The Breakdown

Equine Podcast Network
Equine Podcast Network
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The Breakaway Roping Journal and CalfRoping.com present "The Breakdown," a weekly podcast featuring breakaway roping and tie-down roping's top talent, from the professional athletes, to the amateurs, to those breeding the top horses in the game. Each episode features an interview with a top athlete or personality in the rodeo industry. We also feature bonus episodes with roping tips from Roping.com, exclusive event interviews and more.

  1. 3d ago

    The Breakaway Breakdown: Cheyanne McCartney talks about the Old West Futurites Road to a Million, balancing rodeoing and futurities and how her and her husband, Cody, make it all work.

    Cheyanne McCartney joins this episode of The Breakaway Breakdown fresh off a two-for-two week at Old West's Heber City Futurity, where she won the 4-&-Under Pre-Futurity Breakaway on Thiccthirty and the 6-&-Under Futurity Breakaway on Hez Talkin Smack—with a runner-up finish thrown in on Dont Quote Me, “Muffin.” She talks through what it actually takes to keep four horses straight over two days of competition, why she builds “a little routine” with each one instead of treating the string as one job, and how reading fresh calves changes as the barrier shortens round to round. She also gets into the bigger picture: Reyzin Royals' run at Old West's $1 million Road to the Million bonus after the mare's $40,000 side-pot win at Guthrie, the trade-offs of chasing both a WPRA Top 15 run and a full futurity calendar—including skipping Nampa to make this week's short round—and the family storyline that made Heber City extra sweet. Hez Talkin Smack carried her to an $8,933 futurity check, then turned around and carried husband Cody to a split win at the Pleasant Grove Rodeo days later. This episode is brought to you by Old West Futurities. Old West isn’t just raising the bar—we’re redefining what’s possible in the rope horse industry. With more than $1.12 million paid out in Guthrie and over $1.37 million paid out in Heber City, Old West has quickly become one of the premier destinations for heading, heeling, and breakaway competition. With record-setting horse sales, industry-leading payouts, exclusive Sale Graduate incentives, and a $1 Million Bonus opportunity, Old West is where legends are made and records are broken. Learn more about our futurities and horse sales at OldWest.com.

  2. Jun 23

    The Breakaway Breakdown: Hope Thompson Talks Rodeo, Futurity Horses and Building a Training Program

    Four-time WPRA World Champion Hope Thompson joins The Breakaway Breakdown to talk about how life looks as she steps back from full-time rodeoing and steps into the futurity and training world and what it takes to build great rope horses from the ground up. Thompson talks through the wins that shaped her career, from the college finals to WPRA world titles and all-around championships, and how adding more events only fueled her love for roping. The conversation dives into the shift from hauling hard to the rodeos to focusing more on young horses, futurities and creating a long-term business. Thompson breaks down why the futurity world has become such an important part of her program, how she defines success now and why she still has no plans to step away from rodeo completely. She also gets into the technical side of training rope horses, from scoring and tracking cattle to letting each horse tell her when they are ready. Thompson shares what she looks for in a prospect, why a good mind matters as much as talent and how horses like Ink and Gucci have helped shape the way she trains. About SmartPak This episode is brought to you by SmartPak and ColiCare. Colic is one of the leading causes of emergency vet visits—and it’s something every horse owner worries about. That’s why SmartPak developed ColiCare, a comprehensive approach to hindgut health and colic prevention. ColiCare combines targeted digestive support with a program designed to help you stay ahead of potential issues—not just react to them. It’s built on research, formulated to support a healthy gut environment, and backed by a unique benefit: eligible horses enrolled in the program may receive up to $15,000 in colic surgery reimbursement. Whether you’re hauling, training hard, or just managing day-to-day stressors, your horse’s digestive system is constantly under pressure. ColiCare is designed to help you manage those risks with confidence. Visit SmartPakEquine.com to learn more about how ColiCare can support your horse’s long-term health.

  3. Jun 15

    The Breakdown: Blake Ramsey Joins the Mic as Breakaway's New Voice

    This week on The Breakdown, CalfRoping.com host Hannah Mann is joined by Blake Ramsey, the newest member of the Equine Network and Western Sports Group team and the new voice behind Breakaway Roping Journal coverage. Earlier this year, Calli Montague stepped in to lead breakaway coverage on an interim basis after previous host Lillian Kent moved to the Horse&Rider side of the Western Sports Group. With a new hire now in place, Calli is shifting back to The Team Roping Journal, and Blake takes over the breakaway portion of the podcast going forward. On this episode, Blake shares her background growing up between Colorado and Kansas, her family’s ranching ties in New Mexico, and her years as a barrel racer and breakaway roper through high school and college rodeo. She talks about studying media and marketing, her path into Western media, and what drew her to the Breakaway Roping Journal. She also digs into why breakaway’s explosive growth has her fired up, and the kind of storytelling she hopes to bring to listeners of The Breakdown. In this episode:The latest team changes and what they mean for Breakaway Roping Journal coverageBlake’s rodeo roots, from barrel racing and breakaway to college rodeoHer path into Western media and how she landed at the Equine NetworkWhat excites her about breakaway’s growth and the stories she hopes to tell

  4. May 13

    The Breakaway Breakdown: Kayelen Helton Breaks Down Mental Toughness, Horse Power and the Evolution of Breakaway

    Texas cowgirl Kayelen Helton joins The Breakaway Breakdown to talk about balancing a full-time career as a licensed professional counselor with life in the rodeo arena, while still competing at a high level in both breakaway and team roping. Helton talks growing up in Texas junior rodeo, competing through the amateur and college ranks at Tarleton State, and navigating the rapid evolution of modern breakaway roping. The conversation dives deep into the mental side of competition, how Helton’s counseling career has shaped her mindset in the arena, and why routine, horsemanship and confidence still matter more than ever. She also shares her thoughts on developing rope horses, the importance of finding horses that fit your style, and what she’s learned since stepping into the breeding world with her stallion Cat Man Sand. From winning on the all-girl team roping side to building a program around horses she believes in, Helton offers an honest look at what it takes to compete while balancing career, horses and life outside the arena. About Roping.com Roping.com gives team ropers, breakaway ropers and calf ropers access to training videos, event coverage and instruction from some of the best in the business. From futurity insights to jackpot strategy and horsemanship tips, Roping.com delivers year-round content built for every level of roper.

  5. Apr 27

    The Tie-Down Breakdown: Inside Fast Back Ropes with General Manager Coy Upchurch

    This week on the Tie-Down Breakdown, Fast Back Ropes General Manager Coy Upchurch sits down with endorsee, breakaway roper and EQN Sports Host Amy Wilson for a conversation that covers just about everything a roper could want to know about the rope making business. Coy walks through his career from the tie room to the front office, breaks down how a Fast Back rope is made from raw materials all the way to the coil, and explains why the weather matters more than you might think. He also talks on what ropes beginners should buy, the difference between nylon and poly, how endorsee feedback shapes future ropes, and even the time they tried to make a rope out of bulletproof Kevlar. If you've ever wondered what goes into the rope you throw—this one's for you. About Fast Back Ropes World Champions trust what works—and since 1995, Fast Back Ropes has delivered just that. Known for industry staples like the Edge calf rope, built for speed, balance, and feel, and the Athena, designed for a quick, clean breakaway delivery, Fast Back continues to set the standard. With options in Soft and Extra Soft, every rope is built with durability you can trust. Shop ropes, boots and apparel at fastbackropes.com.

  6. Mar 17

    The Breakaway Breakdown: San Antonio Champ and No. 1 Cowgirl in the World Jaci Hammons

    On this episode of The Breakaway Breakdown, No.1 cowgirl in the world Jaci Hammons tells us her story, what the win meant to her, and her plan for the rest of the season. 2026 Resistol Rookie contender Hammons turned a week of 2-second runs into $25,319 and the biggest win of her young ProRodeo career, claiming the 2026 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo title with a 2.0-second run in the finals and the highest total earnings of the rodeo. With this win, Hammons also sits No. 1 in the World with $40,796 won so far. Host Calli Montague sits down with the Texas native to introduce her to the breakaway fans. Episode supported by Roping.comGet unlimited access to roping.com‘s comprehensive tie-down, breakaway, and team roping video library and learn from World Champions Caleb Smidt and Shad Mayfield as well as top trainers Logan Harkey and Justin Maass. Rope with legendary breakaway ropers like Lari Dee Guy, Hope Thompson, and 2024 NFBR World Champion Kelsie Domer. Plus, binge hundreds of hours of live and archived ropings including the Cinch Timed Event Championship, The Patriot Events, and more. Connect with Your Hosts: The Breakaway Roping Journal Follow on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

  7. Mar 2

    The Breakaway Breakdown: Suzanne Faske on Son Elijah’s Breakaway Breakthrough

    The latest episode of The Breakaway Breakdown captures the story of Elijah Faske, the 12-year-old Texas cowboy who ropes legally blind, from his mom Suzanne’s perspective. When Elijah caught his calf at the January Texas Junior High Rodeo Association Region 7 rodeo in Edna, Texas, it was more than just a clean run for him and his family. The video of Elijah’s first catch later made rounds on social media, but the story behind it starts earlier. Elijah came to the Faske family when he was nearly 6 years old, after a disrupted adoption. He was born in China with a birth defect that left one eye completely missing, and in the other eye he has coloboma, which causes gaps in his vision. Host Calli Montague talks with Suzanne to hear the story of how Elijah found his way to breakaway roping, her experience as a mother of more than 28 kids, and how the Western way of life has truly changed her family for the better. Episode supported by Roping.comGet unlimited access to roping.com‘s comprehensive tie-down, breakaway, and team roping video library and learn from World Champions Caleb Smidt and Shad Mayfield as well as top trainers Logan Harkey and Justin Maass. Rope with legendary breakaway ropers like Lari Dee Guy, Hope Thompson, and 2024 NFBR World Champion Kelsie Domer. Plus, binge hundreds of hours of live and archived ropings including the Cinch Timed Event Championship, The Patriot Events, and more. Connect with Your Hosts: The Breakaway Roping Journal Follow on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

  8. Jan 15

    The Breakdown: Calli Montague Joins the Mic as Breakaway Coverage Evolves

    This week on The Breakdown, Tie-Down Breakdown host Hannah Mann is joined by Calli Montague, the newest member of the Equine Network and Western Sports Group team. With previous Breakaway Breakdown host Lillian Kent transitioning into a role on the Horse and Rider side of the Western Sports Group, Calli will step in to help lead Breakaway Roping Journal coverage and interviews in the interim. Calli shares her rodeo background, her path into Western media and what she hopes to bring to the Breakaway Roping Journal as the sport continues to grow. In this episode: An update on team changes and what they mean for BRJ coverageCalli’s rodeo and media background, from junior rodeo to West Texas A&MHow the Western Sports Group collaborates across brands during busy stretches of the seasonWhat Calli hopes to build during her time on BRJ Follow along with the Team Roping Journal, Breakaway Roping Journal, CalfRoping.com and BarrelRacing.com for coverage from across the Western Sports Group team.

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The Breakaway Roping Journal and CalfRoping.com present "The Breakdown," a weekly podcast featuring breakaway roping and tie-down roping's top talent, from the professional athletes, to the amateurs, to those breeding the top horses in the game. Each episode features an interview with a top athlete or personality in the rodeo industry. We also feature bonus episodes with roping tips from Roping.com, exclusive event interviews and more.

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