Billy Ray Thunder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billy Ray Thunder
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Thunder in 2015
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| Born |
William Ray Higginbottom
September 20, 1954 |
| Alma mater | Archbishop Hoban High School |
| Occupation |
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| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Children | Victoria and William |
Billy Ray Thunder, whose real name is William Ray Higginbottom, is a famous American professional cowboy. He is known for his amazing skills in bull riding and bareback bronc riding. He has been a rodeo star for over 30 years! People often call him "The Living Legend" because of his long and successful career.
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Early Life of Billy Ray Thunder
Billy Ray Higginbottom was born in Akron, Ohio, on September 20, 1954. Both of his parents were African-American. His father was very good with horses. Billy Ray identifies as a Black Indian. He has said that his grandfather was "a Heron black American." Billy Ray is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 225 pounds.
School and Military Service
He went to Archbishop Hoban High School from 1969 to 1973. There, he played defensive end on the school's football team. After finishing high school in 1973, he joined the Army. Later, he served in the Navy before joining the Army again. After his military service, he tried to become a professional football player.
Billy Ray's Rodeo Career
While in the military, Billy Ray also played on a semi-pro football team in Germany. He tried out for two famous NFL teams, the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. However, he did not make either team. After a short time at the University of Akron, Billy Ray found his true passion: riding.
His stepbrother, Anthony Winfield, invited Billy Ray to a rodeo in Georgia. Anthony was going to ride bulls there. Rodeo, horses, and bulls are not common in modern cities. Also, many movies show cowboys as mostly white. This has made rodeo seem less appealing to many African Americans.
The story of how Billy Ray started riding is quite exciting. He once bragged about his riding skills at a rodeo. His stepbrother offered to help him show off. Billy Ray got on top of a huge 2,000-pound bull inside the gate. His stepbrother was supposed to pull him off before the gate opened. But Anthony didn't pull him off! Billy Ray ended up in the hospital with a few broken ribs.
For the next 19 years, Billy Ray rode bulls in many professional rodeo events. These events were held all over the world. They were approved by groups like the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA), which later became the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), and the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA). More recently, Billy Ray has been riding bucking horses.
His career has been very long. Most rodeo cowboys stop competing professionally when they are in their 30s. Billy Ray kept going much longer. When he first started, most bull riders and bareback bronc riders were much smaller than him. This makes his long career even more impressive.
Inspiring Young People
Billy Ray works to inspire young Black people to join the rodeo tradition. He teaches them about America's Black cowboys. Some famous Black cowboys include Bill Pickett, Nat Love, Bose Ikard, James Beckwourth, Stagecoach Mary, and Bass Reeves. These people made important contributions to the history of the American West.
Billy Ray talks to young people and guides them. He shows them how they can get involved in this American tradition. He also tells them how they can even earn college scholarships through rodeo.
