Wesley Galyean
Total Earnings: $4,051,497
An Open Futurity winner as a 21 year-old non-pro, Wesley Galyean had always known he wanted to be a cutting horse trainer. There was no plan B for him. Cutting has been in his family for three generations, both his father Jody and grandfather Kenneth Galyean were trainers. A lot of people tried to convince him to go to college and skip the horse training, but Galyean said it was in his blood. If it’s what you love, keep on fighting, work hard, pray hard and give it everything you have he said.
What is your training philosophy?
“I try to put, into my horses, confidence and to just never give up. I want them to try as hard as me. When they do try, I try to be conscious of it and really reward them for it so they can set that in their memory.”
Do you have any preferences when you’re picking cows?
“It depends. When you get to the finals you want to cut good cows but sometimes good cows are just 219s-222s. More times than not it will work against you, but I feel like you have to be more of a risk taker… and do something more special than everyone else… A lot of times when you’re in the finals you’ll want to cut a cow that will really test you… It’s important to have a good team around you. A lot of times you [and your team] get in the groove with picking good cows and you just see what happens.”
How did the COVID 19 break help you?
“I had a lot of time to think about things and what I could have done wrong. It was more the mentality I had everyday working [Duramax Dually] and all of the horses. When the shows started up, just knowing he [Duramax Dually] was working great and I just had to go show him. The break really let me work on my weaknesses and allowed me to spend, not weeks or a month, it was months off and it allowed me to dig deep and think about it all and get into the psyche and I feel like that’s where I got the advantage. Once I worked on myself and having the right mentality, I just got him working better every single day and getting more confident. It paid off really big at the The Non Pro [and Summer Spectacular wins].”
Why do you do what you do?
“I’ve been doing it since I was 8 years old. I love the sport… I love to compete every single day. That’s the thing you’re competing everyday that you’re working horses. I love the thrill of cutting horses, I’ve been on all types of horses and you can’t beat the thrill of a cutting horse, the strength and the challenge. You’re trying to control something that’s uncontrollable. I enjoy getting to do this for a living, it’s not even a job!”
What have you learned or adjusted in your program in the last few years?
“I only have a few horses showing in the showpen, not a ton. I have really tried to focus on running my race, not worrying about anybody else, what they have or how many great horses they have…And just make the best of the horses I have… I am just trying to constantly get better mentally and capitalize on my blessings… Life is always about perspective…So many people think the situation with COVID is terrible, but if you change your perspective, we are at home more, take advantage of that. Watch films and take the time and every day try to make that horse better, and have quality works.”
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