ProRodeo Sports News - December 16, 2022

Vera (Walker) Peterson in Greeley, Colo.Peterson worked as a pickup-man for Mike Cervi and Cervi Rodeo Company and also worked for Beutler and Sons. In 1980, he was a NFR pickup man. In the 1990s, Peterson served as the NFR Assistant Livestock Superintendent. JIMMY ROSS POWERS Jimmy Ross Powers (aka “Silver and later known as “Pops”) passed away on May 15, in San Antonio, Texas. He was 79. Powers served 36 years on the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Committee and served 12 years as the Texas Circuit Director and President. Jimmy Ross was born July 7, 1942, inWinters, Texas, to Milford Louis and Eleanor Marzee (Williams) Powers. JEFF COPENHAVER Jeff Copenhaver, the 1975 PRCAWorld Champion Tie-Down Roper, and an instrumental figure in the cowboy ministry, passed away May 17 in Granbury, Texas. He was 73. Copenhaver is the son of the late ProRodeo Hall of Famer and two-time Saddle Bronc Riding World Champion Deb Copenhaver. Jeff qualified for the National Finals Rodeo six times – 1971, 1973-76 and 1978. He was fourth and fifth in the world standings in 1974 and ‘76 and was the world champ in 1975. JIM HILL JimHill, a bullfighter, barrelman and funnyman, passed away in Enid, Okla., June 18. He was 78. Hill worked for rodeo producers Walt Alsbaugh, Christensen Brothers, R.S.C., Andy Jauregui, Cotton Rosser, Billy Minick, Jim Shoulders, Neal Gay and more from 1959 to 1995. He worked beside George Doak, Frank McElvain, John Routh, Kajun Kidd, Wayne Cornish, Duane Reichert, Bunky Boger, Bob Romer, Gary Parli and Tom Lucia. COTTON ROSSER ProRodeo Hall of Fame stock contractor Cotton Rosser passed away June 22 at his home in Marysville, Calif. He was 93. Cotton Rosser was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1995. Rosser and his son, Reno, operated the Flying U Rodeo and Rosser Rodeo stock contracting companies based in Marysville, Calif. They produce about 50 rodeos a year. In 1985, Rosser was named PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year. Cotton was named the 2019 Legend of ProRodeo and received the PRCA Donita Barnes Contract Personnel Lifetime Achievement award in 2015. ARDITH BRUCE Ardith Bruce, who was tough as nails competing in barrel racing into her 80s, and was inducted posthumously on July 16 at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Bruce joined the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA) now the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) in 1960 reaching the pinnacle of the sport in 1964 when she won the world title aboard a horse known as Red. JAMES CAAN Star actor James Caan, who passed away July 6, was a PRCA competitor. Caan, the veteran screen actor most known for his work in “The Godfather,” passed away on July 6. He was 82. What fans of Caan may not realize is he was PRCA tie-down roper and team roper. Caan earned $2,404 in his PRCA career – in team roping. He became interested in roping when he on location in Nebraska, filming the movie “The Rain People,” which came out in 1969. BRENDA BINION MICHAEL A well-known figure in the rodeo community, Brenda Binion Michael of Amarillo Texas, died July 27. She was 81. In 2015, she was recognized with rodeo’s Ken Stemler Pioneer Award “for her commitment to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame with her continued support of the Benny BinionWorld Famous Bucking Horse and Bull Sale, which benefits the Hall of Fame and youth educational scholarships.” Brenda was the third of five children born to Benny

and Teddy Jane Binion.

NEAL GAY World renowned Stock Contractor Neal Gay, a ProRodeo Hall of Famer, passed away Aug. 11 at his ranch in Terrell, Texas. He was 96. Gay was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1993. His professional rodeo career began as a contestant in Atoka, Okla., in 1945. Born June 25, 1926, in Dallas, Gay rode bulls, saddle broncs and barebacks and wrestled steers. His contestant years were quickly overshadowed by his stock contracting and rodeo production skills. In 1957, Gay founded Rafter G Rodeo, which still runs strong in the heart of Texas three generations later. In May 1958, Gay put Mesquite, Texas, on the map with the opening of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo in partnership with several other cowboys. OUNCIE MITCHELL ProRodeo bull rider Demetrius Allen died Sept. 12. Allen, known as Ouncie Mitchell, was killed in what police say was an incident of domestic violence. This was Mitchell’s rookie season with the PRCA. He was 27 years old and was 24th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. His ProRodeo career was off to a promising start. He won the Tri-State Rodeo in Fort Madison, Iowa, just two days before his death and had earned $71,670 in his first season. F. ROLLIE GIBBS F. Rollie Gibbs, former ProRodeo steer wrestler and president of Helldorado Days, passed away in Las Vegas, Sept. 16. He was 87. Born Sept. 9, 1935, in Las Vegas on the Miller Ranch, Gibbs participated in the Helldorado Days Parade when he was just a year old when his older brother drove a cart pulled by a pair of goats. Little did he know he would win the steer wrestling at that rodeo in 1956 and then become the president of Helldorado Days later. He rode bulls in high school, and later went professional in steer wrestling. BUSTER RECORD JR. Buster Record Jr., who won the 2002 PRCA Steer Roping World Championship, passed away Oct. 21 in Oklahoma City. He was 66. Record Jr. was a 16-time qualifier for the National Finals Steer Roping (1992, 1994 2008) and he finished in the top five in the world standings seven times. Record, who lived in Buffalo, Okla., capped his 2002 world championship winning season with $56,575 and ended legendary Guy Allen’s run of 11 straight world titles. THOMAS RUMFORD Thomas ‘Tommy’ Lynn Rumford, who co-owned Rumford Rodeo Company, and was involved with the sport of rodeo his entire life, passed away Oct. 19 in Wichita, Kan. He was 68. Rumford, whose older brother Bronc was named the recipient of the 2022 Donita Barnes Lifetime Achievement, worked with the timed-event crew at the National Finals Rodeo for more than two decades. Powder River Rodeo’s SweetPro’s Bruiser, a superstar award-winning bull in the PRCA, passed away May 17. He was 11. SweetPro’s Bruiser was the 2017 PRCA Bull of the Year and was second in 2018. Bruiser also was top bull of the NFR in 2015 and 2017, and 2019. He retired in October of 2021. FAMOUS DEX Brookman Rodeo’s Famous Dex passed away at nine years old. Famous Dex’s final out came at the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up on Sept. 17. After bucking off Ty Breuer in the finals, the horse lost its footing on the dirt, suffering a leg injury. Famous Dex exited the arena on his own and was brought back to the family ranch in Sidney, Mont., but unfortunately had to be put down. Famous Dex competed at the past twoWrangler National Finals Rodeos. STOCK POWDER RIVER RODEO’S SWEETPRO’S BRUISER

ProRodeo Sports News 12/16/2022

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