PRORODEO Sports News | Roy Cooper 1955-2025 | May 2, 2025

PRORODEO LEGENDS REACT TO SUDDEN DEATH OF HALL OF FAMER ROY COOPER By Zach Alvira

T he news of PRORODEO Hall of Fam er Roy Cooper’s sudden passing sent shockwaves through the rodeo community Wednesday. Cooper, an eight-time PRCA World Champi on in tie-down roping (1976, 1980-84), steer roping (1983) and all-around (1983), passed away in a house fire at his home in Decatur, Texas Tuesday night. He was 69 years old. Cooper’s passing garnered somber reaction from fellow PRORODEO legends, including Hall of Fame all-around cowboy Joe Beaver. Beaver joined the PRORODEO ranks in 1985, winning the PRCA Resistol Rookie of the Year award at just 20 years old. He went on to win three All-Around World Champi onships (1995-96, 2000), as well as five Tie Down Roping World Championships (1985, 1987-88, 1992-93). Despite his own success, Beaver said Cooper was a cowboy he looked up to. Cooper taught him and others how to be fierce competitors, never settling for being just good enough. “Win at all costs,” Beaver said. “If you were going to give $20,000 for this horse, he was going to give $30,000 to buy him out from under you. Fierce competitor.” Beaver said he lost a dear friend with Cooper’s passing, and PRORODEO lost a trailblazer in calf roping.

Roy Cooper with sons, left, Tuf and right, Clif at the NFR. PRCA file photo

“One of the Mount Rushmore heads of calf roping is gone,” Beaver said. “Roy changed the sport of tie-down rop ing more than anybody at one point in time that’s ever roped. He brought a sense of urgency to the tie-down roping world. If you want to compete and win, from now on times have changed. Roy Cooper changed it all.” Four-time Steer Roping World Champion Rocky Patterson echoed Beaver about Coo per’s competitive nature.

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