Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame facts for kids
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| Established | 1975 |
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| Location | Stockyards Championship Rodeo, 121 E. Exchange Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76164 |
| Type | Hall of fame |
The Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame is a special museum and hall of fame located in Fort Worth, Texas. It celebrates the exciting sport of rodeo and honors the amazing cowboys, cowgirls, and even animals who have made rodeo history in Texas.
Contents
The Story of the Hall of Fame
The Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame was started in 1975 by a man named Johnny Boren. He was a former bull rider and a businessman. A group of businessmen from Belton, Texas, also helped him create it. At that time, Johnny Boren was in charge of the Lone Star Circuit for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
The Hall of Fame first had different homes in Belton. It eventually moved to the Bell County Expo Center. Later, it moved back to Fort Worth, close to where it all began.
What You'll Find Inside
Today, the Hall of Fame is located inside the Cowtown Coliseum in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards area. When you visit, you can see more than 300 pictures and stories of the people and animals who have been honored. These include Texas rodeo cowboys, cowgirls, groups, and even famous rodeo livestock.
The main goal of the Hall of Fame is to keep the history and traditions of cowboys and cowgirls alive. New members are added every year. This includes world champions and other important people who have contributed to rodeo. Over 500,000 people visit the Hall of Fame each year!
The Hall of Fame also helps young people. They have a "Promoting the Future" program. This program offers scholarships to high school students to help them go to college. There's also the "Horizon Honoree" program. It recognizes talented high school and college rodeo performers.
How People Get Inducted
Each year, there's a special ceremony to welcome new members into the Hall of Fame. This usually happens on the first Saturday in April. The event takes place at River Ranch in the Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District.
The induction weekend is a big celebration. It includes a golf tournament on Thursday. On Friday afternoon, there's a Rodeo Reunion gathering. New plaques for the inductees are also revealed at Cowtown Coliseum. For example, in 2005, rodeo performer Dan Taylor and his wife, Berva, were inducted.
Some Famous Inductees
The Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame honors many different people and even animals. Here are just a few examples of those who have been inducted:
- Organizations and Events:
* Cowtown Coliseum - Hub Baker (2011) * Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo (2015) * Houston Rodeo (2013) * Tarleton State University 1967 Men's Rodeo Team (2017)
- Famous Rodeo Animals:
* "Bodacious" (a famous bull) owned by Andrews Rodeo Company (2020) * "V-61" (another famous bull) owned by Billy Minick (2012) * "Whitt" owned by Butch Stoneman (2014)
- Rodeo Legends:
* Guy Allen (2009) * Gene Autry (2013) * Joe Beaver (2003) * Wanda Bush (2002) * Roy Cooper (2010) * Don Gay (2007) * Richard "Tuff" Hedeman (2010) * Monty "Hawkeye" Henson (2004) * R.E. Martha Josey (2007) * Cody Lambert (2012) * Larry Mahan (2015) * Billy & Pam Minick (2011) * Jimmie Gibbs Munroe (1997) * Ty Murray (2016) * Carl Nafzger (2008) * George Paul (2005) * Red Steagall (2005) * Jim "Razor" Sharp (2009) * Rob Smets (2010) * Bob & Kristen Tallman (2019) * Brent Thurman (2002) * Fred Whitfield (2012) * Jackie Worthington (2009)
