ProRodeo Sports News - February 19, 2021

150 YEARS OF HISTORY

the way for guys like me, John Douch and Shad Mayfield because there weren’t many African American cowboys in the history of ProRodeo,” tie-down roper Cory Solomon told PSN recently. “Those guys paved the way, and we have learned from them and watched them to give ourselves a chance to go and do what God has given us the talent to do.” Solomon has qualified for the NFR seven times – 2011-12, 2015-18 and in 2020 as a replacement for Caleb Smidt. “We had guys pave the way for me to even have thought that I could compete in ProRodeo,” said tie-down roper King Pickett, 21.

“I remember asking Freckles (Brown), ‘What do I have to do to win the world?’ He said, ‘Myrtis, you keep riding bulls like you’re riding and turn white.’ I knew right then I wouldn’t win a world championship because I was too early.” – MYRTIS DIGHTMAN

African American ProRodeo history goes back further than Dightman. Bill Pickett, an African American born in 1870, is credited with founding bulldogging, or steer wrestling, as it is known today. Pickett’s legend started when he bit the lip of a recalcitrant steer to wrestle it to the dirt to get it into the corral. The public got its first glimpse at Pickett’s bulldogging in 1900 at the Arkansas Valley Fair in Rocky Ford, Colo. Shortly after, more than 20,000 spectators saw Pickett perform his steer wrestling technique at Cheyenne (Wyo.)

“There aren’t very many African Americans competing in ProRodeo but the ones who are, are doing pretty good, like Shad winning the world last year and Cory qualifying for the NFR multiple times. I haven’t made the Finals, but

Frontier Days, not knowing they were seeing what would become a future competitive event. Pickett was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1989. “We had guys who were the best of the best in ProRodeo and they paved

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James Fain photo GOLD BUCKLE: Bull rider Charlie Sampson had an 82-point ride on Burns Rodeo’s Down Draft in Round 4 of the 1982 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Sampson placed third in the round and went on to win the world championship with $91,402.

Ferrel Butler photo NFR REGULAR: Bull rider Myrtis Dightman rode No. 451 Booger Bear during the 1968 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Dightman qualified for the NFR in 1966-70 and 1972. He finished a career-best third in the world standings in 1967.

ProRodeo Sports News 2/19/2021

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