ProRodeo Sports News - August 20, 2021

COWBOY MEMORIAM

Bob Thain left mark on rodeo world, PRCA Hall of Famer Passes Photo courtesy Linda Thain Legendary stock contractor Harry Vold, left, Bob Thain and Shawn Davis pose for a photo. When the PRCA was going through tough times, Vold and Davis asked Thain and Eldon Evans to head the reorganization efforts in 1985-86.

BY TRACY RENCK F rom selling circus tickets to joining the rodeo world to being elected to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, Robert (Bob) Thain excelled wherever he went. The rodeo world lost Thain when he passed away peacefully Monday, Aug. 2 at age 85 following a brief illness. Thain was inducted in the Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1999 as a Notable for his contributions to the sport of rodeo. He helped reorganization efforts with co-commissioners of the PRCA, was part of efforts to move the National Finals Rodeo fromOklahoma City to Las Vegas and was on the PRCA Board of Directors for nearly two decades. “I’m the one who brought him into rodeo,” ProRodeo Hall of Fame stock contractor Cotton Rosser said. “He was selling circus tickets. He met me at the airport in Santa Cruz (Calif.). When I got out of the plane, he saw me in my white hat and told me I was the man he wanted to work with. He never sold one more circus ticket. There was only one BobThain.” Thain was born in Portland, Ore., on May 27, 1936, to Robert and Thelma. The family moved to a ranch inWalnut Creek, Calif., and so began

his lifelong “WesternWay of Life.” He grew up around horses, riding his horse to the meat market in town for his mother and to school. The family went to the famous Cow Palace Rodeo every year. Thain attended Acalanes High School where he excelled mainly in football. When he was drafted, he was sent to Germany to play football for the U.S. Army. Upon his return he enrolled at Diablo Valley College, again concentrating on football. Newly married, his wife, Marilynn, and his father cautioned him that he would need to find a “real” job that would provide a decent income. Thain commented many times that his pops would never believe the salaries of pro football players. Thain did go to work for his dad’s printing company, which made the plates to print milk cartons. He traveled all over the U.S. and Mexico, establishing a printing plant in Mexico to also produce milk cartons. During his travels, he met a man who hired him to sell tickets for his circus company. Promotion suitedThain well, so he looked for other opportunities. Along came Rosser and thus beganThain’s involvement in and love of the sport of rodeo. Thain, who got his own white hat, lived an adventurous life and had

ProRodeo Sports News 8/20/2021

ProRodeo.com

44