Entertainer, rodeo performer, and businessman. He was born in San Antonio and grew up working for his father, who was a rodeo producer. He graduated from Harlandale High School, then went on to Sul Ross College for two years until graduating from Sam Houston College in 1956. In 1953, he won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Bull Riding Championship, third place in the Bareback Bronc Riding, and the Sul Ross team finished second overall at the college finals. In 1954, at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, he placed third in the Bareback Bronc Riding and third in the Bull Riding, giving him fifth place in the All-Around Championship. In 1955, at Lake Charles, Louisiana, he made history by winning the championship in all four of his events: Bareback Bronc Riding, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding, the All-Around Cowboy Championship, in which he presently still holds the record as the only person to ever win all four event titles. In 1956 at Colorado Springs, he missed out on having a repeat year by winning second in the Bareback Bronc Riding. He went on to win the championship titles in the Saddle Bronc, Bull Riding, and the Men's All-Around Cowboy Championship, the Sam Houston State University Men's Team Championship; and the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association All-Around Cowboy Championship in both 1955 and 1956. He continued to compete at a professional level, winning big major rodeos such as Madison Square Garden, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and many others. After graduation, he married and bought a ranch near Clyde, Texas, where he later helped form the Mesquite Rodeo with C.C. McNally, Jim Shoulders, Neal Gay, D.J. Gaudin, and Harry Tompkins. In 1960, he broke his ankle at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and decided to retire. By 1970, he partnered with Harry Tompkins and started a cattle dairy in Dublin, Texas. On February 11, 1974, he and two other volunteer firefighters were killed when a burning truck exploded. He was a member of the Clallan County Sheriff's Posse and the Clyde Community Park Board. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Clyde Volunteer Fire Department. He was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1999. His name can also be found on the Texas State Capitol Volunteer Fireman Memorial in Austin, Texas.
Entertainer, rodeo performer, and businessman. He was born in San Antonio and grew up working for his father, who was a rodeo producer. He graduated from Harlandale High School, then went on to Sul Ross College for two years until graduating from Sam Houston College in 1956. In 1953, he won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Bull Riding Championship, third place in the Bareback Bronc Riding, and the Sul Ross team finished second overall at the college finals. In 1954, at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, he placed third in the Bareback Bronc Riding and third in the Bull Riding, giving him fifth place in the All-Around Championship. In 1955, at Lake Charles, Louisiana, he made history by winning the championship in all four of his events: Bareback Bronc Riding, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding, the All-Around Cowboy Championship, in which he presently still holds the record as the only person to ever win all four event titles. In 1956 at Colorado Springs, he missed out on having a repeat year by winning second in the Bareback Bronc Riding. He went on to win the championship titles in the Saddle Bronc, Bull Riding, and the Men's All-Around Cowboy Championship, the Sam Houston State University Men's Team Championship; and the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association All-Around Cowboy Championship in both 1955 and 1956. He continued to compete at a professional level, winning big major rodeos such as Madison Square Garden, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and many others. After graduation, he married and bought a ranch near Clyde, Texas, where he later helped form the Mesquite Rodeo with C.C. McNally, Jim Shoulders, Neal Gay, D.J. Gaudin, and Harry Tompkins. In 1960, he broke his ankle at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and decided to retire. By 1970, he partnered with Harry Tompkins and started a cattle dairy in Dublin, Texas. On February 11, 1974, he and two other volunteer firefighters were killed when a burning truck exploded. He was a member of the Clallan County Sheriff's Posse and the Clyde Community Park Board. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Clyde Volunteer Fire Department. He was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1999. His name can also be found on the Texas State Capitol Volunteer Fireman Memorial in Austin, Texas.
Bio by: Debbie Gibbons
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