Jenny Lindsey-Wetterstrom is a woman who has found her joy in the world and multiplied it through pursuit of her hobbies. Her life is an inspiring blend of learning and living fully, and every day brings new adventures, from racehorses to sled dogs to bird dogs.
Horses
The Family That Ropes Together: Misty Matthews
Misty Matthews loves rodeo. A rodeo mom, wife, competitor, and rodeo secretary, she is no stranger to the fastest sport on dirt.
Growing up in Franklin, Tennessee, Misty enjoyed a rural lifestyle. Her father rode bulls when he was younger and their family always had horses. They also kept busy with their farm and side burley tobacco operation.
The Family That Ropes Together: Daryl Matthews
When you first talk with Daryl Matthews, a few things immediately stand out. He has a pleasant demeanor, he is proud of his family, and he sure loves to rope calves.
This passion for calf roping has been a lifelong journey and has turned into a shared family dream, with his two daughters, Bailey and Kyla both enjoying roping. While Bailey now has a separate career, Kyla continues to pursue breakaway roping and was recently named world champion at the International Finals Rodeo 54 in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Rodeo is in their blood.
The Family That Ropes Together: Kyla Matthews
Kyla may be the youngest of the Matthews family, but her wisdom and skill set in the breakaway roping far surpass her years. With her mother a barrel racer, her dad a calf roper, and her sister a breakaway roper, she grew up with no shortage of horsemen (and women) to learn from. When she was 3 years old she started riding, and at 5 years old began running barrels. While she was interested in the roping, she had trouble swinging a rope because she was so little, so she stuck with the barrels instead.
The Family That Ropes Together: Bailey Matthews
Bailey Matthews was born into rodeo. Since she started riding and being involved with rodeo at a young age, she doesn’t remember a time without it. The oldest daughter of Daryl and Misty Matthews of Athens, TN, Bailey is a breakaway roper like her younger sister Kyla. Her dad calf ropes, her mom has calf roped (and barrel raced), and their whole family shares a love and talent for the sport.
Preserving the Family Tradition: Cassie Chapman
Cassie Chapman’s voice is full of love and thankfulness when she speaks about her family, her husband, and her roping. A tough breakaway roping competitor and current Director of Breakaway Roping for the International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA), Cassie is no stranger to the IPRA or the world of rodeo.
In fact, she is a third-generation rodeo athlete, with her grandparents on both sides being involved with horses.
The Rope Horse Man: Zeb Chapman
For LaFayette, Georgia’s Zeb Chapman, horses have always been a family affair. From growing up with his dad deeply involved in the horse and roping world, to roping with his sister, and now through continuing the family tradition with his own roping, horse training, and marriage to breakaway roper Cassie Chapman.
East Coast Calf Ropers: Tori and Robbie Murdock
Tori and Robbie Murdock are a North Carolina calf roping power couple whose dedication to quality competition, advocacy, and community education is well known along the East Coast.
Respectively from Villanow, Georgia, and Statesville, North Carolina, they make their home together in Statesville but spend plenty of time burning up the rodeo road as competitors in the Southern Rodeo Association (SRA) and the International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA).
East Coast Calf Ropers: Maelee Wade
Maelee Wade is one determined lady. A cowgirl from Georgia, she made headlines by winning the 2023 World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) Rodeo Carolina. Not only did she take home $25,000, but she reminded folks roping talent goes far beyond the western states with a smoking 2.45 second run.
Santa Is Headed to Vegas
It’s that time of the year–for NFR and holiday cheer. Custom saddle maker and PRCA steer wrestler Pat Hooper of Pat Hooper Leatherwrks will be …