Ketchpen spring 2016v3

Rodeo Historical Society

Spring/Summer Ballot 2016 ®

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On The COver

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Don’t forget to

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FeaTures

Meanwhile ... Back at the Ranch Sharon Shoulders takes the reins as Rodeo Historical Society president

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Taking Care of Business The career of champion roper Clark McEntire was anything but business as usual

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James Cathey’s Western Legacy 17 James Cathey dedicated his life to photographing America’s Western culture

This program cover for the inaugural 1912 Calgary Stampede features images of the “Big Four” founders of one of the most iconic rodeos and Western exhibitions in the world. Pictured are (clockwise from top left) Pat Burns, George Lane, A.J. McLean, and A.E. Cross, four Calgary city leaders who, along with New York trick roper Guy Weadick, established the first Calgary Stampede. Since 1923, when the Stampede combined with the Calgary Exhibition and became an annual event, the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” has thrilled millions and established itself as one of the largest rodeos around.

At the 2016 Western Heritage Awards, held by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, George Lane was inducted posthumously into the Hall of Great Westerners for his contributions to the Western lifestyle. Read the story on page 18.

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George Lane: Western Heritage Honoree Rodeo pioneer and rancher George Lane helped establish the Calgary Stampede

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Memories from 2015 Rodeo Weekend In anticipation of the 2016 Rodeo Weekend, take a look back at last year’s festivities

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2016 Ballot Issue Exercise your right to vote for the 2016 inductees into the Rodeo Hall of Fame

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COlumns

On the Cover

Presidents’ Messages RHS Board of Directors Preserving Heritage RHS at NFR Digest The Museum Store Empty Saddles

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Rodeo Historical Society

Presidents’ Messages

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

ome to the Rodeo Historical Society (RHS), the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is proud to long celebrate rodeo with the men and women who helped make it not just a Western tradition, but an American tradition.

Steven Karr

Since it opened its doors to the public some 51 years ago the Museum has celebrated and preserved rodeo’s legacy in myriad ways. From its famed American Rodeo Gallery along with its storied trophies and saddles, to the numerous other galleries that speak to a shared ranching culture, to the ongoing oral history project and the unrivaled collection of historic rodeo photography in the Dickinson Research Center, the Museum and rodeo remain irrevocably tied.

In this always anticipated “Ballot Issue” you will find the names of many of rodeo’s legends who, living or passed, embody the sport. Within these pages you will also find compelling features on the Calgary Stampede’s “Big 4,” including George Lane, the first Canadian inducted into the Museum’s Hall of Great Westerners, and meaningful profiles on Sharon Shoulders, the newly appointed President of the RHS Board of directors and wife of Oklahoma-born rodeo great Jim Shoulders, and the late Clark McEntire, champion steer roper and father of country music and television star Reba McEntire.

Rodeo remains an important part of so many individuals — and families — across the North American continent. The Museum is grateful to all of our Rodeo Historical Society members for helping to keep these traditions alive. With your help we can work to ensure that rodeo’s rich traditions remain a part of the present and future.

Steven M. Karr, Ph.D. President & CEO National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

WWW.OWNBEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

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Sharon Shoulders

ome of you know I have more than just a passing interest in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. I was with Jim Shoulders the cold, windy day in the early 1950s when he turned over the first blade of dirt on Persimmon Hill with representatives from 17 western states in attendance.

In 1955, the Rodeo Hall of Fame, operating under the auspices of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, began inducting honorees. In 1961, the first Western Heritage Awards were presented, and when the building was completed in 1965, the Hall of Fame concept had evolved into a full-blown museum also focusing on Western art. Although many states today have their own cowboy and/or Western hall of fame organizations, none can claim the inclusion of complete Western historical facts as Oklahoma’s.

The Rodeo Historical Society’s (RHS) main focus is remembering how we got here and who was responsible.

The Museum is currently under great leadership with a diverse and accomplished National Board and President and CEO Steven Karr at the helm. The RHS Board is looking forward to being a major part of future expansion

plans serving the full membership, but this can only be accomplished with your cooperation and support.

Past RHS coordinator Stacie Hays Michael, with the help of Don Reeves and other volunteers, did a great job at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last December. They had a National Cowboy Museum and RHS booth in a prominent location at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This attracted a lot of attention, generating new memberships and Museum sales, proving to be a worthwhile venture.

Nominations for induction into the 2016 Rodeo Hall of Fame were due by Dec. 31, but if you have not yet submitted yours, it is not too late. You may submit them at any time during this year for 2017 eligibility.

Your RHS can only be effective through your continued membership, so become a member or renew your membership.

We need you and all of your friends, too!

Finally, thanks to Christie Camarillo for an outstanding job in her tenure as president of RHS. I thank you for the honor and challenge of being your 2016-17 president and promise to do my best to serve your interests in protecting and supporting our rodeo heritage.

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Rodeo Historical Society

Preserving Heritage and Shaping the Future 2016 RODEO HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sharon Shoulders, President, Oklahoma Dave Appleton, Vice President, Texas Christie Camarillo, Immediate Past President, California Doug Clark, Oklahoma Mike Hudson, Texas Larry Jordan, Montana Bryan Painter, Oklahoma Cotton Rosser, California RODEO COMMITTEE Bobby Norris, Chairman, Texas Gilbert Aguirre, California Steve Beneto, California Dr. Billy Bergin, Hawaii Randy Bernard, Tennessee Dr. Scott Calhoon, Oklahoma Robert A. Funk, Oklahoma Mike Ingram, Arizona Dr. John Jameson, Oklahoma Lincoln Lageson, California Kelly Riley, Texas Gordon Whitener, Tennessee Jerry Winchester, Oklahoma John W. Wroten Jr., Texas NATIONAL COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM Steven M. Karr, Ph.D., President & CEO BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ OFFICERS Lynnette Friess, Chairman, Wyoming Gary Pierson, Vice Chairman, Oklahoma Everett Dobson, Secretary, Oklahoma Linda Mitchell Davis, Treasurer, New Mexico Lance Benham, Immediate Past Chairman, Oklahoma SOCIETY COORDINATOR Heather Hanan-Hawkins

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ith a profound history that extends nearly 150 years, rodeo has become an everlasting symbol of the West.

The Rodeo Historical Society (RHS) was created to preserve and ensure this unique Western tradition is kept alive for future generations.

The Rodeo Historical Society supports the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s efforts to preserve the sport through an array of activities. The society supports the acquisition and exhibition activities in the American Rodeo Gallery at the Museum and contributes to preserving the past and present rodeo stories through its biannual publication The Ketchpen.

RHS’ ambitious Oral History Project collects, through recorded interviews, the biographies and stories of rodeo cowboys and cowgirls nationwide.

These interviews are preserved and made available to authors, historians,

and others interested in learning more and studying the history of rodeo. Because of RHS’ initiatives, rodeo remains an integral part of how America remembers the West of yesterday and today.

Your membership makes it possible to conduct the annual Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend, highlighted by formal induction ceremonies. The weekend also encompasses the prestigious Ben Johnson and Tad Lucas Memorial Awards and includes a Benefit Auction to generate additional programming dollars. The event offers rodeo enthusiasts from around the world the opportunity to gather, celebrate, and honor the best of the sport.

RHS cannot do this valuable work without you. By becoming an RHS member or by renewing your membership you not only help preserve stories and traditions of rodeo, but you also guarantee they are never forgotten.

Membership includes:

• Voting privileges to select Rodeo Hall of Fame Inductees • Two issues of The Ketchpen magazine per year • Free admission to the National Cowboy Museum *If you are a current member you may gift a membership to friends or family members.

For more information about RHS memberships please contact: Heather Hanan-Hawkins, Society Coordinator hhawkins@nationalcowboymuseum.org (405) 478-2250 ext. 233

Take action today and help us Preserve our Heritage and Shape our Future Visit http://www.LoveRodeo.org 4

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National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

At the 2015 National Finals-Rodeo Way

The RHS and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum were front and center in a new 16' x 16' custom-built exhibition space along Rodeo Way, a unique Western boulevard inside the 2015 Cowboy Christmas at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Able to house a 40" TV/DVD and exhibition components, accomodate rodeo celebrity interviews, and merchandise sales, this prime space reaches more than 200,000 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo fans in December.

Chad Berger, Miles Hare, John McBeth, Rob Smets, and Larry Mahan enjoy the Chris LeDoux exhibit, which traveled to Las Vegas after a summer run on display at the Museum.

Billy Etbauer, five-time World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider, stands in the spotlight for an interview with Museum videographer John Spencer.

Artists Bruce Greene and Tim Cox, along with television personality and musician Red Steagall, stop by for a photo op.

Joe Beaver loaned his 2000 World Champion All-Around Cowboy saddle for the 2015 booth display.

Kaycee Feild, four-time ProRodeo Bareback World Champion, was one of the many celebrity visitors to the RHS/ Museum outreach booth.

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RODEO HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Now Trending: National Cowboy Musuem At the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s recent Annual Chuck Wagon Festival, May 28–29, several “Selfie Stations” were installed to encourage visitors to share their experiences at the Museum using social media.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARLA NIXON

At strategic locations both inside and outside of the National Cowboy Museum — including the End of the Trail and Buffalo Bill sculptures — special “Selfie Station” placards have been placed. These stations give patrons the perfect vantage point from which to take a selfie with an iconic image of the West visible in the background.

Visitors are then encouraged to Tweet or post to social media their selfie using the hashtag #mywest, thus sharing with their friends and followers a real-time glimpse at how they “found their West” at the National Cowboy Museum.

These Selfie Stations have proven tremendously popular, with upwards of 30 #mywesttagged posts originating from the Museum in the final week of May alone. And according to Digital Marketing Manager Kirsten Holder, in the months to come new Selfie Stations will debut in various locations, ensuring the National Cowboy Museum remains a trending topic for others hoping to find their West.

The Museum Grill

Using only the freshest ingredients, The Museum Grill menu features wraps, BBQ brisket, loaded baked potatoes, Navajo tacos, signature salads, and a variety of delectable desserts. This superb cuisine is always offered with Western hospitality and a distinctively artful ambiance that includes a view overlooking beautifully landscaped sculpture gardens and water features.

The Museum Grill is open Tuesday – Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (closed on Monday), and Museum members receive a 15% discount.

To view The Museum Grill’s full menu, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org.

Save the Date for the Annie Oakley Society Luncheon, October 13, 2016 Each year, the Annie Oakley Society hosts a truly unique awards luncheon dedicated to honoring women leaders and philanthropists who, like Annie Oakley, play significant roles in shaping communities and creating new horizons.

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SOCIETY

The Annie Oakley Society Luncheon and Awards has become a favorite amongst members and guests who appreciate the mix of unforgettable entertainment and inspiring messages. Society members select award recipients who demonstrate an undying determination, passion for excellence, and support for the American character. Past Annie Oakley Society Award Honorees include Linda Mitchell Davis, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Reba McEntire, Nadia Comaneci, Kristin Chenoweth, and the 2015 Honoree, Admiral Michelle Howard.

For more information please contact Heather Hanan-Hawkins, Society Coordinator, at hhawkins@nationalcowboymuseum.org or (405) 478-2250 ext. 233.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

This spring, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum held the grand opening of The Museum Grill. Operated by the Petroleum Club and geared specifically toward the Museum’s patrons, both hot and cold entrées are offered in a walk-up, pick-up style dining experience.

Rodeo Historical Society

Editorial Staff

2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS September 30–October 1 Save the Date — Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend The Rodeo Historical Society invites you to save the date for the annual Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend, hosted by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Join rodeo enthusiasts from around the world to gather, celebrate, and honor the best of the sport. Weekend highlights include the Cocktail Reception on Friday, September 30 and then on Saturday, October 1 the Inductee Panel Discussion and the Champions Dinner and Induction Ceremony, alongside RHS’ annual benefit auction. For more information, please contact Heather Hanan-Hawkins, Society Coordinator, at hhawkins@nationalcowboymuseum.org or (405) 478-2250 ext. 233. www.loverodeo.org

October 14–15 Cowboy Crossings Opening Weekend In one of the most significant events to impact the fine art world, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosts exhibitions and sales for two outstanding organizations. Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA) showcases the best of saddle making, bit and spur making, silversmithing, and rawhide braiding; while the Cowboy Artists of America (CAA) features art from two dozen members who celebrate the West through painting, drawing, and sculpture. The CAA exhibition is on view through December 27 and the TCAA exhibition is on view through December 31. Reservations for Opening Weekend events are required, call (405) 478-2250 ext. 219.

Planning to attend the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas? Support the Rodeo Historical Society and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum by visiting our booth at Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas! We will be located along “Rodeo Way” at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY JOHN MCBETH

Presented by Express Employment Professionals, the 22nd annual yuletide dance features Michael Martin Murphey headlining an evening of entertainment for the entire family. An alcohol-free event with more than enough spirit coming from the combination of a dinner buffet, traditional Western songs and dances dating back more than 100 years, and an unforgettable visit from Santa.

Reservations required; call (405) 478-2250 ext. 219.

Blaine Smith

Graphic Production Carolyn Seelen

Institutional Archivist Holly Hasenfratz

Contributing Writers

Holly Hasenfratz Heather Hanan-Hawkins Steven M. Karr Lance Ortiz Bryan Painter Don Reeves Trent Riley Kendra Santos Sharon Shoulders Blaine Smith

Contributing Photographers

December 1–10 National Cowboy Museum and RHS at NFR

December 16, 7:00 p.m.

Express Employment Professionals’® Cowboy Christmas Ball

Content Management

Brenda Allen Ferrell Butler Karen Davidson Phil Dunham Jim Fain Larry Fulgham Bern Gregory Jerry Gustafson Devere Helfrich Dan Hubbell Hymer Photography David Jennings Fred Kobsted Frank Milne Carla Cain Nixon Joe Ownbey Don Reeves Carolyn Seelen Jan Spencer

Photography Donors

Calgary Stampede Dickinson Research Center Glenbow Archives James Cathey Heritage Collections, LLC Pake McEntire Reba McEntire ProRodeo Hall of Fame Shoulders Family John Wilson

Society Coordinator

Heather Hanan-Hawkins

Stay informed on all the happenings at the Museum.

Visit www. nationalcowboymuseum.org/event SPRING/SUMMER 2016 | THE KETCHPEN

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Rodeo Historical Society

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J Meanwhile . . . Back at the Ranch

By Kendra Santos

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ith his beautiful young bride by his side, rodeo legend Jim Shoulders turned over the first shovel of dirt at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum ground-breaking ceremony in 1955. Fast forward to 2016 and — 61 years later — that pretty lady has taken the reins as president of the National Cowboy Museum’s Rodeo Historical Society.

Sharon Shoulders is 86 years old now and continues to do her 16-time world champion cowboy husband, who died in 2007, so very proud.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

“Jim Shoulders was my top hero in the rodeo game,” said fellow rodeo icon Larry Mahan. “He really set the bar for anybody who wanted to go out there and try to break a record.

That was my goal. I wanted to win that sixth all-around title (because five of Jim’s 16 gold buckles were for all-around championships; in the end, six of Mahan’s eight world titles were all-around crowns). I was really fortunate because Jim was still entering a few rodeos when I started winning. I got to see the legend at work. Outside of the arena, Jim was just one of the all-time great good guys, too.

“Jim and Sharon Shoulders certainly were the Mr. and Mrs. of the rodeo game, and they never stop promoting the sport.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

Jim and Sharon Shoulders on their wedding day, September 17, 1947, at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Sharon and her horse, Blaze, on a modeling shoot for a feature story being written about them in the mid-70s.

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The Shoulders’ first ranch house, circa1951, in Henryetta, Oklahoma.

Marvin Paul still lives on the ranch in a newer-built house, the old one now gone. Sharon lives “in town.”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

Rodeo Historical Society

(Left:) The Shoulders children, from left: Jamie, Marcie, Marvin Paul, and Jana. Marvin Paul is named after Paul Bond, originator of Paul Bond boots and Jim’s mentor from age 14. (Right:) The Shoulders children, now grown, spend time with parents Sharon and Jim Shoulders.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

ProRodeo Hall of Famer and first-ever National Cowboy Museum triplecrown winner Cotton Rosser — a Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee, Ben Johnson Award winner, and Hall of Great Westerners honoree — was there to see it all, and is from the same area as California-born Sharon Shoulders.

Crossett Rodeo was produced by Sharon and Jim. Donni Gay’s daughter, Talli, on horseback.

His wife, Terri, was secretary/helper. Beginning in 1958, Jim and Neal Gay were partners in Mesquite Rodeo for many years.

“Sharon was born in Bell, California, which is where I rode my first saddle bronc at a rodeo,” said Rosser, who, like Sharon, never stops contributing to the cowboy community. “She’s a lovely lady, and always has been. Jim and Sharon Shoulders are a couple who have been respected in the rodeo world for a very long time and have done so much for the rodeo business.

With Sharon’s help, Jim took care of business and bought a ranch with his rodeo winnings. Sharon’s not afraid to work, either. The name Shoulders is synonymous with ‘class act.’ ” Sharon Heindselman spent her first 12 years in California. Her father was of Cherokee descent and born in Oklahoma; her mom was a Dutch/ German girl from Pennsylvania. The two met and married in California where he was stationed in the U.S. Cavalry. Nevertheless, Shoulders considers Oklahoma her true home.

“Jim did turn over that first shovel of dirt in 1955, before they built the Museum,” Shoulders remembered.

“That was one big, bare hill, and it was very cold and windy. I was very proud of Jim that day. There were people from 17 states there who wanted to be a part of it, and that’s why 17 flags still fly over the museum.

“When the hall first opened, they really didn’t have enough stuff to open

it with, so they wanted everything we could scrape together — trophies and all. We sent everything we had over to that hall in Oklahoma City, and it’s still there. That’s a good home for it,” Shoulders said. “Jim was an Okie through and through. He would not have lived anywhere else if they’d given him a state or a country.”

Shoulders still hangs her hat at their J Lazy S Ranch in Henryetta, Oklahoma, about 90 miles east of Oklahoma City. Jim — who was a notorious cutup — joked that their brand was short for “Jim Lazy Sharon.”

But meanwhile, back at the ranch he knew it and their four kids — Jamie, Marvin Paul, Jana, and Marcie — were in the best possible hands.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

Sharon was the foundation for Jim when he was out there on the road all those years. Somebody had to hold it all together at home when he was out there winning all those championships, and the woman doing it was, and still is, such a class act. Sharon gets things done, and she has certainly kept up an amazing pace.”

The Shoulders children in front of their tack trailer. Jim always said, “Saturday night performances were red night performances — like dressing up to go to town.”

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Rodeo Historical Society

high school and couldn’t talk him into going to college with me,” she laughed. “He was getting ready to go to the rodeo at Madison Square Garden for the first time, and my parents were moving. Jim asked, ‘Why don’t we get married and you can go to New York with me?’ So I did.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

“My first rodeo experience was riding in the Madison Square Garden Rodeo Parade in New York City that year, in 1947. [Hall of Fame stock contractor and rodeo producer] Everett Colburn insisted that all the girls ride and represent rodeo. I had to borrow clothes to do it, but felt very important to be included with the real cowgirls.”

The last photo of the entire Shoulders family taken together (around 2004). Includes the children, their spouses, and the grandchildren.

In addition to being a wife and mom, Shoulders did the work of three ranch hands. The couple had a deal: She ran the ranch while he rodeoed to pay for it. She checked cattle and fences on horseback, tended the garden and canned the vegetable bounty, harrowed the field from the seat of a tractor, and processed the chickens herself for the freezer.

People presume that the first lady of rodeo has probably lived the life of a pampered princess, but Shoulders’ choice of vehicles when her husband was on the road was an old, one-ton farm truck or jeep with no brakes.

When the ranch well went dry, she hauled water from the water plant with a trailer. For 15 years, she had to do all the family’s laundry in town. When it rained and the roads were muddy, she hauled the kids 3 miles by tractor to catch the school bus.

Shoulders never backed down from a hard day’s work, and was always 10

Sharon Shoulders is cowgirl to the core, and was Jim’s “right-hand man” and partner in all he did, from the ranch to their J Lazy S Rodeo Company.

determined to make a difference.

When her kids were in school, she held every office in the PTA, including president. She is past chairman of the Little House of Henryetta Foundation, which serves area Girl Scouts, and she initiated a complete renovation and restoration of the Girl Scout House.

Shoulders has been a member of the Henryetta Methodist Church for 65 years and a youth leader for 38 years, and she continues to teach an adult class and serve on the church council.

“Jim started producing rodeos with Neal Gay in 1958, when they started the rodeo at Mesquite [Texas], so when he wasn’t rodeoing he had to be there a lot, and still away from home most of the time,” said the woman who held down the fort without complaint. “Out of necessity, I had to learn to be a rodeo timer and secretary, and continued doing that as long as we produced rodeos.”

Proud matriarch of a family that now includes six grandchildren and four great-grandkids, Shoulders met the love of her life at a little country school called East Central High in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when she was just 13.

“A bunch of kids were going to go horseback riding, and Jim asked me to go,” Shoulders remembered with a smile. “I had to ask my daddy. I didn’t tell him a boy was asking, so he said ‘yes.’ When Jim tried to kiss me on the horse, it scared me and I fell off and ran home.”

Sharon and Jim Shoulders married in Tulsa when she was 17. “I graduated

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY STACIE HAYS MICHAEL

(Rodeo side note: Like his dad did at the first National Finals Rodeo (NFR), held in 1959, Marvin Paul won the NFR bull-riding average in 1973.)

National Finals Tonight host Dan Miller jokes with Don Gay, Sharon Shoulders, and Joe Beaver during the 2015 NFR post-rodeo show.

Rodeo Historical Society

Jim Shoulders was the pioneer of roughstock-event schools, and like everything else could not have done it without Sharon Shoulders, who handled the office work and cooking for the students and crew. In the 1980s, Sharon got involved in the raising and promotion of a new breed of cattle.

“The Salorn is a five-generational cross between Salers and Longhorns bred for better beef quality and easy calving,” explained Shoulders, a member and past president of the International Salorn Association.

“For many years I bought bulls and kept books for our breeding program. At one time we ran more than 900 head of crossbred cattle.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

She kept the books on the booming cow-calf operation that included cattle ran on leased pasture all over Oklahoma and Arkansas. Shoulders has spent a lifetime earning the right to kick back in a rocking chair, but it is not her style. Still too much work to do. And Madame President’s heart is all-in at the helm of the Rodeo Historical Society.

Sharon Shoulders’ daughters Marcie, Jamie, and Jana congratulate her on the 2005 presentation of her Tad Lucas Award.

“I love that Cowboy Hall, and I’ve been so very proud of everything they’ve done there since that cold day on that bare, windy hill when it all started,” she said. “People ask why I’d take on such a headache at this stage in my life, but it’s not a headache because I love that place so much. The Cowboy Hall of Fame, as it was originally called, is looking forward to doing even more, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

Rodeo-raised Kendra Santos, the 2011 Tad Lucas Award winner who has written about cowboys all of her adult life, lives in the rolling hills of rural Creston, California.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOULDERS FAMILY

Sponsored by the Riley Family, Mitzi Lucas Riley and past winners gather during Rodeo Weekend for a special reception in honor of the latest Tad Lucas Award recipient. From left to right: Imogene Beale, Sharon Camarillo, Pam Minick, Kirsten Vold, Mitzi Riley, Liz Kesler, Arlene Kensinger, Karen Vold, Madonna Pumphreys, Sharon Shoulders, and Mitzi’s son, Kelly Riley.

National Cowboy Museum Board Members Lincoln Lageson (left) and Wyatt McCrea join Sharon Shoulders at the V.I.P. Reception during the Western Heritage Awards held in April.

From a 1994 photo shoot for Justin Boots, Sharon Shoulders poses with Raven, her Salorn herd sire. “He was the first bull I ever bought on my own. Jim let me go wild at the Ft. Worth Livestock Auction. It was then that Bob Tallman started calling me the Cattle Baroness,” laughed Shoulders.

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Rodeo Historical Society

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF REBA MCENTIRE

The career of world-champion Hall of Fame roper Clark McEntire was anything but business as usual

“He was so good about taking what he won and adding land,” wife Jackie said from the family’s Stringtown, Oklahoma, ranch. “He was very good at that … very good at taking care of business.”

From 1953 to 1969, Clark McEntire finished in the top 10 in world steer roping standings 13 times.

By Bryan Painter

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oping to Clark McEntire was business more than buckles.

Many of his era punched a clock at their job. McEntire just wanted to stop the clock — not just fast, but as consistently fast as possible.

The roper from the scenic hills of southeastern Oklahoma excelled at it, too. He didn’t wear a tie. He didn’t carry a briefcase. Still, when McEntire rode into the box at a rodeo or roping, he was all business.

Born November 30, 1927, at Graham, Oklahoma, to John and Alice McEntire, Clark McEntire was the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) steer roping world champion in 1957, 1958, and 1961. He was an inductee into the Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

McEntire, who died in October 2014 at age 86, was also in the hall of fame at prestigious rodeos including Cheyenne, Wyoming; Pendleton, Oregon; and Claremore, Oklahoma.

In the Arena The blue-eyed, black-haired Oklahoman was rodeoing by age 12.

He entered his first professional rodeo in 1944, according to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).

At 19, he became the youngest person to win the all-around at the Pendleton Round-Up — a record that stands to this day.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PAKE MCENTIRE

McEntire landed seven top-five finishes in the RCA in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, including the three steer roping world titles as well as a reserve world champion finish in 1954 and another in 1955.

“Little Ropentire,” photographed in a McAlester, Oklahoma, photo studio in the mid-1930s.

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When McEntire garnered his first world title in 1957, he did so with earnings of $5,184. Today, that take would equal $45,190, according to the U.S. Inflation Calculator.

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He repeated as world champion in 1958 with $3,314.

In 1961, McEntire was in pursuit of his third world title and son Pake McEntire was along for part of that ride. Pake authored Heroes and High Bobbin’ Good Times, which includes plenty of insight about his father Clark and grandfather, John, whom he refers to as “Pap.”

“I remember the 1961 title real well,” Pake said. “Clark took me, my first cousin Gary Ray Thompson, and Mike Miller on a long rodeo trip. I was 8, Gary and Mike about 15, so Clark had to do all of the driving. We stayed gone for about three months, but my best memory is of Cheyenne. We broke two or three bales of straw in a stall of an old wooden horse barn, put blankets on top of the straw, and slept in the stall for the whole week.”

A dramatic race for his third world title unfolded at the 1961 National Finals Steer Roping (NFSR) in Laramie, Wyoming. Although McEntire went to the Finals with a good lead, that margin was cut after the first day’s competition amid some nasty weather conditions.

Going to the sixth steer, any of the three top ropers — McEntire, Joe Snively of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and Shoat Webster of Lenapah, Oklahoma, — could have won it, according to the PRCA. But many good businessmen will attest to the difference between bending and breaking. McEntire remained focused on his job, wrapping up a fourth in the average to win the title by $94 over Snively, who won the Finals average, and Webster, who was the high-money winner at Laramie.

At the Finals, McEntire rode Heel Fly, owned by Earl Corbin.

“Clark won Cheyenne, but had priced his horse before he roped,” said Kelly Corbin, Earl’s son. “So he needed a horse to ride at the Finals and he asked my father, Earl Corbin, to ride Heel Fly. It was cold, wet, and even snowed a little bit at Laramie. The ropers bought clear goggles to keep the mud and water out of their eyes. The McEntires stil have his back number with the mud stains on it.”

The calm, cool approach often exhibited

by McEntire was well-known among ropers. The McEntires were married 64 years, so Jackie not only witnessed his style of roping, but heard about it, too.

One time a story got back to Jackie of how a young roper was impressed with McEntire’s purposeful demeanor. As

it was told, they were at a big roping.

The young roper had butterflies in his stomach, while McEntire had fried chicken in his. The announcer was calling ropers for introductions. The young man looked over at McEntire, who finished off a chicken leg, tossed the bone over the fence, wiped the grease on his pants, cinched up his horse, and was ready to go.

Along with calm, McEntire was also steady. B.J. Pierce, who was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City in 2015, team roped a few times with McEntire. But he also watched him a lot.

“If you needed a hundred steers roped, Clark could rope them without missing,” Pierce said. “He never missed many steers. I don’t know that I ever saw him miss one in competition.”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PAKE MCENTIRE

Maybe that comes from heeding the instruction of his father, 1934 World Champion Steer Roper John McEntire. “Son, regardless of what happens,” John told Clark, “if the house catches fire, you keep right on practicing. Your mother and I will put it out.”

Clark McEntire on Pelican at the National Finals Steer Roping in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, 1964.

Pake, a former qualifier to the NFSR, said Pap quit rodeoing as Clark began going strong.

“He made sure that Clark had the best horses available,” Pake said. “One horse

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PAKE MCENTIRE

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Clark McEntire (on horse) and his father, 1934 World Champion Steer Roper John McEntire (left) at the Encampment, Wyoming, rodeo in 1948. The horse on the left is the famed Joe.

in particular was Joe. Back in the late 1940s, Pap borrowed most of the money from Uncle Peck, his younger brother — $2,300 for a four-year-old horse and saddle to boot was quite a sum of money back then. Turned out to be the best investment and the best horse Clark ever had. When listing all-time great horses, more than a few cowboys listed Joe as being one of the best horses in their times.”

Family Memories

The McEntires had four children: daughters Alice Foran, Reba McEntire, and Susie McEntire Eaton, along with son Pake. While many families say that rodeo is in their blood, in this family rodeo was in their heart. Because of that, many of those special memories live on in the stories the McEntires love to share.

Jackie tells that McEntire did not like it when John drove, because his father was not a very good driver. Once, however, McEntire got tired and gave John the wheel so he could get some rest. That did not last too long. For years they pulled a wide, two-horse trailer they called “Old Noey” because it was so old and big like Noah’s Ark. That night, not long after McEntire dozed off, they drove through a town.

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roping was going on. But when we heard, ‘Clark McEntire on deck,’ that meant there was one steer roper to rope his steer and then Daddy was next. My brother and sisters and I would run up to the grandstands and sit right by Mama.”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF REBA MCENTIRE

Even though they were in a hurry, all the children knew two things were bad.

“You never sat by anybody who was eating peanuts,” Reba said. “Mama would just get up and move if anyone was eating peanuts beside us. And, of course, we would follow right behind her.

The first picture of the entire McEntire family, taken in 1957 when Susie was a baby.

“Clark McEntire lived every day like a man on a mission,” Alice said. “He worked harder than any two men, he figured in his head faster than most could with a calculator, and he was very short and to the point with us kids. We had to practice to get good enough to go to the rodeo to compete, and he wanted us to win. Life on the real cattle ranch was sunup to sundown or work ‘til you can’t. I would not take anything for the lessons I learned, not only on the ranch, but also in the roping pen. You don’t get life handed to you on a platter, you work for what you have, and you fight to keep it. You help others who don’t have as much, and you always get an education of some sort because you can’t trust rodeo or the cow market.”

Making the best of what the day offers was part of rodeo life. Another facet of that life for many contestants as well as their family is superstition. Reba said the McEntires were no different.

“Superstitious? Yes we were,” Reba said. “All of us kids that belonged to the steer ropers would be underneath the grandstands playing while the steer

The McEntire children were their father’s biggest cheerleaders.

“I’ll never forget going to school after Daddy won the steer roping at the McAlester Prison Rodeo,” Reba said of the rodeo where PRCA cowboys such as McEntire competed in timed

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF REBA MCENTIRE

As they passed the parked cars lining the curb, “Clark kept hearing this ‘click, click, click,’ ” Jackie said, “and finally he woke up. John was over too far and ‘Old Noey’ was sticking out and clipping every car as they went by.”

Although McEntire did not like to travel or be away, it made business sense.

Along the way, he also strived to instill a strong work ethic in his children.

“Also, if Daddy had drawn a black steer, we knew we weren’t taking home any money that day. For some reason, a black steer just would not lay when Daddy set his trip on the right hip.

They’d bounce right back up faster than a kid that you’re trying to put down for a nap.”

The last family picture of the McEntires together, taken in Chockie, Oklahoma, in 2010 when Clark and Jackie renewed their vows on their 60th wedding anniversary.

events while prisoners competed in some rough-stock events. “That was one of my favorite rodeos to go to.

You’d a’thought he had won the world championship. It was in the McAlester Democrat newspaper the next day, and when I went to school I was as proud as a peacock!”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF REBA MCENTIRE

Even when they did not get to tag along to the rodeo, they were pretty sure that when their father returned home, he would not be empty-handed.

“Daddy would be gone most of the summer rodeoing,” she said. “When he would come home, he usually always had either a trophy, a trophy belt buckle, or a trophy saddle, but he always brought us kids home a watermelon.”

In July 1951, with Jackie expecting their first child, the couple went to Carrollton, Texas, to a calf roping where the winner would leave with not only money and an award buckle, but also a slick new Ford car.

McEntire was riding a borrowed horse, and the horse and calf were both sick.

“A great combination for a win,” Jackie later told Susie, “the horse was too sick to jerk the sick calf down, and the calf couldn’t run too fast for the sick horse.”

Still, McEntire won the roping, and as he would share through the years, when Jackie drove the new Ford out of the arena, she hung the fender on the gatepost.

According to Susie, McEntire stopped for gas later and the station attendant told him, “Say, I heard some some ol’ boy won a car back down the road.”

About then Jackie pulled up in the new Ford and McEntire told the attendant, “Yeah, he did … and there it is.”

Clark and Jackie McEntire together at home, 1998.

Jackie said they traded the car and $500 “to boot” for some land in a community in Atoka County that consisted of a Baptist church and a cemetery. They lived there until moving to Chockie just before Susie was born.

A Fitting Nickname On bio sheets, right next to the space for “name,” ProRodeo Sports News had a line for a cowboy’s nickname. McEntire’s nickname? “Ropentire.”

T.B. Porter, inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2015, was roping calves and bulldogging during the era in which McEntire roped. He described McEntire as someone who was well-balanced –

good at roping both calves and steers, and good at ropings as well as rodeos.

When asked why he thought McEntire was fair and focused, Porter gave it thought for a second and then, many would agree, nailed it.

“He was kind of like me, we were just country boys,” Porter said. “We weren’t trying to be big shots. We treated everybody like we’d like to be treated.

There was never any put-on, he was just Clark McEntire all the time.”

Bryan Painter, a member of the RHS Board of Directors, began covering rodeos as a journalist in 1985. He received awards from the WPRA in 1994 and PRCA in 1999.

Clark McEntire winning the steer roping finals at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in 1961.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DICKINSON RESEARCH CENTER

Some of the best memories are those that were handed down. Susie loves the story that occurred a little more than six years before she was born. Pake writes about it in his book.

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Rodeo Historical Society

www.store.nationalcowboymuseum.org 1700 Northeast 63rd Street 18

Oklahoma City, OK 73111

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(405) 478-2250 ext. 228

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

James Cathey’s Western Legacy

During his career, James Cathey was the official photographer for many well-known events including the Santa Rosa Roundup, the Fort Worth Stock Show, the Texas State Fair, and the Laramie Steer Roping Contest, to name a few. In addition to these prominent rodeos, Cathey’s work covers the American Quarter Horse, cowboys at work, and ranching scenes.

Clinton Hill on Gin Fizz at the Texas State Fair, 1948.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMES CATHEY. DICKINSON RESEARCH CENTER, 1990.016.092.

The Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center is pleased to announce the acquisition of the James Cathey Quarter Horse & Rodeo Photography Collection. This collection spans the 30-year career of photographer James Cathey (1917-1978), and contains more than 68,000 images taken from 1947 through the mid-1970s. It is a major addition to the Museum’s holdings of important rodeo, ranching, and western-related photography. The Research Center is home to the largest collection of rodeo photography in the world.

Harley May at Carlsbad in 1949.

For the past few years, the Research Center has been in negotiations with the James Cathey LLC to transfer the collection to the Museum. In October 2015, the agreement was finalized and staff transported the collection from Dallas, Texas.

According to the Cathey family, “this transfer is a significant gift to the American public that would surely have pleased the photographer.”

Contestants at the Girl’s Rodeo Association (GRA) Finals at Corpus Christi in 1949.

Photographer James Cathey (1917–1978) (All images courtesy of the James Cathey Heritage Collection, LLC)

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HYMER PHOTOGRAPHY

Rodeo Historical Society

The extended George Lane family gathers around the Wrangler after presentation at the awards ceremony honoring their patriarch’s induction into the Museum’s Hall of Great Westerners.

George Lane

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CALGARY STAMPEDE

Rodeo Pioneer and Western Heritage Honoree

O

n April 16, George Lane’s grandson stepped to the podium during the Western Heritage Awards banquet at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. It was an elegant affair with men in tuxedos, women in evening gowns, and beautiful bouquets of flowers adorning each table. Such an evening might have made rancher George Lane quite uncomfortable.

The family accepted a Wrangler bronze in recognition of Lane’s posthumous induction into the Hall of Great Westerners, an honor reserved for individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of our Western

Kent McCorkle, Mike Nicola, George S. Lane, Scott and Leslie Hardy, and Calgary Stampede volunteer Sean Hanson at last year’s Stampede. The group was honored to share the news that in 2016, George Lane, one of the Stampede’s founders in 1912, would be inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Representatives from the Lane family, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the Calgary Stampede, and other guests boarded the Express Employment Professionals stagecoach and were introduced to chuck wagon fans during the GMC Rangeland Derby to help celebrate the special news.

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By Don Reeves

THE KETCHPEN |SPRING/SUMMER 2016

The Wrangler, a bronze award created by Oklahoma artist Harold T. “H” Holden in 2014.

Rodeo Historical Society

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GLENBOW ARCHIVES CS.99.15.416

This exhibition was similar to many agricultural fairs of the period and its leadership was not interested in a rough-stock competition at their fair.

Archie McLean, George Lane, and the Prince of Wales

heritage and promoted this heritage through their leadership and patronage.

Born in 1856, Lane came to the Canadian West from Montana in 1883 and was hired as a ranch foreman by the North West Cattle Company. In 1891, he went into the stock-farming business on his own, and, with the 1905 purchase of the Bar U Ranch, became the owner of one of the largest ranches

in Alberta. He also developed one of the continent’s outstanding Percheron breeding herds. Lane’s next challenge was to help bring rodeo to Canada.

George Lane was one of the “Big Four” who are credited with establishing the Calgary Stampede in 1912. Earlier that year, Lane’s friend Guy Weadick had enthusiastically told of his efforts to find support for a celebration of the West — a rodeo — at the Calgary Exhibition.

Lane set up a meeting with two local ranching tycoons so Weadick, a trick roper from upstate New York, could explain his dream of establishing a frontier day celebration and championship in the fall. Pat Burns was in the ranching and meat-packing business, while A.E. Cross owned the A-7 Ranch and the Calgary Brewery. Enthralled with the idea, they enlisted the support of another compatriot, A.J. McLean. Each businessman handed the youthful Weadick $25,000 to underwrite his frontier championship event. They became known as the “Big Four” and Weadick’s September 1912 celebration established the famous Calgary Stampede.

Even with the success of the 1912 rodeo, it was not repeated until 1919 and then once again in 1923, when it was combined with the Calgary Exhibition. Lane played a key role in each of these productions. Thereafter, it became an annual event that won the hearts of Calgary and has thrilled Western audiences for a century.

In 1912 the Calgary Herald wrote:

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GLENBOW ARCHIVES NA-5652-51

Percheron horses pulling wagon, Bar U ranch, Pekisko, Alberta, ca. 1917 in the foothills south of Longview, Alberta. The Pekisko Creek passed through the Pekisko ranch.

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY CALGARY STAMPEDE ARCHIVES

Rodeo Historical Society

Left to right of the front row: One Gun, unknown, George Lane, Mrs. Russell, A.J. McLean, Pat Burns, Charlie Russell, A.E. Cross, and Ernie Richardson (A.J. McLean, Pat Burns, and A.E. Cross are the other three in the Big Four who provided funding for the first Stampedes).

The Bar U brand fame attracted dignitaries like the Duke of Windsor and Charlie Russell. George Lane died on September 24, 1925, at the Bar U Ranch near Pekisko, Alberta. In recognition of the ranch’s significance, Parks Canada established the Bar U 20

Bar U Ranch, Pekisko, Alberta, circa 1925

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GLENBOW ARCHIVES PD-299-45

Lane championed the diversification of ranching in Alberta. Under his ownership, by 1911 the Bar U Ranch was a leader in grain production. As the first rancher in southern Alberta to sell cattle on the Chicago market, Lane also promoted the integration of Canadian and American cattle markets. His agricultural innovations included using purebred herd sires, irrigation, putting up hay for the winter, and shipping grain by rail to West Coast ports.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GLENBOW ARCHIVES NA-3752-50

“The names of Messrs. P. Burns, George Lane, A.E. Cross, and A.J. McLean will long be remembered in connection with this affair. The good that has been done to Calgary will remain to their credit as their only reward for their remarkable and generous action.”

Percheron horses at Bar U Ranch, Pekisko, Alberta. Date: [ca. 1916]

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Rodeo Historical Society

Wagons from Bar U ranch, Stampede Parade, Calgary, Alberta. September 2, 1912

Stampede, his public service, and his own ranching, helped modernize the West, and brought the West to the world.”

Kurt Kadatz of the Calgary Stampede noted that Lane “was truly a transnational cowboy who, through the

Don Reeves is McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GLENBOW ARCHIVES NA-335-2

Ranch National Historic Site where George Lane’s achievements and innovations are presented to an international audience.

“The Stampede” parades through the streets of Calgary, Alberta in 1912.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GLENBOW ARCHIVES NA-2520-68

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GLENBOW ARCHIVES NB-45-9

George Lane, rancher, Pekisko, Alberta, [c.

1910s]. Lane came to Alberta from Montana in 1883 and worked on the Bar U Ranch from 1884 to 1905, at which time he purchased it in partnership with three other men. He gained full ownership of the ranch in 1920. Lane married Elizabeth Sexsmith of High River in 1885. They had eight children.

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Rodeo Historical Society

Passing of the presidential gavel from Christie Camarillo to Sharon Shoulders.

WWW.OWNBEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

B.J. Pierce shared his excitement at being inducted into the Hall of Fame, thanking friends for making it all possible.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

Jeff Meadors, emcee for the presentations, and Charles Sampson, 1982 World Champion bull rider, congratulate 2015 Directors’ Choice Bob Feist and inductee Bobby DelVecchio who sport their medallions.

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Memories from 2015 Rodeo Weekend

Pam Minick, Mitzi Lucas Riley, and Kelly Riley welcome Tad Lucas winners, past and present, as they gather for the annual reception honoring the latest member of the group.

D D DeLeo, advertising director for the National High School Rodeo Association; Debbie Garrison, former Miss Rodeo America; and Kirsten Vold, the 2015 Tad Lucas Memorial Award winner.

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WWW.OWNBEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

WWW.OWNBEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Jerry Gustafson autographs his rodeo photography book for Rodeo Weekend guests.

Newest RHS Board Members Bryan Painter and Doug Clark are welcomed

by Delmar Smith.

WWW.OWNBEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Rodeo Historical Society

Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Sierra Pecha and National Little Britches Rodeo Queen Elise Wade show off the cowboy boot-styled golf shoes donated to the RHS auction by Bob Feist.

WWW.OWNBEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Ned LeDoux performed an acoustic concert in memory of his dad, singer/songwriter, sculptor, and rodeo champion Chris LeDoux, who was inducted in 2006.

WWW.OWNBEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

Reba McEntire, her mother Jackie, and sister Suzy McEntire Eaton came to Friday’s gathering to celebrate with good friend Bobby DelVecchio and his family.

Oklahoma Representative Don Armes served as auctioneer for a spirited live auction during Saturday’s banquet.

Mark your calendar for

Mel Potter and Jack Roddy

WWW.OWNBEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

the 2016

Turquoise with red accents filled the Sam Noble Special Event Center.

Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend, September 30October 1 at the National Cowboy Museum Don’t miss it!

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ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE DICKINSON RESEARCH CENTER

NATIONAL COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM®

DENNIS GEE

LEWIS FEILD Lewis Feild, a five-time world champion who was the first roughstock rider to surpass $1 million in career earnings, died February 15, 2016, at age 59.

Named 1980 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Resistol Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year, Feild — a three-time Linderman Award winner (1981, 1988, and 1991) who won three straight world all-around championships (1985-87) and two world bareback riding championships (1985-86) — was known as much for his humility and kindness outside the arena as he was for being a tough, consummate competitor within.

Feild was inducted into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1985, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1992, the Utah State Sports Hall of Fame in 1997, and the Pendleton Round-Up Hall of Fame in 2015.

Feild is survived by his wife, Veronica; sons, Shadrach and his wife Jazlyn, and Kaycee and his wife Stephanie; daughter Maclee and her husband Jade Andersen; and eight grandchildren.

Dennis Gee, who rodeoed professionally for more than 30 years, died February 26, 2016, at age 67. One of the most respected hazers and horse trainers in rodeo, Gee enjoyed a career that spanned North America, including stops at Calgary, Alberta, the IRA Finals, and Madison Square Garden.

Gee hazed for his son, 1999 World Champion Steer Wrestler Mickey Gee, at the 2003 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada. The greatest title he ever earned, though, was being called “Papa”; attending football, baseball, junior rodeo, or barrel racing events, Gee’s children and grandchildren were his pride and joy.

He was also quick to share his time and wisdom with other novice bulldoggers.

Gee is survived by his wife, Donna; sons, Mickey and his wife, Amber, and Neal Holdeman; daughter, Shonda Eastham; two brothers, Johnny Gee and his wife, Cindy; and Timmy Gee and wife, Janie; one sister, Kathy Steel and her husband, Harrell; and five grandchildren.

JOHN HAWKINS John Hawkins, 1963 PRCA World Champion Bareback Rider, died March 17, 2016, at age 85.

A former Quarter Horse jockey who was a bull rider and tie-down roper in his early RCA years, Hawkins, who was reserve world champion in 1957, 1958, and 1959, qualified for the National Finals Rodeo five times between 1959 and 1964, winning the NFR average titles in 1962 and 1963.

He also won bareback riding titles in Salinas, California, in 1954, 1958, 1960, 1962, and 1968. Except for 1961 when his leg was broken, from 1955 to 1964 Hawkins finished no worse than seventh in the world standings. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979 and the Salinas Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2015.

Hawkins is survived by his daughter, Kelly Watkins, and his brother, Jimmie Hawkins.

GREG KESLER Greg Kesler, a stock contractor who produced the PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year winners for 1988 and 2001-2003, died February 1, 2016, at age 70.

A second-generation stockman, Kesler was the son of Reg Kesler, a 2009 inductee into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Rodeo Hall of Fame. Having acquired his father’s love of producing bucking horses, Kesler joined the family business until striking out on his own and founding Kesler Rodeo in 1974.

Kesler Rodeo produced Alley Cat, the 1988 Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year, and Painted Smile, three-time Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year (2001-2003).

Kesler is survived by his wife, Judy; son, Duane and his wife, Margo; daughter, Berva Dawn and her husband, Roy; and two grandsons.

  

CHARLES RANKIN

Jane Norris, wife of National Cowboy Museum Hall of Great Westerners Inductee and emeritus Director Robert C. Norris, and mother of Board Member and Rodeo Committee Chairman Bobby Norris, died January 12, 2016.

Born in Tacoma, Washington, Norris graduated from DePauw University’s Asbury College of Liberal Arts. She married Robert C. Norris in Elgin, Illinois, in 1950. In 1953, the couple settled in Colorado, where they would remain while later maintaining a summer home in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Norris traveled widely with her husband and supported a long list of philanthropic organizations, with Roundup For Autism foremost. She served on the boards of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, and the Arizona Heart Institute in Payson, Arizona, among others. She received the Women’s Alumni Award from DePauw University, was named one of five Distinguished Women of Scottsdale, and was recognized by the Women’s Board of the Barrow Neurological Foundation for her leadership.

Norris is survived by her husband, Robert C. Norris; sons Steve Norris, and Bobby Norris and his wife J.J.; daughters Carole and her husband Ron Sondrup, and Leslie and her husband Bob Penkhus; 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Charles “Charlie” Rankin, one of the founders of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) and its first president, died January 8, 2016, at age 90.

Following service in World War II aboard a Navy aircraft carrier, Rankin attended Texas A&M University on the G.I. Bill. There, he competed on the university’s rodeo team as a saddle bronc rider, and began organizing with other schools’ rodeo clubs and ag departments.

In 1948, these various groups met in Dallas and formed the NIRA. Rankin was elected the student-run group’s first president, and in 1949 competed in the first College National Finals Rodeo. A charter member of the NIRA Alumni, he remained affiliated with the NIRA for the rest of his life.

Rankin is survived by his wife Billie Marie; son, Davis; daughter, Susan; and three grandchildren.

Memorial Gifts & Honorariums   

JANE NORRIS

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum® is supported through memberships and private and corporate donations.

Thank you to these donors who have designated memorials and honorarium gifts to the Rodeo Historical Society.

In Memory of...

Jim Charles Flying U Rodeo Co. Inc. Hal Cooper Tom and Kelly Caccia Pat Delerio Mr. and Mrs. Cotton Rosser Lewis Feild Mr. and Mrs. Cotton Rosser Dick Finan Mr. and Mrs. Cotton Rosser Howard Finn Mr. and Mrs. Cotton Rosser Duane Howard Mr. Larry Howard V.R. Hylton Mr. Bucky Eckols

Honorariums...

Greg Kesler Mr. and Mrs. Cotton Rosser Nancy Klein Mr. Marvin A. Klein Betty Mandery Flying U Rodeo Co. Inc. Alvin Nelson John and Leahray Wroten Jane Norris Mr. and Mrs. Cotton Rosser Roger Schrimp Mr. and Mrs. Cotton Rosser Page Schwarte Flying U Rodeo Co. Inc.

Rodeo Historical Society

2016Ballot Issue

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN SEELEN

Honor the Champions

G

reetings Rodeo Historical Society members!

My name is Heather Hanan-Hawkins, and I am honored to represent the Rodeo Historical Society and the Annie Oakley Society as the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s society coordinator.

Before accepting this position, I was director of marketing and sales for The Language Company, based in Edmond, Oklahoma. That role gave me the opportunity to travel the world recruiting students, building partnerships, and organizing overseas events. During the whirlwind of travel I met my husband and we married in December 2015. We live in Oklahoma City with our two dogs; my husband teaches high school chemistry and also coaches track.

After our wedding, I explored local career opportunities. Being an enthusiast of culture, event planning, and Western heritage, when I saw the society coordinator position I immediately submitted my application. The day this position was offered to me was a happy one! Not only would I work locally, but I would also work at an institution with the mission of preserving the values that helped shape who I am today.

One of the ways those values are preserved is through the Rodeo Hall of Fame. Induction is the highest honor bestowed in the sport of professional rodeo, and voting is one of the greatest privileges of membership in the Musuem’s Rodeo Historical Society.

Voting comes with responsibility. I encourage you to take time to read each candidate’s biography, review their accomplishments, and complete your ballot. Make your selection carefully, giving full consideration to the standards of the Hall of Fame. The following criteria are championed for induction: affiliation with the top professional organizations (PRCA/RCA, WPRA/GRA, etc.) and significant participation at the national level; training of others; military service; and character, including respect by peers, giving back to rodeo, and living a Western lifestyle.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend the 2016 Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The event begins with the Rope ‘N Ride Reunion Cocktail Reception on September 30 and culminates with the Cahmpions’ dinner and Rodeo Hall of Fame Inductee Ceremony on October 1. The 2016 Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend is the largest fundraising event to support RHS. I look forward to working with each and every one of you. If I may ever be of assistance, do not hesitate to contact me at hhawkins@ nationalcowboymuseum.org or (405) 478-2250 ext. 233.

RULES: Within these pages is the 2016 slate of nominees for induction into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Rodeo Hall of Fame. Induction to the Hall is one of the top honors that can be bestowed on a rodeo cowboy or cowgirl and your vote determines who is inducted. The Museum has held inductions since 1955, five years before the building opened, and has honored more than 360 rodeo legends who helped shape the sport as it is known today.

After careful consideration of all applicants, the RHS Board of Directors is pleased to present a biographical summary of each outstanding nominee for your consideration. Summaries are presented by category in alphabetical order.

RHS members may vote for one inductee from the deceased category and four inductees from the living category. Ballots must be postmarked on or before July 15, 2016, to be counted.

Handwritten or photocopied ballots, or ballots returned to the National Cowboy Museum, will NOT be accepted or counted. Only numbered, official ballots returned in the envelope provided will be counted. Results will be certified by an outside accounting firm at the close of voting.

All ballots MUST be mailed to the following address for consideration: The Rodeo Historical Society, Rodeo Hall of Fame Balloting 3126 South Blvd., PMB201 Edmond, OK 73013

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Living Nominees

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

JAKE BARNES (1959) Team Roping

Jake Barnes was born April 4, 1959, in Huntsville, Texas. A seven-time world champion team roper (1985-1989, 1992, 1994), in 1994 he and partner Clay O’Brien Cooper set the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) team roping average record with a time of 59.1 seconds on 10 head. That same year, Barnes and Cooper also set the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) record for most team roping world titles with seven — a record that wasn’t surpassed until 2004.

A resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, Barnes holds three Wrangler NFR average titles (1985, 1994, 2007). He also holds one Tour Finale title (Summer 2005) from 11 Tour Finale qualifications and four National Circuit Finals Rodeo (NCFR) titles (1987, 1989, 1995-1996) from 12 NCFR qualifications. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1997, and he won the inaugural Legends of Rodeo Award in 2006.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LARRY FULGHAM

Educated at Eastern New Mexico University (Portales), Barnes joined the PRCA in 1980 and qualified for the NFR his rookie year, the first in a string of NFR qualifications that currently stands at 27 (198095, 1998-99, 2002-05, 2007-08, 2011, 2014-2015). Though a traumatic brain injury in November 2015 kept him from competing in last year’s national finals, 2016 has seen Barnes back in the saddle and competing.

Jake Barnes (right) with Walt Woodard Cheyenne Frontier Days, 2011

OTE BERRY (1962) Steer Wrestling

Ote Berry was born September 30, 1962, in Rapid City, South Dakota, and has spent his life ranching and rodeoing. His legendary steer wrestling career began in earnest in 1980, when at age 17 he won the National High School Rodeo Association steer wrestling title at the high school finals in Yakima, Washington.

Though Berry stopped competing full time in 2006, he remains an active presence in — and steadfast ambassador for — the rodeo world today.

The Checotah, Oklahoma, resident has hazed at the NFR six times, most recently in 2014, and he continues to haze, haul stock, and mentor for the next generation. Recent years again witnessed Berry bulldogging when he competed as a Legend at the first two American rodeos in Dallas, Texas, in 2014 and 2015.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN HUBBELL

A four-time PRCA World Champion steer wrestler (1985, 1990-91, 1995), Berry qualified for the NFR 14 times, winning the 10-head NFR average at his first NFR in 1985. In all, he won 20 total NFR go-rounds in his career – seven of those in the 10th round. The list of rodeos Berry won includes Albuquerque, Calgary, Cheyenne, Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, Pecos, Reno, San Angelo, San Antonio, and San Francisco, and more.

Ote Berry winning World Championship National Finals Rodeo, 1995

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Rodeo Historical Society

BUNKY BOGER (1930) Bullfighting, Rodeo Clown

Over time, Boger began training his own animals, and his bullfighting evolved into an animal and comedy act. He trained dogs, a miniature Brahman, a blanket appaloosa, and even a buffalo to perform tricks for his show. Traveling to rodeos throughout North America, Boger became a mainstay in the rodeo world, and was even chosen to work the barrel at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1975.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FERRELL BUTLER

Bunky Boger was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, May 28, 1930. At age 6 he began spending summers with family friends in Wyoming where a love of the West took hold of him. Wanting to be a cowboy, as a teenager Boger began riding bulls — and then steer wrestling — at local rodeos to earn money. Soon the bullfighters caught his eye; Boger figured he could make more money if he fought bulls every performance instead of competing.

As Boger’s act grew, he was approached to travel with the circus and, eventually, the fair business. Though Boger was no longer in rodeo, the world of rodeo was still with Boger, as his act again evolved, this time to include an educational aspect that taught children lessons about agriculture, farming, and the rural lifestyle.

Bunky Boger and Kajun Kid Rusk, Texas Rodeo, 1962 Dickinson Research Center

DEREK CLARK (1960)

Saddle Bronc Riding

Derek Clark was born September 3, 1960, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and competed as a saddle bronc rider from 1980-2000, serving on the PRCA Board of Directors during his career and after retirement.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BERN GREGORY

Clark began by competing in junior rodeos in bareback riding, bronc riding, bull riding, and roping events. In 1978 he won the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association saddle bronc title and qualified for the National High School Finals. In 1983, while attending Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, Clark qualified for his first NFR, and in 1984 he won the national saddle bronc riding title and average at the College Finals Rodeo. Clark would go on to qualify for the NFR a total of 15 times.

He was Reserve World Champion in 1990, and won or placed at most of the PRCA rodeos during his 20-year career. When he retired in July 2000, Clark had surpassed $1 million in career earnings.

A fourth-generation rodeo contestant, Clark served an additional five years on the PRCA Board of Directors after retirement. He also continued to serve as a pickup man until a horse fell on him, forcing him to give up his Board and pickup-man duties in 2005.

Derek Clark riding Kojak Springfield, Missouri, 1984 Dickinson Research Center

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National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

CLAY O’BRIEN COOPER (1961) Team Roping, Heeling

Clay O’Brien Cooper was born May 6, 1961, in Ray, Arizona. As a child actor, he made his screen debut alongside John Wayne in the 1972 film The Cowboys, and went on to appear in film and TV roles in Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, The Apple Dumpling Gang, and more. By age 16, however, acting for Cooper was replaced by a new interest — roping — that would result in his becoming a seven-time world team-roping title winner (1985-1989, 1992, 1994).

In 1994, Cooper and partner Jake Barnes set the NFR average record of 59.1 seconds on 10 head; the same year, the duo also set the PRCA record for most team roping world titles (seven), a record that stood until 2004. When not roping, Cooper is active in youth ministry and spends time with his family in Gardnerville, Nevada.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA ALLEN

A 1997 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee, Cooper joined the PRCA in 1979, and by 1981 had qualified for the National Finals Rodeo the first of 29 times (1981-95, 1997-98, 2000-04, 2006-08, 2012-2015).

He has qualified for the National Circuit Finals Rodeo 10 times and been NCFR team-roping champion four times. He has also been NFR average champion four times (1985, 1994, 2007, 2012).

Clay O’Brien Cooper roping at the U.S. Team Roping Championship (USTRC) 2015 Finals in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

IVAN DAINES (1946)

Bareback, Saddle Bronc Riding, Calf Roping, Team Roping Ivan Daines was born April 27, 1946, in Innisfail, Alberta, Canada. His rodeo career started by competing in the boy’s steer riding at local rodeos. He won the event three consecutive times at the Calgary Stampede — 1959 to 1961.

The winner of the C.N. Woodward Cowboy of the Year Award in 1979, he also won the Guy Weadick Memorial Award at the Calgary Stampede. In addition, he was honored with the prestigious Pioneers of Rodeo Award at the 2011 Calgary Stampede. He was the Canadian Team Penning Champion in 2000 and is an accomplished country music singer.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRED KOBSTED

He moved on to novice saddle bronc riding winning the Canadian championship in 1965 and 1966 and also won the World Intercollegiate Bronc Riding that year. From 1968 to 1980 Daines’ name appeared in the world standings five times among the top 15 bronc riders, and in 1976 he won the average at the National Finals Rodeo. His first trip to the Canadian Finals Rodeo was in bareback riding with several qualifications to follow in saddle bronc riding.

Ivan Daines on Quicksilver Brooks, Alberta, Canada, 1969 Dickinson Research Center

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Rodeo Historical Society

ARNOLD FELTS (1947)

Steer Roping, Calf Roping, Steer Wrestling Arnold Felts was born May 21, 1947, in Paducah, Texas. A private pilot, landlord, rancher, and U.S. Army veteran, he became a member of the PRCA in 1973. Since then, he qualified for the NFR 25 times, including three qualifications in team roping. He was the NFR World Champion Steer Roper in 1981.

Felts has won or placed at every major rodeo including Cheyenne, Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, Las Vegas, Pecos, Pendleton, Phoenix, San Angelo, San Antonio, San Francisco, and many others until his retirement in 1999.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID JENNINGS

A resident of Dublin, Texas, Felts was NFR average winner in 1982, 1992, 1994, and 1995. At the 1993 NFR, he won six of 10 consecutive go-rounds, starting with round three — a record that stands to this day. Felts was also the first to win back-to-back All-Around titles at Cheyenne Frontier Days, a rodeo he has won a total of five different times. And on three different occasions at the Pecos, Texas, Rodeo, Felts won the calf roping, steer roping, and all-around all in the same year (1984, 1992, 1996).

Arnold Felts at the Bowie, Texas, rodeo, 1992 Felts won second on this run David Jennings, photographer

ED LETOURNEAU (1935)

Bull Riding

LeTourneau qualified for the first National Finals Rodeo in 1959, finishing fifth in the world, and qualified again in 1961 and 1967, although he did not compete in 1967 due to injury. He used his rodeo earnings to attend veterinary school at the University of California Davis. While there, he won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association reserve championship in 1961 and was the college champion in 1962. He graduated in 1962 and opened his own veterinary practice in Madera, California, in 1976 where he still practices.

LeTourneau won numerous bull riding titles across the country during his career and was highly successful in the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association (NSPRA). He was a four-time NSPRA world champion bull rider (1991-1994) and won the NSPRA Finals in 1991 and 1992. LeTourneau is a member of the NSPRA Hall of Fame; the Oakdale, California, High School Athletic Hall of Fame; and the U.C. Davis Athletic Hall of Fame.

Ed LeTourneau on Bull #8 Great Western Rodeo Los Angeles, California, 1959

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK MILNE

Ed LeTourneau was born September 18, 1935, in San Francisco, California, and learned to ride and be a cowboy at the ranch of his uncle Norman Higgins. He began riding steers at age 13 and switched to bulls at 16, cracking out at an open rodeo in Clements, California.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

TOM C. MILLER (1948) Saddle Bronc Riding

Born December 27, 1948, in Rapid City, South Dakota, Tom C. Miller shares the record for most Saddle Bronc average titles after becoming the Saddle Bronc average winner at the National Finals Rodeo in 1975, 1979, and 1981.

A PRCA judge for more than 20 years, Miller served on the PRCA Rules Committee four years and the PRCA Humane Committee for two years. He was an NFR judge five years, being selected by saddle bronc contestants three times. A rancher since graduating from college, Miller was inducted into the Casey Tibbs Foundation in 1994 and the Black Hills State University Hall of Fame in 2011. For more than 30 years he instructed at saddle bronc schools, and continues to mentor young bronc riders.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BERN GREGORY

As a student at Black Hills State College in Spearfish, South Dakota, Miller led a rodeo team that dominated national collegiate rodeo competition in the early 1970s. He excelled at both ends of the arena, becoming the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association all-around champion in 1970 and 1971. The Badlands Circuit Saddle Bronc champion from 1977 to 1980, he qualified for the NFR six times, coming short of winning the world title in 1981 by just $5.28.

Tom C. Miller on Sorrel Top, Black Jack, Missouri, 1975, Dickinson Research Center

DAN O. “BUD” AND JIMMIE GIBBS MUNROE (1952) PHOTOGRAPH BY BERN GREGORY

Taken individually, both Bud and Jimmie Munroe could be nominated to the Rodeo Hall of Fame on their own merit.

Both are collegiate and world champions who have dedicated their lives to furthering the world of rodeo. Since marrying in 1980, the Valley Mills, Texas, couple have continued to give back to the sport that has meant so much to them.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JERRY GUSTAFSON

Bareback, Saddle Bronc Riding, Barrel Racing, Tie Down Roping

Jimmie Gibbs Munroe was born April 15, 1952, in Waco, Texas. A graduate of Sam Houston State University, she was the NIRA National Champion Barrel Racer in 1974 and 1975 and NIRA National Champion All-Around Cowgirl in 1974. She competed at 11 NFRs on three different horses, and in 1975 was the WPRA World Barrel Racing Champion, World Champion Tie-Down Roper, and All-Around Champion. The 1996 Tad Lucas Award winner, Munroe was WPRA president from 1979 to 1993 and 2011 to 2012, where she led efforts to increase female barrel racers’ earnings to match those of their male counterparts. She was also chairperson of the PWBR Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BERN GREGORY

Dan O. “Bud” Munroe was born January 12, 1952, in Lewistown, Montana. A Montana State University graduate, he was the 1975 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) National Champion Saddle Bronc Rider and Reserve All-Around Champion. A 12-time National Finals Rodeo Bud Munroe on Striker. Powder River, Cheyenne qualifier, Munroe was the 1986 World Champion Bronc Rider. A former PRCA Saddle Bronc Director, he serves on the PRCA Properties Board and Grievance Committee. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2007.

Jimmie Munroe barrel racing, 16.00 sec., Black Jack, Missouri, 1985, Dickinson Research Center

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Rodeo Historical Society

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM FAIN, 1984

WICK PETH (1930) Bullfighting

Born April 15, 1930, in Mt. Vernon, Washington, Wick Peth discovered as a teenager that he had a talent for protecting riders from bulls. Though he began his professional rodeo career in 1950 as a bull rider and steer wrestler, Peth soon embarked on a 35-year career as a professional bullfighter.

Peth appeared at the National Finals Rodeo as a bullfighter eight times (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1975, 1979) and was selected as an alternate several times more. He was a member of the inaugural class of inductees to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979 and the Bull Riding Hall of Fame in 2015. Along with the Montana Rodeo Hall of Fame, Peth is a member of halls of fame at Cheyenne Frontier Days; the St. Paul, Oregon, Rodeo; and the Ellensburg, Washington, Roundup.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEVERE HELFRICH

A pioneer in modern rodeo bullfighting methods, Peth donned gear that allowed for faster movement. He focused on studying both the bull and rider, foregoing props in favor of mental and physical fitness.

His performances were aimed at not only entertaining the crowd, but also at “turning the bull back” to ensure higher scores for the bull riders, and distracting the bulls once the riders were off.

Wick Peth bullfighting Yakima, Washington, 1956 Dickinson Research Center

Board of Directors Nominee KELLY RILEY (1948)

Bull Riding, Calf Roping, Event Management Born December 31, 1948, in Fort Worth, Texas, Kelly Riley’s roots run deep in the sport of rodeo.

The grandson of pioneer cowgirl Tad Lucas, Riley is the son of champion calf roper Lanham Riley and trick rider Mitzi Lucas Riley. As a youth, he traveled throughout the country to rodeos in which his father was competing, including Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Snake River Stampede, and the Boulder Pow Wow.

After graduating in 1972 with a degree in economics from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas — where he was president of the rodeo club and competed in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association — Riley went to work part time for his father’s world-renowned Paint and Quarter Horse operation; in his free time, he rodeoed. In 1977, Riley was hired as the in-house manager for Winston’s Rodeo Awards Program; in the early 1980s, he helped launch the Winston Rodeo Series.

Following stints managing Winston’s NASCAR Racing Series in 1986 and the Camel GT Program in 1987, Riley returned to Texas as the event marketing manager for Justin Brands, which includes Justin Boots, Tony Lama, and Nocona brands. He retired from Justin in 2015. As a past president of the Rodeo Historical Society, under his leadership a more robust fundraising platform was established.

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WALT LARUE (1918-2010)

Bareback Riding, Bull Riding, Stuntman

While still rodeoing, LaRue simultaneously embarked on a Hollywood career as a stuntman and actor that lasted from the late 1930s to 1990. He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the Stuntman’s Association of Motion Pictures. Though he received his break riding and acting in Westerns, he worked in drama, comedy, and science fiction projects, too.

LaRue was also a gifted artist and musician. His fine art appears in museums, galleries, and private collections throughout the world. He illustrated a regular Sunday morning cartoon strip, and for 8 years designed covers for The Buckboard magazine. His illustrations were used in the marketing campaigns of such companies as Levi Strauss and Weber Bread. LaRue was also a skilled storyteller and loved to accompany his tales with a tune from the guitar. He passed away June 12, 2010.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY JOHN WILSON

A Cowboys’ Turtle Association, RCA, and PRCA Gold Card member, Walt LaRue was many things during his storied career — all of them Western-themed. Born in Canada in 1918 to American parents, LaRue worked for a time as a guide and packer in the Rocky and Sierra Mountains. He competed in bareback and bull riding at rodeos across the United States from 1942 to 1954. His rodeo career included stops at Madison Square Garden, the Northwest Montana Fair, and the Salinas, Red Mountain, Bishop, and Los Angeles, California, rodeos.

Walt LaRue on the set of the 1958 film Cowboy, starring Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon.

WALT LINDERMAN (1936-2005) Steer Wrestling, Bareback Riding

Walt Linderman was born March 26, 1936, in Red Lodge, Montana, into a family that both ranched and rodeoed — occupations that Linderman himself would soon take up. In 1953 he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Nauman, and took his first forays into rodeo while working ranches in Montana and Wyoming.

By 1957 Linderman was competing in saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and steer wrestling.

He competed in all three events until 1961, when he stopped competing in saddle bronc. In 1968, he stopped competing in bareback but continued steer wrestling until an injury in 1977 ended his rodeo career.

During that time, Linderman qualified for the NFR in steer wrestling nine times (1962, 1965-1971, 1973), winning the NFR steer roping average in 1967 and becoming runner-up World Champion three times and second runner-up twice. Linderman also owned one of the winningest steer-wrestling horses ever known, Scott, which carried riders to world championships in 1965, 1966, and 1968, and won six total NFR average titles.

Beginning in 1968, Linderman pioneered the rise of steer wrestling schools across the United States, passing his skill and knowledge on to a new generation of champions. Linderman died on May 25, 2005.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN DAVIDSON

PHOTOGRAPH BY PHIL DUNHAM

Deceased Nominees

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Walt Linderman steer wrestling from ProRodeo Hall of Fame horse Scott at the Hayloft Arena near Billings, Montana, 1973. Linderman’s son Jay is hazing on horse Doug.

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Rodeo Historical Society

HYDE MERRITT (1922-1983)

Calf Roping, Team Roping, Steer Roping, Stock Contractor Hyde Merritt was born May 24, 1922, in Federal, Wyoming. Son of World Champion Steer Roper King Merritt, Hyde was exposed early to roping, rodeoing, and stock contracting. While attending the University of Wyoming, in 1941 Merritt was instrumental in establishing the first University of Wyoming college rodeo, including writing the bylaws. After service in World War II, Merritt returned to co-found and edit The Rodeo News from 1946-1948. From 1948-1949, he was editor and West Coast manager for Western Horseman magazine, and in 1950 became editor for Quarter Horse News magazine.

Remembered by many as the “godfather of steer roping,” Merritt helped secure a home for the National Finals Steer Roping in Laramie, Wyoming, from 1973 to 1983 when many thought the sport was facing collapse. Merritt passed away on his family’s ranch in January 1983.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DEVERE HELFRICH

Merritt stayed busy outside of publishing, too. He was one of the founders of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, became an RCA member in 1945, and founded or served various Quarter Horse associations. Merritt became an esteemed Quarter Horse judge and breeder as well as a rodeo stock contractor of high regard. He was also instrumental in bringing pari-mutual betting to Wyoming.

Hyde Merritt steer roping Cheyenne, Wyoming, 1956 Dickinson Research Center

KEN STEMLER (1937-2011)

Originator of ProRodeo Hall of Fame

Formerly an executive at Frontier Airlines, Stemler joined the PRCA in 1976. After spearheading the group’s move from Denver to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the early 1980s, he led the creation of The ProRodeo Tour, PRCA’s first syndicated television series. In 1985, he founded rodeo’s first true televised tour — The Winston Tour — and the same year took a central role in negotiations to move the National Finals Rodeo from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to its current home in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Stemler also led efforts to secure initial funding for the PRCA circuit system and helped to create and market the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo. After leaving the PRCA, Stemler became involved in Christian mission work. He died October 6, 2011, in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Ken Stemler at the groundbreaking of the Hall of Champions/PRCA offices.

Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1978

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PRCA PRORODEO HALL OF FAME

Born November 4, 1937, in Mitchell, South Dakota, Alon Kenneth “Ken” Stemler was the driving force behind the creation, design, and construction of the PRCA headquarters and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Rodeo Historical Society

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Rodeo Historical Society

2016 Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend Each year, the Rodeo Historical Society (RHS) hosts a truly unique Hall of Fame Weekend dedicated to honoring rodeo champions who have played a significant role in keeping the legacy of rodeo alive today and passing down time-honored traditions to the next generation.

The Hall of Fame Weekend Champions’ Gala has become a favorite among those who appreciate the opportunity to gather and celebrate their heroes’ inspiring messages. RHS members select award recipients who demonstrate undying determination, a passion for excellence, and character.

Friday, September 30

Rope 'N' Ride Reunion Cocktail Reception

Saturday, October 1

An array of daytime events allowing participants to mingle with old friends and celebrate Rodeo Champions Dinner and Awards Ceremony,Live Auction A full event schedule will be available in August.

For more information please contact Heather Hanan-Hawkins, Society Coordinator hhawkins@nationalcowboymuseum.org (405) 478-2250 ext. 233.

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1700 Northeast 63rd Street Oklahoma City, OK 73111 (405) 478-2250 www.nationalcowboymuseum.org