story by Siri Stevens
Terry Crow made it to 35 rodeos last year which landed the #8 header a spot at his 37th IFR. He ended up winning a round, fourth in a round, and fourth in the average. “Could have been better, could have been worse,” said the 56-year-old roper from Miami, Oklahoma. Terry and his wife, Julie, have their own cow/calf operation and Terry is a ranch foreman on another ranch, taking care of 1,000 mother cows. “My boss is great about letting me go to rodeos during the summer.”
Terry can’t remember not roping. “I started competing with my dad and brother when I was six or so.” Terry was the youngest of four, with two older sisters and his brother. “I roped with them for a long time.” He used to get stuck at home when his dad and brother headed to rodeos, and he would find a ride somehow to get to rodeos that had a calf scramble. “Back then you had to rope the calf.” He used to rope calves but hasn’t done that in four or five years.
Terry didn’t compete much in the high school or junior high rodeos, preferring the open rodeos and ropings. Terry started working as a freshman in high school at different ranches around his hometown of Miami and ended up at his current position in 1990. He and Julie raised their two daughters, Megan (Woods) and Tara (Donatelli) at their place, ten miles from the ranch that he manages. They have one granddaughter, Payton, who is four.
He has an arena at his place and hosts a group that comes over almost every evening during the summer. He’s helped many others learn the art of roping. “Seems there’s always someone coming to the house to learn and I enjoy that. I’ve had all kinds – from those that can’t hold a rope to those that just need a little guidance.”
His wife adds, “he’s kind of like the one that discusses things and roping and doesn’t get many roped. He has a lot of knowledge and he’s really good at helping them figure out what they’re doing wrong.” Julie works at a school as a paraprofessional in the fourth grade class. She also does all the bookkeeping for the ranch. The couple has been married for 36 years. Although they’ve had their differences, they have had a good marriage and they have two great kids out of it. They are building their own ranch and doing what they like to do. As for the future, Terry plans to continue roping and ranching.
