Rescuing Rough Stock Riders: Four Time NFR Pickup Man Shawn Calhoun

The unsung heroes of rodeo, pickup men have a crucial job - keeping the bareback and saddle bronc riders out of hot water in the arena

Shawn Calhoun picking up at Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo / Avid Visual Imagery LLC

Professional pickup man, Shawn "Too Tall" Calhoun of Brandon, MS, is a clear favorite amongst those whose opinion matters most: the cowboys he protects in the arena. Calhoun has been nominated for Pickup Man of the Year multiple times, including 2024.

A veteran of his craft, Calhoun has been picking up for 23 years and in the Professional Rodeo's Cowboy Association (PRCA) for 19 years. In December, he will make his fourth appearance at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), having been selected by the bareback and saddle bronc riders who will compete there.

His journey to becoming a pickup man may not be what you expect, as it certainly wasn't what Calhoun expected or planned to do.

"I was working for a horse trainer at the time and he picked up a lot of high school and amateur rodeos. He started getting double booked and sending me in his place. I never really dreamed of doing it, but once I started, I really enjoyed it. When I started picking up, that was all I wanted to do," Calhoun explained.

Pick up man Shaun Calhoun at #Cheyenne frontier days doing what he does best. In this photo, top tier pick up man Shaun...

Posted by Rodrigo Photography on Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Horsepower is a huge part of Calhoun's job and he told us about his current herd, "I've got a couple six year olds I started picking up on last year. This is "Kate's" second year and she's been doing really well. "Woodrow" is another horse that I started last winter and is doing really well. I have a four year old that I started this summer and I am taking him to the finals, he is doing really good."

Like anything, it takes time and patience to build a solid pickup horse. Calhoun explained his process, "I usually try not to start them until they're five and I take them to bigger rodeos with slack. Like at Jackson, MS, in the winter time, we'll have eight hours of slack. It's loud with the chutes banging, but not the crowd, so you can get them used to it."

"Normally I try to start the colts myself. One I'm riding right now belongs to Frontier Rodeo and I think he had about 30 rides when I got him. Usually, there's three pickup men in the big outdoor rodeos in the summer, so if two are on more seasoned horses, you can kind of see how something green handles the pressure. He handled it really well and we just kept going," he told us.

As far as preparing for the NFR, Calhoun doesn't make any major changes to his usual routine, "I make sure they stay in good shape. My son and I rope on them two or three times a week at the house to keep them in shape."

For Calhoun, being a pickup man is the dream job he never knew he wanted until he tried it. "It's an adrenaline rush. I like watching the bucking horses. The bareback and saddle bronc riding were always my favorite events to watch. Picking up, you have the best seat in the house," he explained.

Naturally, the pickup men get to experience some pretty unique situations. Calhoun recalled one of his more interesting rodeos, "I don't know if it made the news, but I have chased quite a few bulls all over town in quite a few towns. Years ago, we were at the University of Arkansas and a bull got out. We roped him over in front of the library."