Leffew, Gary
Bull Riding • Inducted 2002
Gary Leffew, the rodeo guru of positive thinking (psycho-cybernetics) born Sept. 23, 1944, in Santa Maria, Calif., was no ordinary bull rider. Instead of climbing on a bull, he could have just as easily ridden off into the sunset on a Harley. One day, he accepted a challenge to ride a bull. Although the bull bucked him off, his rodeo career was born.
Leffew, the longhaired, bearded child of the 1960s, cut his hair, bought some steers and young bulls and practiced bull riding every day for a year. By July 1964, Leffew had quit his day job and hit the rodeo trail. His earned the first of his seven National Finals Rodeo appearances in 1966 when he finished 10th in the world standings. Then, he hit a slump and self-doubt set in. Enter the positive-thinking program and his use of visualization techniques that took him to the 1970 world and NFR aggregate titles.
Leffew is teaching his techniques to new generations of bull riders – programming them to be champions through his use of visualization, video feedback, good techniques and strength of the mind — at the Leffew Rodeo School. Leffew’s success in the rodeo arena brought success in movies, television commercials and commercial sponsor contracts and opportunities. No one has worked harder to promote himself, the sport and bull riding than Leffew.
Accolades
Biography
World Championships: 1
Bull Riding: 1970
National Finals Rodeo Average Champion
Bull Riding: 1970
RAM Circuit Year-End Champion
California Circuit:
Bull Riding: 1977
Born: September 23, 1944 in Santa Maria, California
NFR Qualifications: 7
Rodeo Championships
California Rodeo Salinas / Salinas, CA
Bull Riding: 1972
Clovis Rodeo / Clovis, CA
Bull Riding: 1970
Cody Stampede / Cody, WY
Bull Riding: 1970, 1976
Deadwood Days of ’76 Rodeo / Deadwood, SD
Bull Riding: 1965
Grand National Stock Show & Rodeo / San Francisco, CA
Bull Riding: 1970
La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rodeo / Tucson, AZ
Bull Riding: 1966, 1971, 1976
Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo / Ogden, UT
Bull Riding: 1969
Pendleton Round-Up / Pendleton, Oregon
Bull Riding: 1979
Redding Rodeo / Redding, CA
Bull Riding: 1964 (tie)
Reno Rodeo / Reno, Nevada
Bull Riding: 1970, 1981
Rowell Ranch Rodeo / Hayward, CA
Bull Riding: 1972
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo / San Antonio, Texas
Bull Riding: 1968, 1971
Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo / Spanish Fork, Utah
Bull Riding: 1977
