Learning By Watching And Listening To Others

I grew up watching guys like Leo and Jerold Camarillo, Walt Woodard and Denny Watkins.

- Kendra Santos

There were a lot of great ropers traveling and making a living when I was a little kid, and I just got totally hooked on team roping. When I was 10-11-12 years old, I would watch those guys and have my mom film them with the old Super 8 camera.

I would watch those films over and over again. Through the years, when I got to rodeoing and started making a living at basically 16, I left home and went out on the road amateur rodeoing and jackpotting. I started seeing all kinds of different regional guys who were great ropers that just traveled in their own region. I always have really watched and tried to study everyone that I consider a really good roper— heading and heeling. I study how they ride their horses, set up their position, the mechanics and basics of their swing angles, and how they deliver their loop. I’m 56 years old now, and I’m still watching and studying the guys I consider to be the best.