Bareback Riding • Inducted 1995 Born May 21, 1948, in Caldwell, Kan., Jack Ward began his career as a bull rider by winning the 1969 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Championship. He qualified for his first NFR in bareback riding in 1972 and went on to make 11 appearances at rodeo’s world...
All-Around • Inducted 1995 Fritz Truan, the cowboy soldier, rode the tough broncs and won the big rodeos. He started his rodeo career in the early 1930s, joining the Turtles in 1936. He won the prestigious Madison Square Garden saddle bronc riding title in 1939 and capped the year by claiming...
Stock Contractor • Inducted 1995 Today’s rodeo world knows Cotton Rosser of Long Beach, Calif., by his spectacular opening ceremonies at rodeos on the West Coast and for many years at the National Finals Rodeo. This “P.T. Barnum” of professional rodeo searches out ideas from sources as remote from the sport...
Contract Personnel • Inducted 1995 Chuck Henson was born with rodeo blood in his veins. In fact he was born Feb. 4, 1931, in Arcadia, Fla., where his parents were competing at a rodeo. He competed in five different events but considered bull riding his forte. In the mid 1950s he...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1995 Brad Gjermundson’s ability quickly became obvious. He was named PRCA saddle bronc riding Rookie of the Year in 1980. The next year he won the world championship and never looked back. “After I won my first world championship, I continued to set that as my...
Contract Personnel • Inducted 1995 Known as the “First Lady” of rodeo, Ellen Backstrom, born Sept. 9, 1929, in Missoula, Mont., began her rodeo career as a young child, singing during intermissions for her father’s productions. After years spent as a bookkeeper, she decided to hit the barrel racing circuit. She...
Stock Contractor • Inducted 1994 Harry Vold is one of only two stock contractors to provide animals for every National Finals Rodeo. Vold, many times voted by his peers as Stock Contractor of the Year, is known behind the chutes affectionately and respectfully as the “Duke.” Born Jan. 29, 1924, in...
Bareback Riding • Inducted 1994 James Charles Trujillo, born May 10, 1948, began his rodeo career at age 6 in his hometown of Prescott, Ariz. His early prowess resulted in the bareback riding championship of the Arizona Junior Rodeo Association, participation on the Arizona State University rodeo team and the 1968...
Steer Wrestling • Inducted 1994 Gene Ross, born Jan. 23, 1904, in Sayre, Okla., was known as a good bronc rider and tie-down roper, but his best event was steer wrestling. He won the world steer wrestling title in 1929, the first year “official” championships were awarded. He started his career...
Contract Personnel • Inducted 1994 Montie Montana, whose first trick roping performance was at the 1925 Miles City, Mont., rodeo, claimed each performance was just as exciting to him as that first one. At 17 he joined the Buck Jones Show, trick roping and riding and training horses. Arena announcers had...
