Tuf Cooper secured his second major winter rodeo win of 2025 at Rodeo Austin aboard his sorrel horse, Hammer, with a time of 27.1 seconds on three head, collecting a total of $8,660 and moving to No. 6 in the PRCA world standings with six months left in the regular season.

Cooper stopped the clock at 8.1 seconds in the first round of Rodeo Austin and 10.5 seconds in the second round. In the final round, he made a businessman’s run, stopping the clock at 8.5 seconds to win both the final round and the average.

“This is awesome,” Cooper said. “Austin is a really fun place to get a win. It’s a unique rodeo in its own way. I like to call it the ‘Weird Austin Start’ because it feels different than most places.”

The Run Breakdown

Cooper knew he needed to capitalize on his first two calves to make it back to the finals.

“There were a bunch of really good ropers in my two rounds,” Cooper said. “We had a lot of good calves to choose from, which gave us all a good chance. In the first round, I saw the start and made a good run. I probably could’ve been faster, but the round was kind of soft.”

After watching the first few guys run in the second round, Cooper knew he just needed to play the course.

“Shane (Hanchey) was first out in the second round and went 10.5,” Cooper said. “Shane and I were both 8.1 in the first round, and he’s always a good average guy, so after watching him go, I knew I just needed to play the course. I ended up going 10.5 in the second round, so that was kind of cool to tie with Shane twice. I was lucky enough to come back to the short round, and it worked in my favor. I always try to make good, smart runs in the short round.”

Lessons Learned

The average age of the current top 15 calf ropers is 28 years old. At 35, Cooper is one of the oldest calf ropers in the field, allowing him to capitalize on lessons learned throughout his 17 years in the PRCA.

“Things have really come together for me this year, but I have a big team to thank for that,” Cooper said. “I’ve learned a lot throughout the years, and at 35, I’ve really been trying to capitalize on mistakes I’ve made in the past.”

Lately, Cooper has been relying on the expertise of Gordy Alderson and Clay Brown to focus on the small things, like his swing.

“There are two gentlemen who have really helped me lately—Gordy Alderson and Clay Brown,” Cooper said. “Sometimes when things aren’t resonating, you need someone to break it down and say it in a different way. They have really helped me break down my first swing, and that’s helped a lot.”

Cooper has a different perspective now than he did 17 years ago when he started professional rodeoing. As a dad to Tru and husband to Tiffany, Cooper has been focusing more on family than ever.

“We’re out here on my cousin’s ranch today, just having fun,” Cooper said. “I guess I’m taking a page out of Caleb Smidt’s playbook. I’m trying to involve family in everything and have the best perspective I can. This lifestyle is challenging, but I am so blessed that I get to live it.”

Horsepower

Cooper has been aboard his 17-year-old sorrel gelding, Hammer, for his wins in San Antonio and Austin.

“Hammer originally came from Randy Lloyd, who is Quay Lloyd’s dad,” Cooper said. “Trevor Hale got him after Randy started him and had him forever. He was a great junior rodeo horse for Trevor.”

Cooper’s father, eight-time world champion Roy Cooper, always really liked Hammer, and Tuf kept that in mind when the horse ended up at his house.

“My dad would put on junior ropings and would always say Trevor had the best horses,” Cooper said. “When Trevor decided to sell Hammer, everyone in South Texas looked at him. Marty Yates ended up passing on him, and he wound up at my house a little over a year ago. I rode him once, vetted him, and bought him. I felt like I overpaid for him, but I think we always overpay for the good ones. I was really paying for my dad’s vision.”

Cooper typically likes to ride Hammer in shorter setups, but Roy thinks he needs to use him in the longer setups, too.

“I keep telling my dad that I like Hammer best in the shorter setups, but he keeps telling me that he would be just as good in the longer setups,” Cooper said. “I think it all comes down to how well you can ride your horse. If a horse has it, they have it.”

With their latest win in Austin, Cooper and Hammer don’t have plans for any other April rodeos besides San Angelo.