition 20X Wrangler jeans, mid-weight 12.5-oz, relaxed seat, thigh, & knee, straight leg styling fits easily over boots. This jean, 33BLDNS, is available online! $26.95
American Hat Company $99.99

The Barrel Racer

Gotta have the matching gear!

And what rodeo wouldn’t be complete without the sweethearts of the rodeos, the barrel racers. You will have a hard time keeping up with this little cutie and her stick horse “Brownie”. She is all about style, bling, and the love of horses.

Gear:
The Troxel Legacy Helmet is a slim profile helmet. The narrow profile offers a classy look while providing the safety all moms desire. $54.99
Nylon Braided Quirt $11.99

Clothing:
Angel Ranch belt $36.99
Wrangler diamond snap, foil embossed, long sleeve shirt. $24.95
Rock ’47 girls Wrangler grey embroidered with rhinestone stud back pocket jeans. $31.95

Pair with her favorite boots, like Justins or Ariats.
Remember to get your tickets to Ogden Pioneer Days rodeo at Smith & Edwards! Smith & Edwards is a proud supporters of Miss Rodeo Utah and Ogden Pioneer Days, July 20-24. See you at the rodeo!

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How to Rope a Cowboy Toy

April 23, 2015 - posted by Rose Marion

If you’ve ever been dummy ropin’, you know how FUN it is… and you don’t need to be a team roper on a horse to have fun with it.

Stick a steer head on a bale of hay, or hook up a Smarty dummy to your 4-wheeler – it’s as fun as the real thing.

But what about when it’s raining, or it’s dark out? How you gonna rope then?

Here it is: The living room Cowboy Toy. Born in Texas, our customers LOVE these mini steers! They come with their own rope, interchangeable horns, and the legs even move like a real dummy steer, so you can head ‘n heel with the whole family. Craig had to show Curtis with ABC4 Utah how it’s done:

This tabletop roping dummy’s as fun as it looks!

Gotta have one? Get your own Cowboy Ropin’ Toy (and see their big brothers) at SMITHandEDWARDS.com in our Roping Dummy section.

If you haven’t seen someone rope the Shorty ropin’ dummy, you’ve gotta checkout our Dummy Ropin’ we did back on Valentine’s Day! Click here to see some Dummy Ropin’ Pictures.

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How to Put a Speed Burner on a Rope

April 9, 2015 - posted by Rose Marion

A plastic speed burner will protect your honda while ropin.

We get asked how to put a speed burner on a rope pretty often – so here’s a 2-minute video showing you how to do it at home! Speedburners are so quick to put on & easy to use.

How to put a Speedburner on Your Rope

Red, White, and Blue plastic speedburners

Speed Burners come in different colors!

Like Marty showed, all you need is your speedburner, your rope with a honda (click here to see how to tie a honda), and a microwave with a cup of water. Some wide pliers will do the job – Marty uses a handy pair of channel locks.

Looking for Ropin’ Gear?

Get your speed burners, breakaways, & rawhide hondas here.
Click here to shop Ranch Ropes.
And Cowboy Toy ropin’ dummies let your rope in your living room, day or night & make a GREAT gift! Click to choose your ropin’ dummy toy color.

What do YOU want to see?

What questions do you have for us to answer in a video? Leave a comment below or email help@smithandedwards.com. Marty loves making videos for you!

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How to Tie a Honda

February 27, 2015 - posted by Amy Griffiths

Did you hear about our first ever in-store Dummy Ropin’ contest? We had so much fun we’re already thinking about the next one! Check out what happened and see who won. Sign up for our emails just for horse enthusiasts so you don’t miss out on the next one!

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Our western department has western rock stars as far as I’m concerned. Not only do they carry a great selection of quality products, they are also so knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely good people. They live the lifestyle they are talking about and have first hand experience.

Tom, Dave, Sam, Marty, Jess, Dani, Steve, Kyle, Shaun, Kris, and Sherm

Often they are asked how to do certain things, and how to tie a honda is a common request. Tom, one of our fabulous craftsmen from our manufacturing department (yes, they design and manufacture a lot of the tack they sell, and they do it right here in Smith and Edwards!) agreed to show us how to tie a honda. It must be effective because people keep coming back for more! (click here to skip to a written step-by-step how-to)

Watch How to Tie a Honda

Step by Step Tutorial on How to Tie a Honda

Tying a sturdy honda is really a two step process, but it really is quick and easy. First you make a stopper knot, then you can make your honda.

Begin by untying the strands in your rope about 6″ down and separate them. For our tutorial we’re using a 3 strand rope but you can easily do the same action with a 4 strand rope.

Take the middle back red strand and curve it to the left.

Take the blue strand on the left and go over and then under the middle red strand you just curved to the left.

Now take the right white strand and do the same over and under action you as you just did on the previous blue strand.

Grab the tip from this same white strand and insert it in the top loop you created with the first red middle strand.

Pull the end of each strand, making a tight knot at the bottom. Cut and burn the ends to seal it.

Now you’ve got your stopper knot ready for the next step. Look how great it turned out!

Time to tie your Honda

With about 18″ of rope, take the end that has your newly tied stopper knot. Working towards the right of your rope, loop it towards you til the knot faces away.

Grab the knot, take it to the left of the loop, then under and up, making an overhand knot.

It kind of looks like a pretzel now. Take your knot back behind the top of the loop and tuck it in the top loop of the overhand knot.

Make sure the upper loop you just made is the size you want and pull the bottom rope tight. Push the stopper knot up as you do this to keep it out of the way.

Now you’ve learned how to tie a honda like a pro, just like Tom and the rest of the crew.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and feel confident in tying your own hondas. If you have a question or there is something you’d like to know more about, let us know. Tom, Marty, Dani and others are happy to share their skills with us!

Be the first to find out about newly added Western products, special offers just for our online friends, and more helpful tips of the trade by signing up for our emails today. Join your email list here!

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Dummy Ropin’ Photos
February 19, 2015 - posted by Rose Marion

A few of the dummy ropin’ prizes!

Smith & Edwards hosted our 1st Dummy Ropin’ on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

We’re glad everyone who came had such a great time!

There were 3 rounds and a range of ages participating…. and some GREAT prizes, from Smith & Edwards gift cards to ball caps and patches from Smart Roping, Fast Back Ropes, Bailey, Bex, and more.

It was a ton of fun for the adults who came. And it was even more fun to see the kids having a blast, whether they brought their own rope & gloves or they were trying their hand at ropin’ for the first time.

What do you think? Should we make a Dummy Ropin’ a Smith & Edwards tradition like the Gun Auction?

On a phone? click here to see the photo gallery!

Ropin’ Champs and their Prizes

Round 2 Winners

Round 2 Runners Up

Round 3 Winners

Need a Ropin’ Dummy in YOUR Back Yard?

You’ll find 4-wheeler roping dummies, Shorty the Steer, and even tabletop roping dummies on our site! Click the picture to shop.

So now you’re probably thinking, Hey, I need one of those roping dummies!

Well, they are a ton of fun. The one you saw is available in green and black. It uses 8 wheels and is real easy to push on a flat floor. We built our own chute-launcher, you can see in the gallery. I bet you could come up with a system that works for your family to use.

The dummy used is a Shorty Dummy by Smart Roping out of Texas. Click here to see all our roping dummies.

You can find LOTS of tack & gear, from jeans and jewelry to stirrups and headstalls, online at SMITHandEDWARDS.com.

Want to know when our next Dummy Ropin’ Jackpot is? Fill out this form & we’ll let you know!

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