ProRodeo Sports News - Jan. 7, 2022

IN MEMORIAM ... BARRY BURK

Legend Passes

DeVere Helfrich photo

Rodeo star Barry Burk surveys the landscape during the prime of his career.

Hall of Famer Burk qualified for the NFR 18 times

BY TRACY RENCK P roRodeo Hall of Fame tie-down roper Barry Burk passed away Dec. 16. He was 79. Burk, who was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1994 and qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 18 times – 16 in tie-down roping (1964- 77, 1979-80) and twice in steer wrestling (1963, 1969). He also competed as a team roping header at the 1968 NFR. “He loved rodeo, he loved the rodeo way of life, and he loved the people who he got to be friends with and meet through rodeo,” said Blair, Barry’s son. “In the Burk family, rodeo is just a family tradition for us. My dad had a lot of good statements, and he loved his life and he loved rodeo life and he had a good time while he was here.” Blair followed in his father’s footsteps as a tie-down roper and is a 14-

time qualifier for the NFR, 1995-2007 and 2009. Barry’s father, Dee Burk, was a top-notch rodeo

performer who taught him the intricacies of roping and rodeo. His uncle, Jiggs, was another standout roper and his uncle, Clyde, was a four-time tie-down roping world champion (1936, ‘38, ‘42, ‘44) who was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame with the inaugural class in 1979 – the same year Clyde’s horse, Baldy, was enshrined. Just how good was Barry Burk? Well, he’s widely known as the best roper never to have won a gold buckle. From 1967 to 1975, Burk was a perennial contender for the tie-down roping world championship. He was second in the world standings from 1967-70, was third in 1971, second in 1972-73, third in 1974 and runner- up again in ‘75. He had also finished third in the world in 1964 at the age of 22.

ProRodeo Sports News 1/7/2022

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