Wednesday Wisdom From the McLeods
Wednesday Wisdom From the McLeods
FloRodeo recently sat down with Michele, Lindsey, and Katelyn McLeod to get their advice for aspiring rodeo athletes and their tips for training and competitions.
If you have been around the rodeo or barrel racing scene for very long, then you have heard of the "McLeod girls."
Michele McLeod moved from Temecula, California, to Whitesboro, Texas, in 2005 to train barrel horses full-time. She owns and operates Michele McLeod Barrel Horses with her husband, John, and daughters Jenna, Katelyn, and Lindsey. (Jenna is now married and lives in California with her husband.)
Michele started hitting the rodeos in May 2013 aboard Slick By Design (owned by Charlie Cole and Jason Martin of Highpoint Performance Horses). She rocketed up the world standings from 114th place to fifth by the end of September 2013. In 2014 she was fourth in the world and had the fastest time in the WNFR on Kellies Chick. Michele wrapped up the 2015 season by placing fifth in the world standings, winning two rounds at the WNFR and placing in four other rounds aboard Slick By Design. Michele ended this year 12th in the world and won Round 4 of the WNFR on Slick By Design.
Michele's talent was definitely passed on to her daughters and is evident in all of their accomplishments. Katelyn couldn't join Michele on the road rodeoing full time until she graduated college. Katelyn began her professional rodeo career in 2015.
Some of Katelyn''s career highlights include:
FloRodeo recently sat down with Michele, Lindsey, and Katelyn McLeod to get their advice for aspiring rodeo athletes and their tips for training and competitions.
How do you transition between training and making competitive runs?
Lindsey: I have to forget the little things and just go be a jockey.
Michele: When it is time for competition runs, I just have to remember it's a speed event.
Katelyn: When it is time for a competition run, I have to remind myself to do my job and let the horse do its job, as well.
What is your go-to drill to keep a horse working while on the road?
L: I mainly focus on the three-barrel drill, but if I have a round pen available I will go back to the basics.
M: On the road, it is sometimes hard to find places to do drills. So, I will set up one pop up barrel to make sure their body position is correct, and they are marking perfect circles at a walk, trot, and lope.
K: I like to go back to making sure my horse is walking perfect circles, then go to a trot, then a lope. I also try to make sure my body position is correct.
What fundamentals do you think are vital for a horse to master before starting on the pattern?
L: I would say perfect circles, transitions, and being collected.
M: I like my horses to be really broke and able to move their body- drive from behind, counter canter, and transition.
K: I think a horse should be really broke, able to move their body, transition, and perfect circles.
How do you know a horse is ready to start entering?
L: When they have mastered perfect circles at a walk, trot, and a lope without pushing a horse past their limits, then they are ready to enter.
M: I think a horse is ready to enter when they have been exhibitioning for a while with no mistakes while adding more pressure, and the horse is comfortable and relaxed.
K: I feel like a horse is ready to enter after exhibitioning a while and making sure the runs stay consistent, and the horse is maintaining the form that is practiced at home.
Not all horses are the same, how do you adjust to each horse when running multiple horses in the same day?
L: I think about their different styles and how I need to jockey them to the best of their abilities.
M: I adjust to each horse accordingly and change my riding style for each horse. This comes with a lot of hours in the saddle.
K: I'm not the best jump rider (lol), so I have to mentally prepare myself that when I jump from horse to horse, I need to stay out of their way and ride them based on their riding styles.
For someone who is just starting his or her rodeo career or wanting to get into rodeo, what is the best advice you can offer them?
L: Always stay positive.
M: Stay true to yourself, Stay confident in your horse and riding ability, there will be lots of ups and downs.
K: When something is working for you don't change it based on someone else's opinion, there will be more lows than highs, and have a positive support group that knows you as well as your horses.
Your favorite motivational quote or verse?
L: I think a champion is defined not by their wins but how they recover when they fall.
M: Winning and losing are both very temporary things. Having done one or the other, you move ahead. Gloating over a victory or sulking over a loss is a good way to stand still. -Chuck Knox
K: God's plan will always be greater and more beautiful than all of your disappointments.
A fun fact our quirk we might not know?
L: I like my ice cream melted.
M: I use coconut oil for a lot of things.
K: I like everything to be organized.
Is there any last information or tips you would like to include?
L: Always work hard.
M: Always go back to basics.
K: This is something Shell would say a lot growing up.... time in the saddle is never wasted.
Michele McLeod moved from Temecula, California, to Whitesboro, Texas, in 2005 to train barrel horses full-time. She owns and operates Michele McLeod Barrel Horses with her husband, John, and daughters Jenna, Katelyn, and Lindsey. (Jenna is now married and lives in California with her husband.)
Michele started hitting the rodeos in May 2013 aboard Slick By Design (owned by Charlie Cole and Jason Martin of Highpoint Performance Horses). She rocketed up the world standings from 114th place to fifth by the end of September 2013. In 2014 she was fourth in the world and had the fastest time in the WNFR on Kellies Chick. Michele wrapped up the 2015 season by placing fifth in the world standings, winning two rounds at the WNFR and placing in four other rounds aboard Slick By Design. Michele ended this year 12th in the world and won Round 4 of the WNFR on Slick By Design.
Michele's talent was definitely passed on to her daughters and is evident in all of their accomplishments. Katelyn couldn't join Michele on the road rodeoing full time until she graduated college. Katelyn began her professional rodeo career in 2015.
Some of Katelyn''s career highlights include:
- Finished the year ranked 25th in the world with $47,954 and was third in the WPRA Rookie of the Year standings.
- Won the Caribou County Fair & Rodeo (Grace, Idaho)
- Won the Snake River Stampede (Nampa, Idaho)
- Won the Dinosaur Days Rodeo (Vernal, Utah)
- Won the Lehi (Utah) Roundup
- Won the Strawberry Days Rodeo (Pleasant Grove, Utah)
- Won the Coleman (Texas) PRCA Rodeo
- Won the Gladewater (Texas) Round-Up Rodeo
FloRodeo recently sat down with Michele, Lindsey, and Katelyn McLeod to get their advice for aspiring rodeo athletes and their tips for training and competitions.
How do you transition between training and making competitive runs?
Lindsey: I have to forget the little things and just go be a jockey.
Michele: When it is time for competition runs, I just have to remember it's a speed event.
Katelyn: When it is time for a competition run, I have to remind myself to do my job and let the horse do its job, as well.
What is your go-to drill to keep a horse working while on the road?
L: I mainly focus on the three-barrel drill, but if I have a round pen available I will go back to the basics.
M: On the road, it is sometimes hard to find places to do drills. So, I will set up one pop up barrel to make sure their body position is correct, and they are marking perfect circles at a walk, trot, and lope.
K: I like to go back to making sure my horse is walking perfect circles, then go to a trot, then a lope. I also try to make sure my body position is correct.
What fundamentals do you think are vital for a horse to master before starting on the pattern?
L: I would say perfect circles, transitions, and being collected.
M: I like my horses to be really broke and able to move their body- drive from behind, counter canter, and transition.
K: I think a horse should be really broke, able to move their body, transition, and perfect circles.
How do you know a horse is ready to start entering?
L: When they have mastered perfect circles at a walk, trot, and a lope without pushing a horse past their limits, then they are ready to enter.
M: I think a horse is ready to enter when they have been exhibitioning for a while with no mistakes while adding more pressure, and the horse is comfortable and relaxed.
K: I feel like a horse is ready to enter after exhibitioning a while and making sure the runs stay consistent, and the horse is maintaining the form that is practiced at home.
Not all horses are the same, how do you adjust to each horse when running multiple horses in the same day?
L: I think about their different styles and how I need to jockey them to the best of their abilities.
M: I adjust to each horse accordingly and change my riding style for each horse. This comes with a lot of hours in the saddle.
K: I'm not the best jump rider (lol), so I have to mentally prepare myself that when I jump from horse to horse, I need to stay out of their way and ride them based on their riding styles.
For someone who is just starting his or her rodeo career or wanting to get into rodeo, what is the best advice you can offer them?
L: Always stay positive.
M: Stay true to yourself, Stay confident in your horse and riding ability, there will be lots of ups and downs.
K: When something is working for you don't change it based on someone else's opinion, there will be more lows than highs, and have a positive support group that knows you as well as your horses.
Your favorite motivational quote or verse?
L: I think a champion is defined not by their wins but how they recover when they fall.
M: Winning and losing are both very temporary things. Having done one or the other, you move ahead. Gloating over a victory or sulking over a loss is a good way to stand still. -Chuck Knox
K: God's plan will always be greater and more beautiful than all of your disappointments.
A fun fact our quirk we might not know?
L: I like my ice cream melted.
M: I use coconut oil for a lot of things.
K: I like everything to be organized.
Is there any last information or tips you would like to include?
L: Always work hard.
M: Always go back to basics.
K: This is something Shell would say a lot growing up.... time in the saddle is never wasted.