Trula Churchill WNFR 2014
Joining the WPRA in 1996, Trula Churchill has qualified for her third Wrangler National Finals Rodeo this year, (2012&2013 previous) and is also coming back up to the Great White North for the CFR. When she’s not on the road, she calls Valentine Nebraska home, with her husband Linn who is a PRCA Steer Wrestler. Her main mount is Worm, a blue roan gelding out of A Streak of Fling and Jetta Rita, who was started by Joe Butterfield. I really enjoy watching Trula and Worm work together, they make a great team and I am excited to see them at both of the finals this year!
What was your favourite 2014 rodeo, or moment in the season. (Or both)
One highlight of my season was winning the Palestine, IL rodeo and setting an arena record there. Of course, qualifying for both the CFR and the NFR is high on the list of favorite moments.
What are your must have products on the road, horse & personal?
Cactus Gear, Coldflex Wraps, Equiwinner Patches, and Cruel Girl clothing are my must have products for me and my horses. I also have a GPS and Satellite radio that I rely on in the pickup.
What kept you motivated this season?
My family keeps me motivated the most other than knowing I could be back home teaching school or calving out heifers!
How do you keep your horses fresh for ten runs at the NFR? Do you use alternative therapies like BOT, Magnets, Massage etc? What is your routine like?
Having my horse in top shape is very important in keeping him fresh for 10 runs. I don’t give him much downtime after the end of the season. I continue to ride him everyday, his mind is allowed to rest, but not his body. During the summer we make lots of runs and travel hundreds of miles between rodeos. The stress and energy at the NFR is like none other, but there is time for him to rest. I put stall mats down and pile the shavings up for him and he will lay down and sleep. I will exercise him in the mornings, then let him rest. I have BOT and magnets and will use them depending on how he is feeling. I use Coldflex wraps to cool his legs, knees and hocks after his run then will wrap his legs overnight. The routine doesn’t change much at the NFR.
What is going through your mind when you are coming down the alley at the Thomas & Mack?
I try to be focused on making my run.
The Canadian run gets a lot of flack for having some of their biggest runs during a time when the weather is very unpredictable. What is your opinion on rodeoing up here given the known instability of the weather?
No matter where you rodeo, the weather can be a factor. It’s less of a worry for me than some of the bigger rodeos that don’t make an honest effort to have safe, consistent ground when weather conditions aren’t a factor.
Big thank you to Trula for taking the time to email me back and forth for this interview
