Athlete Profile: Tie-Down Roper Caddo Lewallen

Caddo Lewallen started rodeoing when he was in high school and was the Rookie of the Year in the Tie-Down Roping in 2004. But when things started to slow down, he decided to take some time off and start a family. After a five year hiatus, he hit the rodeo trail once again four years ago, and now at age 36, he’s having the best season of his career.

Lewallen was the reserve champion at RFD-TV’s The American, winning $25,000 in March, and currently is the third in the World Standings behind Shad Mayfield and Tuf Cooper.


When we recently caught up with the tie-down roper, we talked about his success this year and the highlight moments, his plans for the rest of the season, traveling partners, his horse Chick, and how it feels to potentially be headed to his first NFR.

“Shoot, that would be my ultimate goal is to make the NFR,” Lewallen says, “and that’ll probably be it for me. I might just hang her up and call it quits.”

On his advice for anyone wanting to make it as a professional roper, he says, “If you’re gonna rodeo, you be all in. Do everything you possibly can while you’re young and take advantage of every situation someone offers you.”


John Douch sat down to talk regular season, horses and his NFR game plan.
NFR veteran tie-down roper Shane Hanchey main trials of this season were horsepower.
Dean Thompson took notes on his performance and made some changes that reflect in his performance.
Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp talked all things regular season, horsepower and 2024 NFR.