Dakota Eldridge is on the hunt for a third RodeoHouston title but a tie for fourth in his Semifinals was just short of what he needed. He is Wildcard bound for redemption to keep his chances alive.
With 11 National Finals Rodeo qualifications under his belt, Eldridge’s game plan looks a little different these days.
“The working out, like in my career, has progressed. I take it more serious every year and like, my eating and stuff. Obviously I’m older now but, yeah you know, you’d go to the gym a couple days a week but now I’m pretty serious about it,” Eldridge said.
This is his way of prolonging his career. He stays fit and strong in the gym and the practice pen is more on the mental side of things. He runs steers in his head more than the arena.
“That’s the tough part even now. Like I said, when I don’t practice as much, it is tough mentaly. You’ve got to run steers in your head,” he said.
While Eldridge is staying sharp mentally and physcially, his horsepower adds another element to the game. Swamper is the equine powerhouse that Eldridge is climbing on in Houston.
“I started riding Swamper middle of summer last year and man, he reminds me of my old horse, Rusty, a lot. [Swamper] has a lot of heart, just gives you a good go all the time,” Eldridge said.
The next Go-Round for Eldridge is the Wildcard at RodeoHouston and that determines his fate for a third title.
