With a little horsepower, a lot of faith, and the guidance of a few world champs, Tyler Calhoun was named the 2025 Tie-Down Roping Resistol Rookie of the Year.

When the 2025 ProRodeo season started, Calhoun wasn’t sure where the year would take him. By the time the dust settled, the South Texas cowboy had a Resistol Rookie of the Year title and a near-miss on an NFR qualification.

“Going into this year, I did not have the expectation of making the building rodeos and winning Rookie of the Year,” Calhoun said. “I had a lot to learn coming from South Texas and roping with some of the highest-level guys in the world. I had confidence, but not knowing what arenas I was going to or what setups I’d face was a big challenge.”

That challenge turned into a year of consistency for Calhoun. His familiarity with the short setups he grew up on paid dividends all year and the long setups tested him.

“Being from South Texas, the longer setups were the ones that were maybe a little more challenging,” Calhoun said. “But overall, I think I did a pretty good job adapting.”

Rookie Mentorship

Like most successful rookies, Calhoun didn’t do it alone. Traveling alongside two-time World Champion Shad Mayfield and guided by eight-time World Champion Joe Beaver, Calhoun found himself surrounded by rodeo’s elite.

“I was fortunate to be around a lot of talented ropers and good mentors,” Calhoun said. “Joe B. and Shad both helped me through the highs and the lows and didn’t let either get too high or too low. For me, being able to learn and grow while having that kind of success—it’s a dream come true.”

Mayfield’s mentorship went far beyond the arena. He handled the entries, mapped the routes, and took the pressure off Calhoun, who was still learning the logistics of the road.

“Shad entering me took a lot of pressure off,” Calhoun said. “I didn’t have to worry about what rodeos to go to or where to stay. I just got to be a kid and have fun roping.”

Little Bay with a Big Heart

Behind every successful calf roper is a solid horse—and for Calhoun, that horse is Lil Wayne. The bay gelding has been in his corner since he was 13.

“My father-in-law actually owned him before I did,” Calhoun said. “I won probably 80% of what I won this year on him. He’s been amazing to me my whole career.”

That partnership came at a cost late in the year. After Lil Wayne got hurt at Puyallup, Calhoun made the difficult call to turn him out for the rest of the season.

“It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve made,” Calhoun said. “That horse changed my life. The place my family lives on, the trucks the trailers—it’s all because of him. I didn’t want to ruin my chances of riding him for the next few years just to make the NFR this year.”

The injury left Calhoun scrambling to fill the gap with a younger horse, and he admits the adjustment wasn’t easy.

“My younger horses didn’t quite step up like I hoped,” Calhoun said. “I learned that you can’t ride a mediocre horse and beat the best guys in the world.”

Rookie Lessons

The lessons Calhoun learned on the road went beyond horsepower. Between balancing rodeo logistics, managing his body, and learning from legends, his rookie year was a crash course in becoming a professional.

“I’ll be honest, I roped and won against a lot of mediocre guys before,” Calhoun said. “Now, out here, you’re roping against the best in the world. You’ve got to ride the best horses, control your body, and do your job.”

Shane Hanchey, another world champion who joined Calhoun and Mayfield on the Fourth of July run, helped simplify things.

“Shane told me, ‘Just get behind the barrier and go do your job,’” Calhoun said. “So that’s what I did the rest of the Fourth. Him telling me that kind of kicked off my summer. It made me stop overthinking and just go do my job out in the arena.”

Building the Future

In addition to his rookie title, Calhoun also captured a National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association title in 2025—cementing a year few could dream of. But for him, his focus now is on refining the details that can take him from Rookie of the Year to NFR qualifier.

“The things I was lacking this past year were horsemanship, horses, and controlling my body weight,” Calhoun said. “Those are the three things I’m working on this winter to prepare for 2026.”

Calhoun’s mindset heading into his sophomore season shows the same analytical streak that defined his rookie year.

“If they’re going to give me the book and let me read it, I’m going to study it as hard as I can and give myself the best opportunity for success.”