Beyond the Chutes

Doug Simcox
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Welcome to Beyond the Chutes, a Rodeo podcast where hosts Doug Simcox and Sam Swearingen dive deep into the heart of the Western and Rodeo culture. Join us as we explore the full spectrum of rodeo life, from the adrenaline-pumping action at the bucking chutes to the precision and skill of the timed event chute. Our conversations extend to those who make the rodeo world turn: competitors, committee members, stock contractors, judges, secretaries, and the vibrant personalities of contract acts, entertainers, and announcers. Together, we uncover their unique stories, experiences, and the unforgettable places their rodeo journeys have taken them.

  1. #190 Inside The American Rodeo with Lane Peterson | The Road to Arlington, $2 Million & The Eastern Regional Finals

    1D AGO

    #190 Inside The American Rodeo with Lane Peterson | The Road to Arlington, $2 Million & The Eastern Regional Finals

    How do you get to The American Rodeo? How do the qualifiers work? What happens in Lexington… and what waits in Arlington? In this special standalone conversation pulled from our larger Lexington coverage, Doug Simcox and Sam Swearingen sit down with Lane Peterson, Competition Manager of The American Rodeo, inside the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park during The American Eastern Regional Finals. Lane breaks down the American’s unique format… the grassroots qualifier system… super qualifiers like St-Tite, Quebec… redemption rounds… regional finals… and the long road that leads to Arlington, Texas. Then comes the big stage. May 22 & 23 — Globe Life Field — Arlington, Texas. The contenders who survive the qualifier trail face off against the top PRCA rodeo athletes in each event… with $2 million dollars hanging in the balance. If you've ever wondered how The American really works… this is the episode. Beyond the Chutes… presented by ParaSight System. Follow Beyond the Chutes for more real stories from the rodeo road. #BeyondTheChutes #BeyondTheChutes #TheAmericanRodeo #AmericanRodeo #LanePeterson #RoadToArlington #GlobeLifeField #LexingtonKY #AlltechArena #KentuckyHorsePark #ArlingtonTexas #Rodeo #PRCA #IPRA #WesternSports #CowboyLife #RodeoPodcast #RodeoRoad #RodeoLife #WesternLifestyle #RodeoFans #BullRiding #SaddleBronc #BarebackRiding #TeamRoping #BarrelRacing #TieDownRoping #SteerWrestling #BreakawayRoping #RoadToTheAmerican #MillionDollarRodeo

    40 min
  2. #189 Rolling Smooth: Behind the Scenes of Podcasting on the Rodeo Road

    MAY 12

    #189 Rolling Smooth: Behind the Scenes of Podcasting on the Rodeo Road

    What really goes into building a podcast from the road? In this special crossover episode, Doug Simcox of Beyond the Chutes joins Stan Cromlish on the Wandering Gypsy RV Life podcast for a behind-the-scenes conversation recorded at Kickback Ranch in Raymer, Alabama. From rodeo arenas and campgrounds to editing bays and RV dinettes, Doug and Stan talk about what it really takes to build podcasts while living and traveling on the road. They dive into audio gear, video production, editing workflows, YouTube growth, RV systems, storytelling, sponsor relationships, and the challenges of creating content from inside motorhomes, horse trailers, and campground setups. You’ll hear conversations about: Podcast editing with Audacity, Descript, and the Zoom PodTrak P4Recording inside RVs and managing sound, storage, and video workflowsThe rise of reels, shorts, and YouTube podcastingRV life parallels with rodeo lifeBuilding authentic brands without losing editorial freedomThe story behind ParaSight System and their AI-driven veterinary technologyWhy storytelling still matters in both the cowboy and RV worldsThis episode also introduces the upcoming Cowboys and Cowgirls Rolling Smooth collaboration series between Beyond the Chutes and Wandering Gypsy RV Life. Real conversations. Real road life. Real storytelling. Visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel for full video episodes, shorts, reels, and behind-the-scenes content from the rodeo road. Follow Beyond the Chutes for more real stories from the rodeo road. #BeyondTheChutes #RollingSmooth #WanderingGypsyRVLife #RodeoRoad #RVLife #CowboyLife #Podcasting #WesternLifestyle #FullTimeRV #RodeoPodcast #RVPodcast #CowboyStories #WesternHeritage #RoadLife #ContentCreator #YouTubePodcast #PodcastLife #RodeoFamily #CampgroundLife #TravelPodcast #StanCromlish #DougSimcox #HorseTrailerLiving #RVTravel #CowboysAndCowgirlsRollingSmooth

    37 min
  3. #188 Cowboy to Full-Time RVer: Stan Cromlish’s Rolling Smooth Story

    MAY 5

    #188 Cowboy to Full-Time RVer: Stan Cromlish’s Rolling Smooth Story

    Stan Cromlish has lived the cowboy life—and now he’s built a new one on the road. In this first episode of Cowboys & Cowgirls: Rolling Smooth, we sit down with Stan—rodeo man, author of the Rolling Smooth series, and full-time RVer—to talk about the journey from the arena to life behind the wheel. This isn’t theory. It’s real-world experience from someone who’s lived both sides—rodeo roads and RV roads—and understands what it takes to keep moving forward. We talk about: The transition from cowboy to full-time RVerWhat life on the road really looks likeThe mindset it takes to make it workWhy being “rolling smooth” matters more than you thinkIf you haul horses, chase rodeos, or live life mile to mile—this series is for you. 👉 Start here. Then keep going—because every episode builds on the last. Follow Beyond the Chutes for more real stories from the rodeo road. #BeyondTheChutes

    38 min
  4. #187 Jim Swearingen | He Set the Table for a Rodeo Dynasty

    APR 28

    #187 Jim Swearingen | He Set the Table for a Rodeo Dynasty

    Recorded last fall at Mike Swearingen’s Rodeo Reunion in Wyoming, New York, this episode of Beyond the Chutes sits down with a true patriarch of rodeo in the East—Jim Swearingen. Husband to Nancy, father to Mike, Sam, Danny, Pearl, Patty, and Beth, Jim didn’t just raise a rodeo family—he helped build a rodeo community. From a small riding stable in Western New York to the early days of Little Britches Rodeo in the late 1960s, Jim put kids on horses and gave them a place to start. What followed shaped generations of cowboys and cowgirls across the Northeast. If you’ve ever been to the Attica Rodeo—founded in 1959 and still filling the stands today—you’ve felt the impact of the Swearingen family. This is more than a conversation. This is legacy, hard work, and the foundation of rodeo east of the Mississippi. Follow Beyond the Chutes for more real stories from the rodeo road. #BeyondTheChutes #BeyondTheChutes, #Rodeo, #JimSwearingen, #AtticaRodeo, #LittleBritchesRodeo, #RodeoHistory, #CowboyLife, #WesternHeritage, #RodeoFamily, #BullRiding, #CalfRoping, #CowboyLegacy, #WesternLifestyle, #RodeoPodcast, #AmericanRodeo, #CowboyStories, #RodeoLife, #PRCA, #IPRA, #EastCoastRodeo

    20 min
  5. #186 American Rodeo Eastern Qualifier: Winner Interviews - $2 Million on the Line

    APR 21

    #186 American Rodeo Eastern Qualifier: Winner Interviews - $2 Million on the Line

    From the dirt of Lexington, Kentucky at the Alltech Arena, this episode of Beyond the Chutes takes you inside the moment—live, unscripted, and right after the win. At The American Rodeo Eastern Regional Finals, the stakes are simple: win here, and you’re headed to Arlington, Texas… Globe Life Field… and a shot at a record $2 million. We talk with the winners as it happens—no retakes, no reset, just real reactions from the arena floor. They break down the rides, the runs, the horses, and the mindset it takes when everything is on the line. But this episode is more than just results—it’s a turning point. For the first time, Beyond the Chutes steps fully into video. New cameras. New workflow. Real-time pressure. One shot to get it right. Because if we’re going to grow this thing… we’ve got to go where the stories are—and capture them as they happen. Next stop: Arlington, Texas. Globe Life Field. May 22–23. $2 million on the line. One step closer. Follow Beyond the Chutes for more real stories from the rodeo road. #BeyondTheChutes

    30 min
  6. #185 The American Rodeo: From Lexington to Arlington: Winning Rides, Big Stakes, One Step Closer

    APR 14

    #185 The American Rodeo: From Lexington to Arlington: Winning Rides, Big Stakes, One Step Closer

    From the dirt of Lexington, Kentucky at the Alltech Arena, this episode of Beyond the Chutes brings you inside the moment—right after the win. We talk with Tilden Hooper, Dawson Hay, Jayden Roy, Austin Stewart, Brandon Edwards, and Lane Peterson following their performances at The American Eastern Regional Finals. With $10,000 on the line and everything pointing toward Arlington, Texas, these rides mean more than just a paycheck—they’re a shot at advancing to Globe Life Field and competing for a record $2 million. You’ll hear how the rides came together, the horses that made the difference, and the mindset it takes when the stakes are this high. This is rodeo at its sharpest—preparation meets opportunity, and the margin is razor thin. Short. Real. Right from the arena floor. And it’s all heading to Arlington, TX… The American Rodeo Championship Weekend, May 22–23 at Globe Life Field. One step closer. #BeyondTheChutes #TheAmericanRodeo #SaddleBronc #TildenHooper #DawsonHay #JaydenRoy #AustinStewart #BrandonEdwards #LanePeterson #RodeoLife #WesternSports #GlobeLifeField #RoadToArlington #ProRodeo #CowboyUp #RodeoPodcast #EightSeconds #RodeoStories #AmericanRodeo #KentuckyHorsePark

    1h 17m
  7. #184 Kenny Phillips 1985 World Champion to ER Doctor - Truly Blessed

    APR 7

    #184 Kenny Phillips 1985 World Champion to ER Doctor - Truly Blessed

    1985 IPRA World Champion Kenny Phillips shares his journey from rodeo glory to emergency room doctor… In the fall of 1986, Kenny Phillips broke his neck… and somehow, that was only part of the story. Recorded at Mike Swearingen’s Rodeo Reunion in Wyoming, New York, this episode of Beyond the Chutes brings you a powerful conversation with IPRA World Champion bareback rider Kenny Phillips—a man whose life has been shaped by grit, faith, family, and the cowboy way. From growing up in a rodeo family in the Northeast… To Wednesday night buckouts and learning the hard way… To qualifying for the IFR, winning the 1985 IPRA World Championship, and hitting the road out West… Kenny lived it. Then came the wreck. A broken neck in Arizona. A long recovery. And a decision that would change everything. Kenny didn’t just come back—he rebuilt. Today, he’s a board-certified emergency room doctor, carrying the lessons of the arena into a life of service. This episode is about more than rodeo. It’s about resilience… second chances… and the kind of people who shape you along the way. You’ll hear stories of the Phillips family legacy, the influence of great cowboys, and the next generation—Daylon and Colton—carrying it forward. And through it all, one truth stands out: 👉 These stories matter. If you’ve ever been part of rodeo… or just admire the mindset it takes to keep getting back up… this one’s for you. #BeyondTheChutes #RodeoPodcast #KennyPhillips #IPRA #BarebackRiding #RodeoLife #CowboyWay #WesternHeritage #RodeoStories #IFR #RodeoFamily #CowboyUp #WesternLifestyle #RodeoHistory #FaithFamilyRodeo #EmergencyMedicine #ComebackStory #CowboyStrong #ShareTheStories #KeepTheStoriesAlive

    32 min
  8. #183 Jimmy Grasso – 16x Dodge National Circuit Finals Cowboy Who Showed Up Every Time | Beyond the Chutes

    MAR 31

    #183 Jimmy Grasso – 16x Dodge National Circuit Finals Cowboy Who Showed Up Every Time | Beyond the Chutes

    Recorded live at Mike Swearingen’s Rodeo Reunion in Wyoming, New York, this episode of Beyond the Chutes features one of the most recognizable names in Northeast rodeo—Jimmy Grasso. A Jersey-born cowboy who didn’t climb on his first bronc until his late 20s, Jimmy built a career defined by grit, consistency, and one simple rule: show up. Whether it was a small-town rodeo or a major event, if there was a bronc to ride, Jimmy was there—often flying himself in to make it happen. From wrestling and football roots… to learning the hard way in the arena… to qualifying 16 times for the Dodge National Circuit Finals in Pocatello, Idaho, Jimmy’s story is one of determination, hustle, and a love for rodeo that never quit. We talk about the Northeast rodeo scene, Cowtown Rodeo, traveling the road, friendships that lasted decades, and what it really takes to stay in the game. This is a story about heart, work ethic, and proving that where you start doesn’t matter nearly as much as how often you show up. #BeyondTheChutes #RodeoPodcast #JimmyGrasso #SaddleBronc #CowboyLife #RodeoHistory #CircuitFinals #PRCA #CowtownRodeo #NortheastRodeo #RodeoFamily #BroncRiding #WesternHeritage #PodcastLife

    27 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Welcome to Beyond the Chutes, a Rodeo podcast where hosts Doug Simcox and Sam Swearingen dive deep into the heart of the Western and Rodeo culture. Join us as we explore the full spectrum of rodeo life, from the adrenaline-pumping action at the bucking chutes to the precision and skill of the timed event chute. Our conversations extend to those who make the rodeo world turn: competitors, committee members, stock contractors, judges, secretaries, and the vibrant personalities of contract acts, entertainers, and announcers. Together, we uncover their unique stories, experiences, and the unforgettable places their rodeo journeys have taken them.

Information

  • Creator
    Doug Simcox
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    191
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Doug Simcox 2023
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Chutes

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