Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1999 Mel Hyland of Edmonton, Alberta, grew up with his own arena and practice bucking horses. There could be no other career choice but rodeo, and in 1966, he joined the pros. It took him just one year to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, and...
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...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1994 Three-time world saddle bronc riding champion Monty “Hawkeye” Henson became one of the most colorful and personable cowboys on the circuit and a master of the flying dismount. Born Oct. 22, 1953, in Farmersville, Texas, Henson grew up around Pete and Don Gay with his...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1992 A 10-year-old Clint Johnson began his rodeo career at a 4-H rodeo. In high school he qualified for the South Dakota High School Finals from 1971-74, twice going to the National High School Finals. His quiet dedication to rodeo began with a term on the...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1992 Deb Copenhaver, considered one of the greatest bronc riders to come out of the Pacific Northwest, was born Jan 21, 1925, in Wilbur, Wash. Copenhaver was just a kid when he started breaking horses and exercising racehorses. His rodeo career took a backseat to World...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1991 Marty Wood, who began his rodeo career as a bareback rider and bull rider, made his mark in ProRodeo in saddle bronc riding. During his career, he won three world titles, three Canadian Professional Rodeo Association championships and the aggregate crown at every major rodeo...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1990 Bobby Berger’s first world championship in 1979 was won by a margin of $5 over Tom Miller of Faith, S.D. Born June 22, 1945, in Halstead, Kan., Berger competed successfully in all three roughstock events. He qualified 13 times for the National Finals Rodeo, winning...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1989 Canada’s Winston Bruce has made his mark on rodeo, not only as a contestant but also as an administrator. As a rodeo competitor, Bruce was a 10-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier in saddle bronc riding. The native of Stettler, Alberta, developed a winning style through...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1979 Earl Thode, admittedly the best of the early-day saddle bronc riders who used the fore-and-aft, full-stroke spurring style now required by saddle bronc riding rules, may well prove to be the event’s best ever. He won the first ever world saddle bronc riding title in...
Saddle Bronc Riding • Inducted 1979 Mike Stuart of Wynnewood, Okla., was known as a happy-go-lucky ranch cowboy who learned the fundamentals of rodeo through his day-to-day work on the RO outfit along the San Pedro River in southwestern Arizona and northern Sonora. Stuart, born March 10, 1901, hit the rodeo...
