PRORODEO Sports News - February 7, 2025

1965

NFR TIME CAPSULE

FRANKLIN EMERGES TO SWIPE CALF ROPING TITLE FROM OLIVER

PRCA STAFF

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o the surprise of no one, Dean Oliver captured his third straight all-around world title at the 1965 Na

ings record of $29,646. Franklin also finished third in the all-around behind Oliver and Mark Schricker. The best head-to-head shootout at the Finals came in the bareback riding, where Jim Houston, 24, held off Paul Mayo by winning the last two rounds of the NFR. Houston, of Oma ha, Neb., was leading the standings until a hand injury knocked him out of action for three weeks in August; he came to the NFR trailing Mayo. In the first round, Houston rode High

Society out of the Christensen Broth ers’ string to retake the lead. He was injured again aboard the legendary horse Come Apart in the second round, but came back once again to post qualified rides on his next three. He cemented the world champion ship by winning the last two rounds, while Mayo was bucked off High So ciety in the last round. Houston also finished second in the average chase behind Dennis Reiners. Mayo finished fourth in the average. The final margin between Houston and Mayo was $641, as Hous

tional Finals Rodeo in its first appear ance in Oklahoma City. The biggest surprise was that Oliver didn’t win the calf roping. That honor – and gold buckle – went to Glen Franklin, the 29-year-old House, N.M., cowboy who logged more than 70,000 miles to not only unseat Oliver in his specialty, but also set a single-event season earn

ton walked away with the gold buckle and $17,631. Shawn Davis, 24, of White hall, Mont., also set a new single-season earnings re cord in saddle bronc riding, pocketing $25,599 while winning money in 65 rodeos, including the NFR. Canadian Winston Bruce had a better NFR than Davis, winning a round and placing in the average race. In fact, in any other year, Bruce’s total earnings of $23,575 would have given him the world title. Larry Mahan grabbed his first world championship at the ripe old age of 22, taking the bull riding title despite not having a great NFR. Mahan, of Brooks, Ore., who almost gave up bull riding

Photo Courtesy of The DeVere Helfrich Collection

Steer wrestler Harley May makes a textbook bulldogging run. May won the 1965 RCA Steer Wrestling World Championship, the third of his career.

44 ProRodeo Sports News