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.
Daryl was born in North Carolina and his dad was a calf roper who competed in the Southern Rodeo Association (SRA). Although he now lives in Athens, TN, about 35 miles from the Georgia line, he has competed in many east coast rodeo associations and been a repeat winner at the finals for each, including the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), the International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA), the National Cowboys Association (NCA), the Southern Rodeo Association (SRA), the American Cowboys Association (ACA), the Southeastern Professional Rodeo Association (SPRA), and the now defunct Southern States association.
In a society increasingly focused on strategy, Daryl keeps it simple and focuses on the fundamentals. He doesn’t worry about his mental game, he just ropes and reacts without letting what’s happening in the arena bother him. But even with his laidback approach, he is a fierce competitor and focuses on winning. He’s the first to say a good horse makes all the difference, but his talent also shines through. Last year, at 52 years of age, he tied several calves in 8 seconds while competing. A few years prior during his 49 year old season he tied 5 calves in 7 seconds and set several arena records.
He loves the practice pen and remembers days when between Monday-Friday he’d run 550 calves on one horse. He just couldn’t get enough.
In those same days as a younger man, he used grass ropes but has now settled in to enjoying Grant Ropes. Not only are they high quality, but his dad and Dub Grant are long time friends.
When reflecting on the unique challenges that come with roping on the east coast, Daryl speaks of the abundant talent. Most of the people he encounters on this side of the country are working folks who rodeo/rope on the weekends. While they may have just as much talent as some PRCA guys, their lifestyle isn’t conducive to taking the financial risk of full time rodeo. However, with the right horsepower under you, he knows anything is possible, and hopes there will be more young calf ropers come up along the east coast and that rodeos here will start to pay better.
Many young guys are switching to team roping because it pays so much more than calf roping–folks like Daryl are in it for love of the game. Another benefit for the East Coast would be if jackpots became prevalent, as they are currently few and far between, making it difficult to season a young horse without hauling them directly to rodeos.
While his favorite rodeo is Cherokee, North Carolina, he has special memories of roping alongside his daughters, and in 2015 he and his youngest daughter Kyla both qualified for the finals together.
Daryl speaks of how blessed he is to be on this journey and is full of gratitude for his wife. A barrel racer and rodeo competitor herself, she gave that up to support her children on the rodeo road.
Learn more about Daryl’s family through the feature stories on his wife, Misty, and his daughters Bailey and Kyla, and keep an eye out for the Matthews in the rodeo world.
all photo credit to the respective photographers.
