ProRodeo Sports News - May 12, 2023

Steiner echoed Murray’s sentiments. “I remember Larry had white boots and so I got white boots,” Steiner said. “In 1971, he came to me, and he knew I was a little out there as well, and he said, ‘Hey let’s grow our hair.’ He got noticed way more than me because he was on a huge stage. He just felt that needed to be done. Seriously, two years after that everybody did the hair thing. He wasn’t scared to step outside the box and let other people in. I was forever grateful that he asked me as a kid to grow my hair long with him. He wore fur coats. He was the Hollywood cowboy, but everybody loved him. He was the biggest thing that ever hit the sport – ever.” Legendary ProRodeo Hall of Fame announcer Bob Tallman also paid tribute to his longtime friend Mahan. “Larry and I have known each other for 52 years,” Tallman said. “He was Elvis before Elvis knew who he was. He surrounded himself with some of the most brilliant people as attorneys and writers and film people and music people and rodeo people. When he and Bobby Steiner first started letting their hair grow I remember it very well. They used to make him ride in the slack because of his long hair, Bobby Steiner as well. He knew he could beat them in the slack as well as he could in the performance. He was unique. He was retro before the term was ever used in the boot business, hat business, clothing business, and rodeo business. He was the truest all-around cowboy that we have ever had. He says, and if he could communicate today he would tell you the same thing, he thinks the greatest cowboy who ever lived is Phil Lyne. When he and Phil made the movie The Great American Cowboy (in 1973) he and Phil Lyne were the competitive parts of it and he always said, ‘I can’t warm Phil Lyne up. He can rope calves, he can trip steers, he can team rope, he can ride bulls, and broncs and bareback horses. “Larry had an aura about him and a following. People moved to him like a magnet. He never lost his thrill of what he was doing, but he also could go and compete. He was a little bit of Jim Shoulders, he was a little bit of Casey Tibbs and he was all Larry Mahan. He just had so much raw talent.” MAHAN

Above, Larry Mahan had many great memories at the National Finals Rodeo, including when he won a car in Oklahoma City, Okla. At left, Mahan does an interview with legendary sportscaster Curt Gowdy. Mahan’s appreciation of the media helped him open doors that had never been opened by cowboys before him.

James Fain and PRCA ProRodeo file photos

IN ACTION From 1963-77, Mahan set the gold stan dard for the PRCA. He became the first cowboy to capture six all-around world championships and also won two bull riding world championships. He was the “King of the Rodeo,” and tran scended the sport like no cowboy had before. Mahan became a ce lebrity by appearing in movies, being a country singer, working as a TV commentator, author ing books, and creating his own label: The Larry Mahan Collection for cowboy boots, hats and Western clothing. On this page, old video footage of Mahan to enjoy.

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ProRodeo Sports News 5/12/2023

ProRodeo.com

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