Roper Review: Cody Snow

Cody Snow will head out June 18, and be back to his home in Santa Ynez, Calif., when the season is over. This is the second year for this 19-year-old to cross the country in hopes of winning a chance to turn ten steers at the Thomas & Mack. “I like it,” he says of being on the road all summer. “It’s fun
He ended last season as Resistol Rookie of the Year in the team roping as a header, turning steers for his partner, Dugan Kelly. “Dugan is a veteran at this and makes it easy for me,” he said. “He does all the entering and maps out where we’re going.”  The race for Resistol Rookie was a tight one, and Cody didn’t know he was the winner until the last couple weeks of the season. “You can win a lot of money at the end, so it’s not done until it’s done.”
Cody learned how to rope from his dad, Van, who was a noted orthopedic veterinarian. “My dad was my biggest help as well as influence. He got me a good start. He had a vet clinic at the house and we worked out of the house. I saw a lot of lame horses, and learned how to take care of horses and how to keep them sound.” He also learned from other people. “I’ve been around a lot of people that roped and I practiced a lot and figured it out. I had plenty of help.”
Cody was home schooled from the seventh grade through high school. He plans to take a few classes online, but not be a fulltime student, instead concentrating on his roping career. “It’s a job, and I make money at it,” he said. To make it fun, when he gets to the rodeo, he finds something to do in the town he’s in. “I don’t like sitting around, so I rope the dummy.” He likes to bowl so he tries to find a bowling alley when he has some down time.
He has made all his own horses. “I bought younger horses and brought them along and rodeoed on them.” Right now he has nine, and hauls two or three. His goal for this year is to make it to the WNFR. “I want to make the finals, and then do it consistently.”