Riding & Writing...: Rodeo Cowboy: An Interview with Nolan Gillies

Nolan at work. Photo: Thomas Duncan Photography

Rodeo Cowboy: An Interview with Nolan Gillies

by Gina McKnight

Archived from the June 2023 Issue of Florida Equine Athlete

No duplication without permission

Living in Boise, Idaho, traveling the circuit, Nolan Gillies is a seasoned cowboy – riding since the age of 14, now a professional bareback rider and member of the PRCA since 2016. I first interviewed Nolan for the February 2017issue of FEA, and I thought it would be fun to catch up and see where he is today.

At 28, Nolan has an impressive background. Nolan writes, “I spent my first two years in the PRCA in the Wilderness Circuit before making the switch to the Columbia River Circuit. In 2019 I took a couple of years off, and came back in 2021 but tore my bicep at my first rodeo back, and had surgery. In 2022 I was fully recovered and started riding again in January, and qualified for my first Columbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo. Additionally, I have a full time job as a data analyst and am in grad school at Boise State University getting my masters in history. My research topics are Modern Macedonian and Balkan history, and I am writing my thesis on Bulgarian assimilation efforts in Macedonia over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and Macedonian national identity.”

Welcome, Nolan!

GM: What's new since 2017?

NG: A lot is new. I lost my mom in 2017 to cancer and since then have finished my bachelor’s degree in history at BSU and semi-retired from competition for a while. I came out of retirement officially in 2022 and qualified for my first circuit finals, and started grad school to get my masters in history also at BSU. Very recently I also lost my dad to cancer in February. It has been difficult trying to keep up with life through it all, but I think I am managing things okay, and I hope that I'm honoring my parents' memory.

GM: I remember when you lost your mom, and now your dad. Our sincere condolences. A world traveler and scholar, you continue to succeed at just about everything you do! I would say your parents are very proud of you. Riding broncs is a tough profession and you’ve stayed with it despite hurdles. I have always been fascinated with broncs and how they wind up at the rodeo. What is the process for drawing buckin' horses at the rodeo?

NG: In the pros it is done via a computer in the central office in Colorado Springs and is completely random once all contestants are entered and a stock list is given. Generally you know what horse you've drawn about four to five days in advance. At amateur rodeos it tends to be done about an hour before the performance and the judges draw contestant and stock names out of a hat.

GM: What's the secret to winning?

NG: I don't really have an answer to that, as I struggle to win myself still. What I will say is that your self-image is important, and maintaining a positive image of yourself and your abilities is vital. You aren't always going to perform at your best, and you have to find a way to push the bad experiences out of your mind and prioritize the good ones. I think of the good rides I have made, and the times I have won, and these are the experiences I emphasize in my mind when I'm training and when I am getting ready to compete. There is a book by Lanny Bassham called With Winning in Mind, that I think should be required reading for any athlete. Otherwise, staying in shape, eating correctly, and constant training will never hurt you.

GM: In 2017, you had a rigorous routine to keep in shape. Do you still workout every day? What's your routine?

NG: I work out four to five days a week. It's important to give your body time to rest, especially when you're in the peak of rodeo season. I started working out with Doug Champion and Logan Corbett who offer personally tailored workout programs for you and whatever event you're competing in, and I can't overstate how much help it's been. An athlete in any other sport relies on their personal trainers, and Rodeo is no different, and the game really has changed in recent decades. Most of the workouts are composed of bodyweight, free weight, and resistance band exercises along with yoga stretches, with the idea being that you still are gaining strength without breaking down your body too much in the middle of rodeo season.

GM: You're a world traveler. Where have you been? Do you have a favorite place in the world?

NG: So far I have been to Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Greece. Of all of these places, Macedonia and Greece are my favorite. I've been to Macedonia three times now, and Greece twice, but I love the Balkans in general. I have made so many friends over there that I have kept in touch with and have been nothing but kind and supportive to me. I have studied Balkan history since I was twelve years old, and getting to visit these places and make friends there has been an amazing experience for me, and I look forward to going back again sometime in the near future.

GM: On Insta, I’ve seen your travel pics and pics of your dog. He is so sweet! Tell us about Ajax...

NG: Ajax is my pride and joy! He is an Australian Shepherd and Border Collie mix and he turns ten years old this year. I have had him pretty much since day one, and we have been inseparable ever since. I got him right when I started college and we have done a lot of growing up together through a lot of good times and bad. I would be very lost without him.

GM: There must be down-time in there somewhere for you – and I know you karaoke. What do you do in your leisure time?

NG: I will say karaoke is not a typical pastime for me, but I do make exceptions! Generally though when I do have downtime, I spend a lot of time reading, going out with my friends, or playing video games. These days I don't have a lot of down time thanks to grad school, but I am halfway through my program. I want to travel a lot more once I finish my masters and am done rodeoing.

GM: A lot of barrel racers will read this interview. What would you like to tell them about horses and/or the rodeo/competing?

NG: I don't have much to say about horsemanship that barrel racers don't already know. After competing for twelve years though, I do feel qualified to give some advice that would be applicable to any rodeo athlete. My biggest piece of advice is don't be too proud to drop down a rung especially when you're in a dry spell and are struggling. What I mean is, just because you're on a pro permit or on your card, don't be afraid to hold an amateur card too, and go to open rodeos on occasion. When I am struggling at pro rodeos, the amateur ranks have been a boon for me. It's absolutely okay to drop down on occasion and go to rodeos that you *know* you have a chance to win at to pick your confidence back up. I have seen a lot of peoples' careers end prematurely because they get frustrated about spinning their wheels in the mud at circuit rodeos. Don't be too proud to let amateur rodeos keep you afloat when you're struggling.

GM: We want to follow your career and wish you continued success. Where will you be in June?

NG: I started my season in March this year and went to a couple of rodeos in Lake Havasu and Cave Creek, Arizona. I also just got back from California. My circuit rodeos start up again in May, so I will be all over the Pacific Northwest pretty much from May to the end of September. My first circuit rodeos back will be in Grand Coulee, Washington, and Central Point, Oregon in May, and then in June I will hit rodeos like Klamath Falls, Oregon; Eagle, Idaho; Union, Oregon; Meridian, Idaho; Mountain Home, Idaho; Colville, Washington, etc. Just about any Columbia River Circuit Rodeos and rodeos sanctioned by the Idaho Cowboys Association will be where you can find me throughout the course of the year.

Connect with Nolan…

Instagram: @Nolan Gillies thegreatnoldini

www.prorodeo.com