Reynolds, Benny
All-Around • Inducted 1993
His first rodeo was in Butte, Montana at age 6 – he rode one calf and was bucked off the other. Reynolds came by his rodeo interest and ability naturally. Both his mother and father rode saddle broncs and his brothers rodeoed.
Reynolds was about 15 when he seriously began entering rodeo. He remembers that first year well. “I got thrown off everything I got on.” Improvement came with practice on his father’s team of work horses, using them for both bareback and saddle bronc stock.
That practice paid off when Reynolds joined the pros in 1956 and went on to win the 1958 Rookie of the Year honors competing in saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding and steer wrestling. Reynolds never expresses a preference for one event. “Whichever one I’m winning the most money at is my favorite.” His best year was 1961 when he won the Association All Around title, $31,309, a saddle, a silver buckle, silver spurs and a life size fiberglass horse. He went on to win the 1966 Linderman Award given to the contestant earning the most money in a combination of three or more rough stock and timed events.
“I just like to rodeo. There are several things I guess…the people, the excitement, the challenge.” Reynolds is still meeting that challenge in senior and old timer rodeos.
Accolades
Biography
World Championships: 1
All-Around: 1961
National Finals Rodeo Average Champion
All-Around: 1961
Bareback Riding: 1960
Born: March 5, 1938 in Twin Bridges, Montana
Died: February 14, 2014 in Twin Bridges, Montana
Rodeo Championships
Buffalo Bill Rodeo / North Platte, NE
All-Around: 1959
Bareback Riding: 1959
Steer Wrestling: 1959
Cheyenne Frontier Days / Cheyenne, WY
All-Around: 1958
Bareback Riding: 1958
Cody Stampede / Cody, WY
All-Around: 1966, 1967
Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo / Guymon, OK
All-Around: 1963
Iowa’s Championship Rodeo / Sidney, IA
All-Around: 1961
Bull Riding: 1961
National Western Stock Show & Rodeo / Denver, CO
Bareback Riding: 1963, 1965
Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA
All-Around: 1963
Steer Wrestling: 1963
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo / San Antonio, TX
All-Around: 1961
Bareback Riding: 1959
Bull Riding: 1961 (tie)
