Beyond the Chutes

Doug Simcox
  • 4.4 (7)
  • SPORTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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

    2D AGO

    #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
  2. #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
  3. #182 Bruce Brannen - So Broke, I Couldn't Pay Attention

    MAR 24

    #182 Bruce Brannen - So Broke, I Couldn't Pay Attention

    Recorded live at the Kickback Ranch Rodeo Reunion in Ramer, Alabama, this episode of Beyond the Chutes features lifelong cowboy Bruce Brannen. Bruce takes us from his first rodeo as a 9-year-old at the Montgomery Coliseum, to years of calf roping, college rodeo at Sam Houston State, and a 33-year career teaching art and drafting. Along the way, he shares how trick roping unexpectedly changed his life, opened new doors in performance, and connected him to legends like George Taylor and Monte Montana Jr. It’s a conversation full of grit, humor, poetry, cowboy history, and the kind of stories that only come from a life spent in and around rodeo. If you enjoy rodeo roots, old-school cowboy wisdom, and the people who helped shape the culture, this one’s worth your time. #BeyondTheChutes

    36 min
  4. #181 Mark Staggs — Festus Comes to the Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion | Comedy, Impersonations & Rodeo Stories

    MAR 17

    #181 Mark Staggs — Festus Comes to the Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion | Comedy, Impersonations & Rodeo Stories

    At the Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion in North Georgia, you never know who you’re going to meet. In this episode of Beyond the Chutes, hosts Doug Simcox and Sam Swearingen sit down with comedian and impersonator Mark Staggs, a performer whose voice work can instantly transport you from the rodeo arena to the streets of Dodge City. Mark brings the legendary Festus from Gunsmoke back to life in a hilarious conversation filled with classic Western humor and stories from the stage. Along the way he shares how he first discovered his gift for impersonations, the unexpected moment he met the real Festus as a young Marine in Arizona, and how that encounter helped shape a career that now includes more than 70 character voices. You’ll also hear Mark slip effortlessly into impressions of John Wayne, Liam Neeson, Christopher Walken, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro, along with the comedy routines that keep crowds laughing at rodeos, fairs, chuckwagon gatherings, and Western events across the country. Mark also talks about his years serving as a NASCAR chaplain, his life performing in places like Pigeon Forge, and why making people laugh is a gift he believes was meant to be shared. Recorded live during the Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion, this episode is a reminder that rodeo isn’t just about what happens in the arena — it’s about the characters, stories, and laughter that travel the rodeo road. Learn more about Mark Staggs at: markstaggs.com #BeyondTheChutes #Rodeo #MountainCoveRodeo #Festus #Gunsmoke #MarkStaggs #WesternComedy #RodeoPodcast #CowboyStories #WesternHeritage #RodeoReunion #CowboyCulture

    25 min
  5. #180 Legends of the Road: Adam Wood & Kevin Ellis | Mountain Cove Rodeo Reunion

    MAR 10

    #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
  6. #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
  7. #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
  8. #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
See All (185)

Trailer

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
    185
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Doug Simcox 2023
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Chutes

You Might Also Like