O’Brien Cooper, Clay

Team Roping • Inducted 1997

Movie star, television actor, accomplished tie-down roper, premier team roping heeler, multiple world champion – Clay O’Brien Cooper has led a charmed life. Cooper, born May 6, 1961, in Ray, Ariz., started roping at age 6. He made his first movie debut with John Wayne in The Cowboys and went on to appear in numerous Western movies and television shows. As a heeler, he teamed with Jake Barnes to win a record seven world team roping championships. Cooper and Barnes jointly set the team roping aggregate record at the National Finals Rodeo of 59.1 seconds on 10 head, en route to the world title in 1994. Cooper was the Turquoise Circuit all around champion in 1985-87, 1991 and 1993 and the circuit’s team roping champion in 1983-84. He was the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo team roping winner in 1987, 1989 and 1995. “Since I was a kid, I always wanted to rope for a living. The best thing is being able to make a living for me and my family doing what I always wanted,” Cooper said.

World Championships: 7

Team Roping: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994

National Finals Rodeo Average Champion

Team Roping: 1985, 1994, 2007, 2012

RAM Circuit Finals Rodeo Champion

Team Roping: 1987, 1989, 1995, 1996

RAM Circuit Year-End Champion

Texas Circuit:

Team Roping: 2001, 2003

Turquoise Circuit:

All-Around: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995

Team Roping: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994

Born: May 6, 1961 in Ray, Arizona

Joined PRCA: 1979

NFR Qualifications: 29

Click here for more career information.

Black Hills Roundup / Belle Fourche, SD
All-Around: 1991
Team Roping: 1991

Buffalo Bill Rodeo / North Platte, NE
Team Roping: 1985, 1988

California Rodeo Salinas / Salinas, CA
All-Round: 1988
Team Roping: 1981, 1983, 1988

Cheyenne Frontier Days / Cheyenne, WY
Team Roping: 2002

Clovis Rodeo / Clovis, CA
Team Roping: 1982, 1986, 1995, 1997, 2004

Cody Stampede / Cody, WY
Team Roping: 1981, 2006, 2012

Deadwood Days of ’76 Rodeo / Deadwood, SD
Team Roping: 1989, 1999, 2003

Dodge City Roundup / Dodge City, KS
Team Roping: 1982, 1983, 1984, 2012

Ellensburg Rodeo / Ellensburg, WA
All-Around: 1992
Team Roping: 1982, 1985, 2012

Grand National Stock Show & Rodeo / San Francisco, CA
All-Around: 1989

Greeley Stampede / Greeley, CO
Team Roping: 1991, 1994, 2002

La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rodeo / Tucson, AZ
Team Roping: 1983, 1985, 2000

National Western Stock Show & Rodeo / Denver, CO
Team Roping: 1999

Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo / Ogden, UT
Team Roping: 1988, 1990, 2000
Tie-Down Roping: 1986, 1987 (tie)

Pendleton Round-Up / Pendleton, OR
Team Roping: 1994

Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA
All-Around: 1987, 1995
Team Roping: 1983, 1991
Tie-Down Roping: 1987

Redding Rodeo / Redding, CA
Team Roping: 1986

Rowell Ranch Rodeo / Hayward, CA
All-Around: 1991
Team Roping: 1991
Tie-Down Roping: 1985

Snake River Stampede / Nampa, ID
All-Around: 1985, 1992
Team Roping: 2007

Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo / Spanish Fork, UT
Team Roping: 1990 (tie), 1992 (tie)

West of the Pecos / Pecos, TX
All-Around: 1985
Team Roping: 1985, 1986, 1992

World’s Oldest Rodeo Prescott Frontier Days / Prescott, AZ
All-Around: 1991
Team Roping: 1983, 1992, 2002