Timed Event Cowboy
Clayton Hass grew up on a ranch in Terrell, TX, and got his start in rodeo at a mere 7 years old. He was introduced to rodeo by his father. A highlight from his younger rodeo years includes qualifying for the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2001 and 2002. It was not hard for the young Clayton to discover the cowboy way of life as he grew up admiring rodeo legends such as Trevor Brazile, Speed Williams, Joe Beaver, Jake Barnes, and Clay O’Brien Cooper. He mastered his craft by attending Joe Beaver’s and Jake Barnes’ roping schools early on.
Now, he gets to compete with those same legends and reflects on his experiences along the way. Respect is important to Clayton, and competing against his mentors motivates him to overcome setbacks and helps him understand the arena is not the place for training, in turn earning the respect of others.
The Timed Event Championships, for example, is an event he has been invited to compete in, based on his level of expertise and competitive skill set in the variety of timed event disciplines featured at this one-of-a-kind event.
Clayton currently resides in Weatherford, TX, where he and his wife, Alex, are raising their three children. When Clayton is not rodeoing, he still keeps busy. He appreciates being at home helping his wife and two daughters with their jumpers (hunter/jumper horses). While it may be hard to imagine a bull dogger flying through the air on a jumper, he really enjoys it. He considers jumping a challenge and is always accepting of a challenge.
With his help, the Hass kids are following in his rodeo footsteps. He helps them learn the ropes and in turn, he finds inspiration from them and his wife. He remains humble, as he believes his family sacrifices so much for him to live his dream of rodeo and wishes to leave a rodeo legacy for his kids to follow.
Additionally, his favorite pastime is golf, and if he could golf at any course, he’d choose Pebble Beach, California or Augusta, Georgia. Clayton has even golfed with former Major League Baseball pitcher, John Lackey. Lackey played for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Chicago Cubs.
Clayton is an avid hunter who provides for his family with his hunts. He hunts as a hobby for a variety of game animals including; deer, elk, hogs, dove, quail, and others.
Clayton’s motto in and out of the arena is “If you’re not training, you’re not winning” and is constantly tuning up his bull-dogging horses when he can. He has trained all the bull-dogging horses he has competed on over the last decade. One of the more difficult challenges Clayton faces when it comes to competing is getting out of “training mode” and adjusting his mindset to “competition mode”.
Clayton’s rodeo goals include becoming a world champion and being humble while doing so. He appreciates and recognizes the kids who look up to him and competitors like himself, just as he looked up to the rodeo legends before him. He prides himself on having a good attitude no matter the outcome in the arena. He desires to be a great person not just a great cowboy.