Tom Ferguson

All-Around • Inducted 1999

Tom Ferguson’s record and accomplishments set high standards for the ProRodeo cowboys who have followed in his footsteps. The Oklahoma native was the first cowboy to win more than $100,000 in a single season, to earn $1 million in career earnings and to capture six consecutive all-around world titles. He also finished in the Top 15 in the world in two events for eight years. Ferguson, who competed in all of the timed events, is best known as a tie-down roper and steer wrestler. Called rodeo’s best two-event man, Ferguson believed the keys to being the world’s number-one cowboy were constant practice and good horses. For two decades, he showed the rodeo world what was possible with that belief. Born Dec. 20, 1950, in Tahlequah, Okla., Ferguson’s road to rodeo’s elite began when he earned California’s tie-down roping championship in 1969.  He competed in collegiate rodeo for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association tie-down roping title in 1970 and the all-around title in 1971-72, while fulfilling his PRCA permit requirements to enter the professional ranks.

World Championships: 9

All-Around: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

Tie-Down Roping: 1974

Steer Wrestling: 1977, 1978

National Finals Rodeo Average Champion

All-Around: 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

Steer Wrestling: 1977, 1978, 1981

RAM Circuit Finals Rodeo Champion

Oil Circuit: 

All-Around: 1975

Prairie Circuit: 

All-Around: 1976
Steer Wrestling: 1976
Tie-Down Roping: 1978

Southern Circuit:

All-Around: 1986, 1987

Texas Circuit:

All-Around: 1984

Born: December 20, 1950 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Buffalo Bill Rodeo / North Platte, NE
All-Around:1976
Steer Wrestling: 1976

Cheyenne Frontier Days / Cheyenne, WY
All-Around: 1976

Clovis Rodeo / Clovis, CA
All-Around: 1981
Steer Wrestling: 1981
Tie-Down Roping: 1974

Deadwood Days of ’76 Rodeo / Deadwood, SD
All-Around: 1976, 1983
Steer Wrestling: 1982
Tie-Down Roping: 1983

Ellensburg Rodeo / Ellensburg, WA
All-Around: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982
Steer Wrestling: 1974
Tie-Down Roping: 1979, 1980

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo / Fort Worth, TX
All-Around: 1976, 1978
Steer Wrestling: 1978
Tie-Down Roping: 1977 (tie), 1981

Grand National Stock Show & Rodeo / San Francisco, CA
Steer Wrestling: 1978
Tie-Down Roping: 1985

Iowa’s Championship Rodeo / Sidney, IA
All-Around: 1978
Steer Wrestling: 1978
Tie-Down Roping: 1978, 1981

La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rodeo / Tucson, AZ
Steer Wrestling: 1986
Team Roping: 1977

National Western Stock Show & Rodeo / Denver, CO
All-Around: 1974, 1976
Tie-Down Roping: 1974

Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo / Ogden, UT
All-Around: 1974, 1976

Pendleton Round-Up / Pendleton, OR
All-Around: 1987
Steer Wrestling: 1982

Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA
All-Around: 1976
Steer Wrestling: 1986

Redding Rodeo / Redding, CA
All-Around: 1975
Steer Wrestling: 1975 (tie
Tie-Down Roping: 1975

Snake River Stampede / Nampa, ID
All-Around: 1978, 1983
Tie-Down Roping: 1978, 1983