Jake and Jim Cooper - Team Roping Twins

Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Jake and Jim Cooper weren’t born with a rope in their hands, but they came mighty close.

With Jake doing the heading and Jim heeling, they are the first twins to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR). They did that in 2007 and are on a mission to return to Las Vegas to compete in rodeo’s championship event in 2009.
(Photo – courtesy of Pro Equine Group. Jim is on the left in the maroon shirt and Jake is in the peach.)

Born into a rodeo and ranching family from Monument, N.M., they can’t remember the first time they picked up a rope, it just was always there. So were the horses, cattle and family support. Their father Jimmie, a ProRodeo Hall of Fame member, has qualified for the NFR in tie-down roping, steer wrestling and team roping. He was the all-around champion title in 1981 in one of the closest races in rodeo’s history. Jimmie won the title by $47 and the man he beat was his cousin Roy Cooper.

Their mother Shryl and younger sister Jill also know their way around the arena and how to handle a rope. Jake and Jim both started their careers heading. While Jim always wanted to heel, their father wouldn’t let him start until he was proficient on the head end. Jimmie placed a lot of emphasis on horsemanship and being able to handle a rope before he would let either one of them heel. He felt this would increase their chances of keeping their thumbs.

Jim started heeling and they formed a partnership instead of roping against each other. Jimmie encouraged his sons to go to college and get some more experience before they hit the team roping trail. That was not in the twin’s plans. They joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2004 and won the rookie of the year honors in heading and heeling. They thought nothing would stop them from qualifying for the NFR, but it was another three years until they actually rode into the Thomas and Mack Arena as part of the competition.

“Dad was right and we probably weren’t as ready as we should have been,” Jake said. “After our rookie year, we struggled. That was a real learning experience.”

Even when they qualified for the NFR, it didn’t turn out as they had hoped when they finished the season in 15th place. The next year, they were among the top 25 in the standings and spent December getting ready for 2009. Jake is currently 26th and Jim is 24th. With the busiest time of the rodeo season starting in June, the duo is ready with great horses, the right ropes and positive attitudes to make a move.

“You have to believe in yourself, even when things aren’t going the exact way you want them to,” Jim said. “I’ve always believed that I can rope at the highest level. We haven’t been as consistent as we would like, but we are always working toward that.”

Both feel like they have exceptional horses now. Jake is riding a horse that he bought from Trevor Brazile last October. “Stinger is a really good horse. He scores as good as any horse I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Jim is riding a little roan mare, Izzy, who he rode at the NFR. She is just seven-years-old and has become very dependable. “I’m really blessed to have her,” he said. “She won’t ever miss the corner. She is looking for it and wanting to get there at the right time every time.”

Next to their horses, they think having the right rope is critical and both are fans of Cactus Ropes. Jake uses the Xplosion and the Mini Mag and will make the decision which one he uses according to how they feel at the time. Jim is a fan of the Xplosion.

“The Xplosion has a good balanced feel to it, not too heavy or too light,” Jim said. “It’s fast, lasts a long time and feels good in different weather conditions.”

Watching the duo work together in the arena, knowing that they are from a very close family and are twins, it would be easy to assume that they always get along. That is however not the case.

“We argue all the time,” Jim said. “We’re very competitive, extremely opinionated and strong-willed individuals. Our most intense arguments have probably been about roping. We don’t hold anything back because we are brothers and we say exactly what we think. To Jake and I arguing is having an opinion and expressing yourself.”

Their competiveness is not limited to the roping arena either. Jim loves any type of competition and won’t ever turn down a basketball challenge. Jake took up golf in the last couple of years and both play video games.

However there is seldom a day when they don’t have a rope in their hands. For these identical twins that have two distinct personalities the best part of their lives is being able to pursue their passions together.

“I don’t think we’ll ever rope with anybody else,” Jim said. “I’ve got a partner for life and that gives you confidence. I know I can depend on Jake no matter what. We’re brothers, partners and best friends.”