Oliver, Dean

Tie-Down Roping • Inducted 1979

Between 1956 and 1969, Dean Oliver won eight world tie-down roping championships, dominating professional tie-down roping as no other man before or since. He also won three straight world all-around championships. Oliver, born Nov. 17, 1929, in Dodge City, Kan., was a man before he had any interest in rodeo, stemming from the “incredible sight of a man” winning $300 in a few seconds in tie-down roping at a rodeo in Idaho. Oliver wanted to get in on that kind of easy money. The sacrifices Oliver and his family made for him to become a champion included going hungry to buy a horse and one practice calf and practicing in the dark after a full day’s work. Oliver has served several terms on the association’s Board of Directors. In 1979 he was still roping and winning.

World Championships: 11

All-Around: 1963, 1964, 1965

Tie-Down Roping: 1955, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1969

National Finals Rodeo Average Champion

All-Around: 1966

Tie-Down Roping: 1961

RAM Circuit Year-End Champion

Wilderness Circuit:

Tie-Down Roping: 1975, 1976

Legend of ProRodeo

2012

Born: November 17, 1929 in Dodge City, Kansas

NFR Qualifications: 18

California Rodeo Salinas / Salinas, CA
Tie-Down Roping: 1969

Cheyenne Frontier Days / Cheyenne, WY
Tie-Down Roping: 1969, 1974

Clovis Rodeo / Clovis, CA
Tie-Down Roping: 1955, 1958, 1977

Cody Stampede / Cody, WY
Tie-Down Roping: 1966, 1969, 1971

Deadwood Days of ’76 Rodeo / Deadwood, SD
Tie-Down Roping: 1976

Ellensburg Rodeo / Ellensburg, WA
Tie-Down Roping: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1971

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo / Fort Worth, TX
All-Around: 1966, 1967
Tie-Down Roping: 1967, 1969, 1972

Grand National Stock Show & Rodeo / San Francisco, CA
Tie-Down Roping: 1954, 1960, 1967

Iowa’s Championship Rodeo / Sidney, IA
All-Around: 1965
Tie-Down Roping: 1962

National Western Stock Show & Rodeo / Denver, CO
All-Around: 1964
Tie-Down Roping: 1962, 1973

Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo / Ogden, UT
Tie-Down Roping: 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1976

Pendleton Round-Up / Pendleton, OR
Tie-Down Roping: 1957, 1971, 1976

Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA
Tie-Down Roping: 1964, 1965, 1977

Redding Rodeo / Redding, CA
Tie-Down Roping: 1959

Reno Rodeo / Reno, NV
Tie-Down Roping: 1961, 1971, 1974

Rowell Ranch Rodeo / Hayward, CA
Tie-Down Roping: 1957

San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo / San Antonio, TX
Tie-Down Roping: 1972

Snake River Stampede / Nampa, ID
Tie-Down Roping: 1955, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969