Shad Mayfield lit up the Thomas & Mack on Thursday, taking home his first NFR Round 1 win.

The seven-time NFR qualifier stopped the clock at 6.8 seconds, winning the round and pocketing $36,667.95. The win kept him at No. 2 in the world with $292,97.95 won, just $30,783.74 behind world No. 1, Riley Webb. The round marks Mayfield's fourth career NFR round win, and he joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about it.

About Roping.com

Give the tie-down roper in your life something they’ll actually use. Gift a Roping.com membership this holiday season and check one name off your shopping list. They’ll get full access to Roping.com's comprehensive tie-down video library and learn from World Champions Caleb Smidt and Shad Mayfield plus top hands Logan Harkey, Justin Maass and Blane Cox. They can even stream the 2025 NFR Calf Break-In for a behind-the-scenes look at preparing this years pen of calves, then binge hundreds of hours of archived tie-down livestreams. Choose anywhere from one month to a full year of membership, delivered just in time for the holidays.

We end Holiday Week with the amazing comedian Maxi Witrak. Photographer Shelley Paulson is our artist of the day, her Aurora Borealis are spectacular and available for gifts. Plus, we take a look at the best and worst Christmas movies. Listen in....

HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3834 – Show Notes and Links:

• Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the Geek
• Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
• Jamie and Glenn's Amazon Store
• Please support this year's charity: Gallop for Life
• Pic Credit: Maxi Witrak
• Guest: Maxi Witrak
• Guest Artist: Photographer Shelley Paulson
• Prize Providers: Cavallo Hoof Boots, Dreamers & Schemers, Espoir, Larissa Ann Fine Art, Starting in the Middle by Tik Maynard, USRider, Zero Proof Horse Treats, Kelly Herd Jewelry
• Additional support for this podcast provided by: Kentucky Performance Products, Weatherbeeta, Zero Proof Horse Treats and Equine Network and Listeners Like You

Timestamps:

04:00 - Gratitude

17:20 - Shelley Paulson

30:40 - Voicemails

38:35 - Maxi Witrak

50:00 - Best and Worst Horse Movies

01:05:00 - Prize Drawing

In this engaging conversation on the Adulting with Horses podcast, Heather and Natalie explore the themes of trusting the process, the importance of energy and intention in life, and the dynamics of horse ownership. They share personal stories about their experiences with horses, the emotional lives of these animals, and the significance of connection and communication in building relationships with them. The discussion also delves into the challenges of making decisions regarding horse care, the role of personality in horse selection, and the power of self-reflection and writing in navigating life's complexities. Ultimately, they emphasize the importance of empathy and understanding in both horse care and personal relationships, while also planning for future fun and community engagement.

Takeaways

• Trust the process and be open to the journey.
• Energy and intention shape our experiences.
• Returning to riding can be a personal journey of rediscovery.
• Understanding horse behavior is key to effective communication.
• Connection with horses is essential for a fulfilling relationship.
• Decisions about horse ownership should consider the horse's needs.
• Empathy plays a crucial role in horse care and relationships.
• Personality influences the fit between horse and rider.
• Writing can help clarify thoughts and feelings.
• Building a supportive community enhances the equestrian experience.

Keywords trusting the process, energy, intention, horse behavior, connection, horse ownership, empathy, personality, writing, community, decision making, reflection

Chapters

00:00

Trusting the Process: A Disney Adventure

03:08

Energy and Intent: Creating Your Reality

06:01

Returning to Riding: A Journey of Confidence

08:59

Understanding Your Horse: Signs of Change

12:03

Riding in the Dark: Safety and Confidence

15:02

The Importance of Routine: Observing Behavior

18:00

The Cat Chronicles: Lessons in Care and Attention

20:59

Deciding on Retirement: Knowing When to Let Go

27:04

Building Connections with Horses

30:18

Understanding Horse and Rider Compatibility

36:06

When to Let Go of a Horse

41:47

The Importance of Empathy in Horse Care

46:56

Finding Peace in the Horse Community

The first team out of the 2025 NFR took top honors in the team roping with Lightning Aguilera and Kaden Profili stunning the field.

The pair of two-time NFR qualifiers set the pace with a 4.0-second run that stayed No. 1 for the remaining 14 teams. Aguilera and Profili pocketed $36,667.95 apiece to bump them to No. 8 and 7 in the world with $161,403.70 and $160,203.50, respectively. The round was a first for Aguilera and a second for Profili, and they join The Short Score to break down their win.

__

This episode is brought to you by Oz On A Hot Streak, the 2015 grey stallion rewriting what a rope horse can do. Oz is the 2019 AQHA Junior Heading World Champion, a top-ten heeler the same year, and now the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to compete at the NFR. Dec. 4, is officially National Oz Day, and Solo Select is celebrating with a Buy-One-Get-One breeding special, today only. Starting tomorrow Dec. 5, mare owners get $500 off every Oz breeding during the NFR. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.

In this episode, Stephanie Batliner, VP of Regulatory Affairs and R&D North America for Bimeda, joined us to discuss the FDA approval process for pioneer and generic animal drugs. She also discussed veterinary devices, pharmacy compounding, counterfeit drugs, and more.

This episode of Disease Du Jour is brought to you by Bimeda.

GUESTS AND LINKS - EPISODE 171

• Host: Carly Sisson (Digital Content Manager) of EquiManagement | Email Carly (CSisson@equinenetwork.com)
• Guest: Stephanie Batliner, VP of Regulatory Affairs and R&D North America for Bimeda
• Podcast Website: Disease Du Jour
• This episode of Disease Du Jour podcast is brought to you by Bimeda.
• Connect with the Host: Carly Sisson (Digital Content Manager) of EquiManagement | Email Carly (CSisson@equinenetwork.com)

Mary Kitzmiller chats about how acclimatization fits into your horse training program. Listener questions about mouthy horses and dealing with grumpy boss mares at horse shows. Plus, Gaye Derusso joins us to talk about training gaited horses.

Episode 3829 Links

• Image Credit: Mary Kitzmiller Horsemanship
• Today’s Hosts: Mary Kitzmiller and Coach Jenn
• Follow Mary Kitzmiller on Facebook, Mary Kitzmiller’s Store
• Guest: Gaye Derusso | The Majestic Rider Facebook | Gaye Derusso Facebook | Gaye Derusso Instagram
• Follow Horse Radio Network on Twitter or follow Horses In The Morning on Facebook
• Visit our sponsors! Chewy , MyNewHorse
• Advertise with Horse Radio Network
• Additional support for this podcast provided by: Listeners Like You

Time Stamps

• 9:22 How acclimatization fits into your horse training program
• 13:02 Gaye Derusso on training gaited horses
• 28:53 Dealing with mouthy horses
• 39:58 Bossy mares at horse shows

Short Summary: Dr. Holly Helbig and Dr. David Levine describe how they use SAA and other biomarkers to spot infection early, guide treatment, support biosecurity, and monitor horses in real time.

Landing page copy: Acute phase proteins such as serum amyloid A (SAA) give veterinarians an early look at inflammation, infection, and how a horse responds to treatment. In this Equine Innovators episode, we dig into how SAA and other key biomarkers guide everyday decisions—from biosecurity on busy farms and showgrounds to managing postoperative cases, colic, and foal exams.

Host Stephanie Church, editorial director at The Horse, talks with Dr. Holly Helbig of Zoetis and Dr. David Levine from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center about when they reach for SAA, how it compares with fibrinogen and white blood cell counts, and why serial testing often matters more than any single number. They share stall-side and hospital protocols, real-world case examples, and ways biomarker trends support smarter antimicrobial use and quarantine decisions.

In this episode, Drs. Helbig and Levine discuss:

• What acute phase proteins are and how SAA reflects early inflammation in horses
• How fast SAA and fibrinogen rise and fall, and how that timing shapes testing plans
• When stallside SAA testing shines in ambulatory practice, at horse shows, and on the farm
• Using SAA to help sort out joint flares vs. septic joints and guide post-surgical monitoring
• Practical cutoffs and patterns for foals, including how vaccination and IV plasma affect SAA
• Where SAA fits into antimicrobial stewardship and cost-conscious biosecurity strategies
• Emerging research and what might come next for biomarkers in equine practice

Tune in to hear how two equine veterinarians lean on SAA and other biomarkers to clarify tough calls, support horse owners, and keep diagnostics and treatments on the right track.

GUESTS AND LINKS – EPISODE 23:

• Host: Stephanie L. Church, editorial director at The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care/TheHorse.com | @stephlchurch on Instagram | Email Stephanie (schurch@thehorse.com)
• Links: (SAA and other Biomarker resources from TheHorse.com) SAA: A Magic 8 Ball for Detecting Infection in Horses?, SAA: Infection Detection in Horses (Infographic), SAA Measurements Can Help Detect Surgical Implant Infection, Advances in Equine Infectious Disease Detection
• Guest: Holly Helbig, DVM, joined Zoetis in 2023 as an equine technical services veterinarian. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a focus in lameness and sport horse medicine. Helbig was the official veterinarian for The World Equestrian Center Ohio; The Kentucky Horse Shows series; and various FEI competitions for 10 years prior to joining Zoetis. She also had an ambulatory practice serving patients...