Category Archives: Back When They Bucked

[ “Never did I think I would be that caliber of cowboy to be inducted into the hall of fame.” ] “I think I was just cut out to be a bareback rider. I love that event and the attitude it took to be a bareback rider. And a bunch of my lifetime heroes ended  Continue Reading »

[ Pro rodeo cowboy-turned-cartoonist entertains with “Earl” cartoons about the western way of life ] Wally Badgett was a ranch kid-turned rodeo cowboy, then deputy sheriff -turned cartoonist. And through it all, he’s had a sense of humor. The Miles City, Montana man was born in 1952 on a ranch 75 miles south of Miles  Continue Reading »

[ “We had fun when we rodeoed, and it was good to us.” ] or fifteen years straight, bull rider Dave Garstad never finished a Canadian rodeo season in less than fifth place in the Canadian standings. The Stettler, Alberta cowboy dominated the rodeo scene for more than two decades, beginning in 1959 till he  Continue Reading »

Jerry Beagley has enjoyed a Western way of living from the time he was born. He was born in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, October 2, 1954 to Otto and Evelyn Beagley. He was an only child. His dad was foreman for the Chain Ranch, located in Kansas and Oklahoma. The Chain Ranch ran 2,500 mama cows.  Continue Reading »

Ed Sundby averaged 70,000 miles a year on his 1966 Ford pickup with a little white topper camper, while he rodeoed, and he loved every minute of it. And to make money for entry fees, the North Dakota cowboy did some Roman riding as a specialty act. Born in 1952 to Orvin and Ginger Sundby,  Continue Reading »

[ Cowtown Rodeo “Best Show on Dirt” spanning five generations.] Congratulations to the entire Harris family for their induction of their Cowtown Rodeo, located in Pilesgrove, New Jersey, to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Grant and Betsy Harris, 4th generation of Harris’ to own the rodeo are thrilled with the honor. Betsy said, “When I  Continue Reading »

Rodney Towe held down a fulltime job while he rodeoed, with a rodeo career that spanned fifty years. The Hilmar, California cowboy worked for 36 years at the Turlock Irrigation District, while he rodeoed, hitting sometimes as many as 60 rodeos annually. Born in 1941 in Fillmore, Calif. to William and Minnie Towe, he grew  Continue Reading »

RL Tolbert has jumped out of burning buildings, tumbled down cliffs, crashed cars and been shot numerous times. But he’s walked away from every near-death experience. That’s because the Vale, Oregon cowboy served as a stuntman in the movie industry as well as being a rodeo contestant. That’s him getting the girl out of the  Continue Reading »

Lots of kids grow up aspiring to be a cowboy or a police officer, but only some accomplish that feat. And even less manage to do both. Bob Wiley is the exception to that rule. Long before Bob Wiley was able to fulfill his childhood dreams, he was learning fundamental life lessons while running track  Continue Reading »

[ “He had that internal fortitude and a lot of try.”] Bill Nelson dominated the rodeo world for a short time, in two events. Saddle bronc riding might have been Bill Nelson’s strongest event, but he won the world in the bull riding in 1971. The California cowboy competed at the National Finals Rodeo in  Continue Reading »