By Charity Pulliam/Photos Courtesy of Covy Moore

Canadian tie-down roper Kyle Lucas says his relationship with American Hat Company began years before a partnership was ever discussed. For most of his career, he chose American hats on his own, believing they were the sharpest and most reliable in the industry. He wanted his appearance to reflect the level of professionalism he brought into the arena, and he felt American Hat Company helped him do exactly that.

“I’ve been wearing American hats for about six years,” Lucas said. He already felt loyal to the brand long before the idea of an official relationship came up. He admired the clean structure of the hats and their consistent shaping. As he traveled from damp Canadian springs to dry summer rodeos across the United States, his hats stayed solid and polished._x000D_

To Lucas, that consistency matters because rodeo athletes represent their sport the moment they arrive at a venue and step into the arena.

“We have to act like professionals and think like professionals,” Lucas said. “We have to dress like it, too. America is the leader in that.”

Lucas grew up in Alberta as the son of Canadian standout tie-down roper Joe Lucas. He remembers following behind the chutes while his father competed, watching the standard Joe set in both performance and presentation. Joe retired in 2006 after a final season that Lucas still clearly remembers. Those early years helped fuel the desire that eventually led him into junior rodeos, high school rodeos, and amateur associations throughout Alberta.

Lucas began in breakaway roping because he was smaller than many of the other kids. As he grew, he fully transitioned to tie-down roping. In 2013, he purchased his Canadian and PRCA cards and qualified for his first Canadian Finals Rodeo. This year, he reached two major milestones: qualifying for his tenth CFR and earning his first Canadian championship.

Along the way, Lucas developed a close friendship with world champion tie-down roper Tuf Cooper. He spent several winters living and practicing with the Cooper family and credits that time with shaping his roping in lasting ways. Cooper taught him small details that did not always make sense at first but later led to breakthroughs. Cooper also helped connect Lucas with American Hat Company, though by that point, Lucas said he already believed in the product.

Nothing about the partnership felt forced. Lucas said it developed the same way his loyalty to the hats did, naturally, without a single defining moment.

Lucas said spending time with Cooper’s late father, Roy, was just as influential. Roy called him weekly or every other week, and each call lasted about thirty seconds. They usually ended the same way, with Roy telling him he was good enough and that he loved him. Lucas said those brief conversations carried weight, especially coming from an eight-time world champion whose belief mattered, no matter how difficult a season felt.