Interview with Ultimate Cowboy Showdown contestant Stephen Heitmann

By What on What's Good - Jovin Tardif April 13, 2022

Interview with Ultimate Cowboy Showdown contestant Stephen Heitmann

The newest season of Ultimate Cowboy Showdown will air on INSP starting on Thursday, April 21st at 8PM ET (10 episodes). I wanted to introduce you to some of the new contestants. Today on #whatonwhatsgood with Jovin Tardif, I am here with Ultimate Cowboy Showdown contestant Stephen Heitmann.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Stephen Heitmann: My name is Stephen Heitmann, and I am 24. I live with my wife, Aubrey and daughter, Lillie in Edison, Colorado. Between training horses, shoeing horses, auctioneering, and day-working for local ranches, I tend to stay pretty busy all year.

2. What made you decide to be part of this reality series?

Stephen Heitmann: The main thing that attracted me to this competition was the opportunity in itself. The opportunity to take home $50,000 worth of cattle and the Arrow-Equip equipment, without having to go into any debt, is a chance of a lifetime! That kind of a prize is something that could give a young, ambitious guy like me the jumpstart to a long and fulfilling career.

3. How did it feel to be picked for the show?

Stephen Heitmann: Being picked for season 3 of Ultimate Cowboy Showdown was a pretty neat feeling; it’s difficult to really put into words. The biggest feeling I probably had besides excitement was gratitude. Once everything set in, I was super grateful to have the opportunity to compete.

4. Ultimate Cowboy Showdown is hosted by country music icon Trace Adkins. What is it like working with him and meeting him?

Stephen Heitmann: Working with Trace Adkins was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Everyone knows he is a big man, but you don't really realize how big he is until you get to stand next to him in person! Even though we didn't get to be around him much off-set, the little bit of interaction we had with him was pretty neat.

5. What do you feel are some characteristics needed to be an ultimate cowboy?

Stephen Heitmann: It takes a lot of different characteristics to be an ‘ultimate cowboy.’ However, I think the ability for a cowboy to be tough is the one that sits at the top of the list for me. Whether it's physical or mental toughness, you need it to be a cowboy. Not all days are sunshine and easy horses. You have to be able to take the good days with the bad, and no matter what, you have to wake up every day with drive and determination to get the job done to the best of your ability, and after you do that, you work even harder!

6. What would you say is one of the toughest cowboy skills to learn and why?

Stephen Heitmann: In my opinion, one of the toughest skills to learn as a cowboy is the ability to keep learning. When it comes to the cowboy world, there are a lot of different cultures of cowboys and many different ways to do things in each culture.

A lot of people in the cowboy industry, both young and old, get to a point where they have a tough time taking any insight from others. In order to become a top hand, you have to remain quiet, listen and be willing to learn. Right, wrong, or indifferent, you'll learn something.

7. In your opinion, what can we learn from watching Ultimate Cowboy Showdown?

Stephen Heitmann: I think the viewers will have the opportunity to learn a variety of things from the show. However, the one thing I hope viewers take away is that cowboys and ranchers are real, and we work hard to keep food in the bellies of everyone.