Rambo, Gene

All-Around • Inducted 1989

Many consider Gene Rambo the most versatile cowboy ever. Born in San Miguel, Calif., in 1929, Rambo competed in all three roughstock events (bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding) and all four timed events (steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping). More importantly he won consistently in all seven events for more than a decade. Perhaps his versatility kept Rambo from winning a world title in any of the seven events, as event specialists typically won the titles. However, he ranked among rodeo’s top money winners three consecutive years (1948-50). In 1948, Rambo won tie-down roping and bareback riding and finished second in steer wrestling at Cheyenne Frontier Days. That fall, he captured first in bareback riding, second in steer wrestling, third in saddle bronc riding and fourth in tie-down roping at San Francisco’s Cow Palace. Rambo’s personal career highlight was winning tie-down roping and saddle bronc riding at Forth Worth in 1950 because tie-down ropers from the Southwest felt they had a stranglehold on their event during that era. Rambo served as the team roping director on the PRCA Board of Directors from 1962-65. He died Feb. 1, 1988, in Parkfield, Calif.

National Finals Rodeo Average Champion

Team Roping: 1959, 1960

Born: June 12, 1929 in San Miguel, California
Died: February 1, 1988 in Parkfield, California

California Rodeo Salinas / Salinas, CA
All-Around: 1948, 1949, 1957, 1958 (tie), 1960 (tie)
Steer Wrestling: 1949
Team Roping: 1948, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962

Cheyenne Frontier Days / Cheyenne, WY
All-Around: 1948
Bareback Riding: 1948
Tie-Down Roping: 1948

Clovis Rodeo / Clovis, CA
Team Roping: 1959, 1961

Ellensburg Rodeo / Ellensburg, WA
All-Around: 1949
Bareback Riding: 1948
Tie-Down Roping: 1949

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo / Fort Worth, TX
All-Around: 1950
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1950
Tie-Downing Roping: 1950

Grand National Stock Show & Rodeo / San Francisco, CA
All-Around: 1945, 1946
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1946
Steer Wrestling: 1945, 1946
Tie-Down Roping: 1945, 1946

Pendleton Round-Up / Pendleton, OR
All-Around: 1944

Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA
Team Roping: 1961
Tie-Down Roping: 1955

Reno Rodeo / Reno, NV
Team Roping: 1955, 1958

Rowell Ranch Rodeo / Hayward, CA
Team Roping: 1961

Snake River Stampede / Nampa, ID
Steer Wrestling: 1948