Cowboy brothers race to win

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The 24th installment of “The Amazing Race” features (for the third time) native Oklahomans Jet and Cord McCoy, a team known for their kindness, competitive spirit and cowboy hats.

The duo visited Memorial Road Church of Christ on March 30 to share their experiences from the show and how their faith came into play.

In an interview at the end of the 16th installment of the show, Cord voiced his favorite part of the entire process.

“I think the coolest thing about it [is that] we’ve got some pretty cool new friends that other than being around the race and being through it, we would have never met them and never got to know them,” Cord McCoy said. “So I’m pretty thankful for that.”

Scott Young, worship minister at Memorial Road Church of Christ, has known the brothers since they were in high school. He commented on the similarity between the brothers’ on-screen and off-screen personalities.

“I bet there’s nobody on that show that doesn’t love Cord and Jet,” Young said. “They’re kind to people; they’re considerate, they’re thoughtful; they’re very positive and that’s not an act. What you see on that show is exactly how they are.”

Philip Brookman, pulpit minister at Memorial Road Church of Christ, was impressed by Jet’s sincere passion for his faith.

“He just seems so genuine and [even though] winning the show is important [to him] . . . he recognizes there’s a greater game at stake, and it’s that he really does view his time on the show as a public way to display Christ and a public way to just be a good influence,” Brookman said. “It’s just not a great environment, but he and Cord just really tried to be grounded, even on the show.”

Junior Alyssa Schneider agreed with Brookman.

“I find it impressive because I know a lot of people don’t do that,” Schneider said. “It is inspiring. People say they’re Christians, and it’s very rare that they do it.”

However, senior Sarah Philbin is less impressed by the McCoys’ involvement in Hollywood.

“For me personally, I don’t really see that as very inspiring because I think as a true Christian you’re not going to participate in worldly things,” Philbin said.

The brothers are often recognized for their emphasis on faith and family, not only on the show but also in their daily lives.

“They’re very involved in a church just south of Ada: Fitztown Church of Christ,” Young said. “That church was practically dying off. [Now] Jet and Cord and their wives and their families are all really involved. They’ve really jumped in and helped revive that church. I’m proud of the men they’ve become; it’s really fun to watch.”

Young commented on their family life as well.

“It was really cool watching that whole family: how close they were and how close they still are,” Young said. “And that’s a big part of why they are the men they are today. It’s because of the family they have.”

Both Jet and Cord McCoy have been involved in the rodeo world.

“They both went to college and competed in college rodeo,” Young said. “They competed on the collegiate level in rodeo and then if I remember right, Jet was more of a saddle bronc or bareback, which is bucking horse in rodeo. Cord may have done some of that, but his main thing was bull riding.”

Cord’s career as a professional bull rider began in 2001 and he retired in the fall of 2013. Brookman was impressed with Jet and Cord’s reputation beyond their professional successes.

“You know, most people who become very successful at what they do in any discipline or field become known for that discipline or practice itself,” Brookman said. “They’re known for being a good doctor, or a good teacher. So the fact that these guys are very successful at what they do and yet they have a reputation of being very warm and Christ-like . . . it’s very inspiring.”

Young enjoys watching the brothers’ successes.

“They’re great, great guys and it’s cool to see them be successful, because, like I said, there’s no act,” Young said. “They’re not putting on a show on TV. You’ll hear people interviewed that have been on the show with them and they’ll say, ‘They’re just so nice; you can’t not like them.’”

The McCoys were the final installment of Memorial Road Church of Christ’s series, “iNeighbor.” The series emphasized the idea of loving your neighbor as yourself.

“[We had] a little dialogue with them about their experiences on the show . . . and also about how [they] maintain this lifestyle God has called them to live and live in the world they have lived in all these years,” Young said. “To live in the rodeo world, and in that environment and still hold true to what God has called them to be – they’ve done such a good job of that. We just wanted to have them back because people will recognize them, because they’ve seen them on the show [and] seen them interact with people on the show.”