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. #180 Legends of the Road: Adam Wood & Kevin Ellis | Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion

    3D AGO

    #180 Legends of the Road: Adam Wood & Kevin Ellis | Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion

    Two Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion Legends share the miles, the moments, and the brotherhood built on the road between rodeos. Recorded last fall at the historic and legendary Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion, organized by Marlon Harris, Sam Swearingen and Doug Simcox sat down with Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion Legends Award winners Adam Wood and Kevin Ellis. These two cowboys spent years running the Southeastern rodeo circuit—riding bulls, fighting bulls, chasing two rodeos in a day, and learning the hard lessons that only come from life in the arena and miles on the highway. In this conversation, Adam and Kevin share how they got started, the mentors who shaped them, the practice pens and small-town rodeos that built their careers, and the friendships that lasted long after the bucking chutes closed. From Alligator Alley runs between rodeos… to the legendary bull riding at Kissimmee and Okeechobee… to the moment Kevin discovered he was meant to fight bulls, this episode captures the grit, humor, and brotherhood that defined a generation of Southeastern rodeo cowboys. Because in rodeo, the trophies fade—but the road stories never do. #BeyondTheChutes #Rodeo #BullRiding #BullFighting #RodeoLegends #MountainCove #MountainCoveRodeo #RodeoReunion #CowboyStories #RodeoLife #RodeoHistory #SoutheastRodeo #CowboyLife #WesternHeritage #RodeoPodcast #InOurRoots

    51 min
  2. #179 Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion XI — Marlon Harris, Legends Awards, and Tradition

    MAR 3

    #179 Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion XI — Marlon Harris, Legends Awards, and Tradition

    “People don’t realize it, but a rodeo family is totally different than anything else.” This episode of Beyond the Chutes takes you to Mountain Cove Farms in North Georgia for Reunion XI—a gathering where the mountains wrap around you like a horseshoe and the rodeo roots run deep. Doug and Sam are back together on location at the Show Barn, catching up on the road, the season, and why places like this still matter. You’ll hear from Marlon Harris, the heart and organizer behind Mountain Cove, as the reunion continues in a year marked by both celebration and remembrance. Bill Harris serves as MC for the Legends Awards, honoring the people who built the sport and the community—those in the arena, behind the chutes, and in the background keeping traditions alive. And you’ll meet Rusty Hayes—local legend, Legends Award recipient, and the man known as “Rescue Rusty”—with stories that prove what rodeo family really means: showing up, helping out, and doing it with respect. From prayers and the pledge, to the National Anthem, to laughter in the Liar’s Cabin—this one is about heritage, tradition, and real people. Beyond the Chutes — from the road, from the arena, from the people who live this life. These stories matter. #BeyondTheChutes #MountainCove #MountainCoveReunion #RodeoReunion #RodeoFamily #RodeoLife #RodeoRoots #CowboyTradition #LegendsAward #RodeoHistory #NorthGeorgia #ChickamaugaGA #WesternHeritage #CowboyCulture #LiarCabin #RescueRusty #MarlonHarris #BillHarris #IPRA #PRCA

    1h 5m
  3. #178 Bill Ziegler — From Ted Williams to the Justin Healers | A Life in Baseball & Rodeo

    FEB 24

    #178 Bill Ziegler — From Ted Williams to the Justin Healers | A Life in Baseball & Rodeo

    From a small-town kid in Greencastle, Pennsylvania… to Major League Baseball clubhouses with Ted Williams… to rodeo arenas across America with the Justin Sports Medicine team — Bill Zeigler has lived a life most of us only read about. In this episode of Beyond the Chutes, presented by ParaSight Systems, Bill shares how a handwritten letter and a little help from Nelly Fox led him to the Washington Senators and 22 years in Major League Baseball. He talks about working alongside larger-than-life figures like Ted Williams, Nolan Ryan, and George Bush — and then stepping into the rodeo world at a time when cowboys had little to no medical support on the road. You’ll hear the story behind the early days of the Justin Sports Medicine program, the resistance they faced, and how the mindset of rodeo athletes changed as concussion protocols and injury care evolved. Bill reflects on legends like Keith Isley, Lecile Harris, Harry Vold, and Red Steagall — and why, after all these miles, what he misses most is the people. This is a conversation about toughness, timing, relationships, and recognizing when you’re standing in a blessed moment. These stories matter.

    1h 19m
  4. #177 Phil Broome - Opportunity Period

    FEB 17

    #177 Phil Broome - Opportunity Period

    Phil Broome grew up in northwest Georgia with a wrestling coach who taught him one thing: “This is your Opportunity Period.” That mindset carried him from high school state championships to the bareback riding chutes — but the road wasn’t straight, and it wasn’t easy. In this episode of Beyond the Chutes, Doug Simcox and Sam Swearingen sit down with Phil to talk about: • Winning a Georgia state wrestling championship in 1981 • Learning bareback riding the hard way at open rodeos across the Southeast • The influence of mentors like Lyle Sankey and John Luthi • The technical rebuild that changed his riding career • Making the leap to rodeo full time in his 30s • Competing in the PRCA and qualifying for multiple circuit finals • Major injuries, including shoulder surgery and the wreck that ended his career • And the brotherhood that helped fill the gap after losing his younger brother in 1986 Phil doesn’t present himself as a legend. He presents himself as a competitor who loved the sport, learned from mistakes, and kept showing up. This episode is about mindset, persistence, grief, growth, and the relationships that make rodeo more than a paycheck. Because in the end, it isn’t just about buckles. It’s about the people you share the road with. This is Beyond the Chutes, presented by ParaSight System. #BeyondTheChutes #PhilBroome #BarebackRiding #RodeoLife #PRCA #IPRA #WrestlingMindset #CowboyBrotherhood #RodeoHistory #CircuitFinals #InOurRoots

    1h 57m
  5. #176 Bonus Episode | Frost Family — First Frontier Circuit, Maine Rodeo Roots

    FEB 13

    #176 Bonus Episode | Frost Family — First Frontier Circuit, Maine Rodeo Roots

    BTC is on the road at the First Frontier Circuit Finals in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, sitting down with Larry Frost — a rodeo producer from Levant, Maine whose story proves rodeo doesn’t always start with a business plan. It starts with a dream, a family willing to do the work, and a commitment to community. In this Friday night bonus episode, Larry shares how a phone call turned into a charity rodeo that feeds cowboys lobster and steak, supports causes like Shriners and Make-A-Wish, and brings people together rain or shine. You’ll hear about perseverance, small-town rodeo roots, and why memories — not money — are the real payoff. Recorded live at the First Frontier Circuit Finals. Unscripted. Honest. Full of heart. Beyond the Chutes — because these stories matter. #BeyondTheChutes #RodeoPodcast #FirstFrontierCircuit #FFCF #RodeoLife #RodeoHistory #RodeoCommunity #WesternLifestyle #SmallTownRodeo #CharityRodeo #RodeoProducers #BehindTheScenesRodeo #TheseStoriesMatter

    11 min
  6. #175 The Buckhorn Recordings - Kelly Clark: That's the Best I've Ever Seen It Done.

    FEB 10

    #175 The Buckhorn Recordings - Kelly Clark: That's the Best I've Ever Seen It Done.

    Recorded on the Texas Swing, host Doug Simcox steps inside The Buckhorn—Kelly Clark’s one-of-a-kind “man cave” that turned into a full-blown rodeo museum. Walls covered in championship saddles, a U.S. map marked with the places Kelly’s competed, and artifacts that stretch back to the early days of organized rodeo… it’s overwhelming in the best way. In this first conversation with Kelly, we start at the beginning: the Clark family story, the 1955 moment that lit the fuse, and the grit it took to build a life in rodeo. Kelly shares the remarkable legacy of his dad, John Clark—an IRA great with the Hall of Fame résumé—and the reality behind chasing world titles when rodeo isn’t a hobby… it’s a lifestyle. You’ll also hear Kelly’s perspective as a true rodeo historian: how the IRA/IPRA evolved, why “cards in your pocket” never mattered as much as talent, and how rodeo got better (and why it still needs people who care enough to leave it better than they found it). And then—right at the end—Kelly lands an unforgettable story that ties champions, family, and legacy into one word Doug can’t help but say out loud: “Wow.” 📍 Bonus: You can see The Buckhorn in our Buckhorn Reels on the Behind the Chutes Facebook page. #BeyondTheChutes #BehindTheChutes #KellyClark #TheBuckhorn #RodeoHistory #RodeoLife #BullRiding #TexasSwing #RodeoPodcast #WesternHeritage #CowboyCulture #ProRodeo #IPRA #IRA #IFR #RodeoNews #JohnClark #HallOfFame #BuckingBulls #CowboyStories #RodeoLegacy #RanchLife #Chute2Productions #StockContractor #WesternLifestyle #CowboyUp #AmericanWest #RodeoFamily #BehindTheScenesRodeo

    52 min
  7. #174 Raymond Hostetler & Tyler Waltz | PRCA First Frontier Circuit Finals

    FEB 6

    #174 Raymond Hostetler & Tyler Waltz | PRCA First Frontier Circuit Finals

    BTC On the Road Again This Bonus Episode of Beyond the Chutes was recorded on the road at the First Frontier Circuit Finals, inside the Penn Harris Hotel, while the competition was still unfolding. Sam Swearingen and Doug Simcox sit down with Raymond Hostetler and Tyler Waltz in the middle of the Finals, with rounds already completed and one more to go. The conversation captures real-time decision-making, Finals pressure, injuries, fitness, equipment changes, and what it takes to stay competitive in roughstock rodeo. After this conversation was recorded, Raymond Hostetler went on to win two rounds, the average, and the year-ending saddle bronc riding championship at the First Frontier Circuit Finals — a result that underscored everything discussed in this episode: preparation, patience, and trusting the process. There’s no polish and no hindsight here — just rodeo, recorded as it happened. BTC was on the road again, capturing the stories that matter, right where rodeo happens. 🎙️ This is Beyond the Chutes.

    26 min
  8. #173 Rodeo Mindset: See It, Feel It, Trust It | Quiet Enough to Ride

    FEB 3

    #173 Rodeo Mindset: See It, Feel It, Trust It | Quiet Enough to Ride

    Rodeo is won long before the gate opens. Recorded at the First Frontier Circuit Finals, this episode of Beyond the Chutes dives deep into the mental side of competition with bareback rider Tyler, saddle bronc rider Raymond, and rodeo cowboy, stock contractor, mentor and coach, Sam Swearingen. This conversation is part of our Quiet Enough to Ride series—where we explore why elite competitors agree that rodeo is 90% mental at the highest level. Inside this episode: Why visualization works (and how it replaces bad reps)The difference between conscious thought and flow state“See it. Feel it. Trust it.” — and why it mattersHow purpose (“your why”) fuels longevity in rodeoWhy “just making the finals” is a losing goalHow mental reps fire the same muscles as physical repsBuilding confidence without egoFixing mistakes without stepping into the practice penIf you’ve ever wondered why some competitors shine under pressure while others fade, this episode explains it—clearly, honestly, and from lived experience. Because great rides don’t start in the arena. They start between your ears. #BeyondTheChutes, #RodeoMindset, #QuietEnoughToRide, #RodeoLife, #BarebackRiding, #SteerWrestling, #RodeoTraining, #MentalGame, #WesternHeritage, #CowboyCulture

    39 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
7 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
    181
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Doug Simcox 2023
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Chutes

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