All-Around • Inducted 2015 Tom Nesmith, a soft-spoken Oklahoma cowboy who was recognized as one of the most technically sound cowboys of his era, competed at an elite level as both a steer wrestler and tie-down roper for more than a decade, winning two gold buckles and qualifying nine times for the...
All-Around • Inducted 2000 Joe Beaver grew up dreaming of being a professional rodeo cowboy. Beaver, born Oct. 13, 1965, in Victoria, Texas, began his roping career at the age of 5, roping goats from the back of a Shetland pony in his family’s practice pen. By 15, Beaver was making...
All-Around • Inducted 2014 Pete Grubb was just the second cowboy in ProRodeo history – after Clay Carr – to win world championships at both ends of the arena. The Salmon, Idaho, cowboy won the bareback riding championship in 1938 and the team roping title (as a heeler) in 1940. He was...
All-Around • Inducted 2013 In a rodeo career that lasted 44 years, John Bowman earned the respect of his peers for a level of versatility and skill that has rarely been matched in the history of the Cowboy Sport. Bowman was the all-around world champion in 1936, and twice won gold buckles...
All-Around • Inducted 2009 One of the best all-around hands from the first half of the 20th century, Leonard Ward had his greatest year in 1934 when he won the saddle bronc riding, bareback riding and all-around world championships, becoming the first cowboy to achieve a Triple Crown by winning three...
All-Around • Inducted 2008 The world tie-down roping champion in 1979, Tierney put together an even better season in 1980 to end Tom Ferguson’s six-year reign as all-around champion and become the second rodeo cowboy to suppress $100,000 in earnings during a single season. Tierney, who typically competed in large, black-framed...
All-Around • Inducted 2006 Born in Ephrata, Wash., on March 14, 1954, Lybbert now makes his home in Forestburg, Texas. A Member of the PRCA since 1976, Lybbert excelled in the tie-down roping and steer wrestling, qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo eight times (1979-84, 1986, 1989) in the tie-down roping...
All-Around Champion • Inducted 2005 Jimmie Cooper epitomizes the cowboy way of honesty, hard work and honor. Cooper filled his Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association permit at his first professional rodeo. As the most-talked-about contestant in 1980, Cooper earned that year’s Overall PRCA Rookie of the Year title, as well as Rookie...
All-Around • Inducted 2003 Todd Whatley was a true all-around cowboy, working both ends of the arena. Born in 1920 in Rufe, Okla., his rodeo career began at age 17 when he rode a wild cow at a competition in Battiest, Okla. Ten years later, in 1947, he won the steer...
All-Around • Inducted 2003 Dee Pickett, born Sept. 8, 1955, in San Diego, Calif., discovered rodeo when he was 7 years old and his family moved to Idaho. Although he had the opportunity to tryout for two professional football teams after his standout football career as a quarterback at Boise State...
