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April 20th, 2021

4/20/2021

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2020 Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame Induction Held April 17, 2021
How great to get back to our previous normal, or as close to it as we can.  Although they had to wait a year, due to the pandemic, to honor the Inductees to  the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame Induction.  It was a perfect spring day in Texas.  I headed out early to beat the traffic on I-35 and once I got behind the Brahma bulls being transported to Billy Bob’s of Texas, the largest honky-tonk in the World, I knew every things would be OK.  I pulled in to the parking lot at River Ranch on the south side of the Fort Worth Stockyards and hurried in to see old friends.   

After Cowboy Church and a tasty lunch the Induction Ceremonies began with   Darrell Barron, President, thanking everyone for coming and commented that his pro-active Board of Directors were the reason  the entire event was so successful.  Dennis Singleton from the Fort Worth City Council spoke briefly and commended the group and rodeo for it’s patriotism, it’s friendship and camaraderie.

Although the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame golf tournament on Thursday, sponsored by Little Red’s Saloon, was hampered by inclement weather with lots of lightning and thunder  the teams with 144 players realized there was no way they could play, it was decided to draw to determine the winner.   
 
The following Awards recipients were:
Johnny Boren Award:  It was President Barron that presented it to Andra Beatty who worked diligently with High school rodeo teams, and also rode roughstock.
Resistol Horizon Scholarship Honoree Recipients were:  Chisum Allen, Brinlee Freeman & Trace Harris
Special Logan Adams Scholarship recipient was Riley Harris and the Special Leonard Fluitt Scholarship recipient was Landris White.

Steven Kenyon, rodeo announcer and television personality on the Cowboy Channel, was the Master of Ceremonies, and was assisted by Ashley Polson, Miss North Texas High School Rodeo Association; Kendall Pearse the 2020/2021 Miss Rodeo North Texas Fair; and Cheyan Bland, 2020/2021 Miss Teen Rodeo North Texas Fair.

Inductee Honorees were:
Empty Saddle (deceased):  Jasbo Fulkerson,  outstanding rodeo clown that originated the barrel, he worked many rodeos including Fort Worth & Madison Square Garden.  He was killed in 1949 in a truck accident; & Foy & Jody Reynolds, owners of Rockin’ R Rodeos, and Jody was an RCA trick rider.
Rodeo Organization:  Tarleton State University Women’s Team for 1969, 1970, & 1971.  They were National Champions when they won the NIRA Womens Team three years in a row over all college women’s teams in the U. S.  Those on the team were:  Karen Walls, Sally Preston, Angie Watts Averhoff, Vicki Higgins Emerson, Connie Wilkinson Wood, Sharon Harrison Youngblood and Martha Tompkins Jordan.
Rodeo Animal:  Roughstock: Bodacious, 1995 & 1995 PRCA Bull of the Year, owned by Sammy Andrews.  The bull died in 1999.
Rodeo Animal:   Timed Event:  A steer wrestling horse named Free Malone or “Jocko” .  He carried 14  champions to  a World title, in 15 years,  and was steer wrestling horse for over 100 riders.  Jocko was owned by Lloyd Hodges and  lived to be 38.
Gold Card:  Roy Angermiller, RCA National Finals steer wrestler many times, winning the Texas Circuit steer roping twice and tying the fastest steer at two PRCA National Finals steer roping; & Jim Houston, PRCA 1964 & ‘65 Bareback World Champion, and  a successful riggin’ maker.
Western Heritage Award:  Jerry Hill, when President of the Texas Professional Rodeo Association to merge with the Central Rodeo Association  to merge, which they did  then they formed the United Professional Rodeo Association (UPRA)  to include 1600 contestants  and 280 rodeos. Becky Frazier was also inducted as she worked along side Jerry in these endeavors.
Rodeo Personnel:  Dollie Beutler Riddle, a trick rider for years, and is still a rodeo secretary for Beutler & Son Rodeo Company; & Vannie Halliday, pickup man for Harry Vold for many years, then worked for Mack Altizer and Walls Rodeo, among many others.
Women’s Contestants:  Trina Powers Hadley, a team roping heeler; & Nancy Gault Mayes, a successful barrel racer who learned under Wanda Bush.
Men’s Contestants:  Royd Doyal, PBR & PRCA NFR bull rider; Casey McGlaun was a roughstock rider who won the 1984 Texas PRCA Circuit Finals All-Around, and runner-up in the bull riding later he successfully trained roping horses; Matt Austin,  PRCA bullrider winning the World Championship & NFR average in 2005;  Leonard Fluitt, 1979 Steer Wrestling Rookie of the Year and a three-time qualifier to the Texas Circuit Finals; Jason Jeter, PRCA NFR bareback rider numerous times who was second  in 2002 and won the average;  Pete Hawkins, PRCA NFR bareback rider in late 1990s and early 2000s and was runner-up to the world championship in 1999.
 
For those who left before it was over, as Pete Hawkins said, “Their loss.”  For those of us who stayed we have decided that Pete should make a career  move and be a comedian on  TV – He’s hilarious!
 
These inductees did many, many things in the world of rodeo, but to keep it brief only their major wins and activities are mentioned here.  Go to the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame Facebook or website for more information.
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April 14th, 2021

4/14/2021

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The Rodeo World Mourns the Loss of Derek Clark
Derek Clark, of Colcord, OK.,  passed away April 8th, 2021, after a lengthy illness.  He was a fourth generation professional rodeo cowboy and fifteen year National Finals Rodeo saddle bronc qualifier.  Derek was the first-born to Duke and Donna Kay Beals Clark, on September 3, 1960. He followed his dad, Duke and his grandfather, Charley Beals’ rodeo careers as a roughstock rodeo contestant.  His great-grandfather, Monroe Veach was a rodeo producer, trick roper, and founded Veach Saddlery in Trenton, MO. in 1919. 

Derek won the 1978 Oklahoma High School Saddle Bronc title; the 1984 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Saddle Bronc title, and twelve Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Circuit titles, plus the 1991 Dodge National Circuit Finals Bronc Riding Championship.  He was Reserve PRCA Saddle Bronc World Champion in 1990.

His grandparents, Charley & Imogene Beals, received a telephone call, while touring in Australia, when Derek won the saddle bronc riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1986.  He qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo fifteen times from 1983 through 1999, only missing 1984 and 1997.  He won the various PRCA Series Saddle Bronc Championships sponsored by Copenhagen/Skoal for  three years; Dodge for seven years; Coca Cola twice; and Coors for three years and was a member of the Winston Tour Series for 1985 and 1986.  Derek also won the Denver National Western Rodeo in 1983, 1989 & 1991 and the Great Lakes Circuit All-Around Champion, 1998.

The handsome saddle bronc rider was voted Coors Fans Favorite Cowboy in 1993, and had a twenty year career as a professional rodeo competitor.  He was also involved in the PRCA Board of Directors (1998 – 2005) and the NFR Committee Board (1999 through 2005).  He was a Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for six years and became the Chairman in January, 2005.  He was forced to resign in August due to injury sustained at the Springdale, Arkansas PRCA Rodeo in July of that year.

Derek’s commitment to professional rodeo never waned.  He followed his grandfather’s advice by collecting every bit of rodeo memorabilia and photographs and making friendships with numerous rodeo competitors. Charley told him, “When your rodeo career is over those are your rewards.”

Derek was inducted in to the Rodeo Historical Society Rodeo Hall of Fame, located in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, at Oklahoma City,  in 2018.  He proudly followed his grandfather Charley Beals, inducted in 2010.   Derek was quoted as saying “He sacrificed a lot for me and my brothers to be able to rodeo.”   His grandmother, Imogene Veach Beals received the Tad Lucas Memorial Award and his great-grandfather, Monroe Veach was inducted in 1993.  

Derek is survived by his three children, son Chase, and daughters Chelsea and husband Reece Roberts, and Dally Kay Clark;  Toni Mathis, his devoted companion of many years; his parents, Duke and Donna Kay Clark, and brothers, Doug and wife Linda & Drew and wife Darby, plus nieces & nephews; great-aunts Letty McAlister and Peggy Robinson and families; and extended families.  Derek was also inducted in to the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, in Fort Worth, and several other rodeo halls.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, April 24, at 11 AM at the Oliver Angus Ranch Arena, 11811 Douglas Cemetery Road, Gentry, Arkansas 72734.  It is located near the XNA Regional Airport in Northwest Arkansas.  Derek’s final resting place will be the Clark-Beals Ranch Memorial Park, Colcord, OK.

Author’s  addition:
My association with Derek’s family has been over the last 30 plus years.  Charley Beals, his grandfather, saw something in me when I went to my first gathering at the National Finals Rodeo to research and interview people for my first book on rodeo history.  He introduced me to many rodeo champions, rodeo clowns, cowboys and cowgirls.  It was he and wife, Imogene that recommended me to write articles for The Ketch Pen for 3+ years.  Imogene and I were rodeo traveling partners for over 15 years, after Charley died.  We traveled to New York, Florida,  Pendleton RoundUp, Cheyenne Frontier Days and many other major rodeos and gatherings in between.  Imogene, daughter Donna Kay and I went to the big island, Hawaii to the Parker Ranch Rodeo. 

My family is small, theirs was not.  I spent lots of time with them and will say I was amazed and so blessed to be included in such a family that has such a tremendous commitment to rodeo and to each other.  When we would run in to Derek, or his brother, Doug, at some distant rodeo where they were entered, they often shook their head in wonder.  Derek once told his parents, he thought his grandmother got to more rodeos than he did.  Derek has now rejoined Charley and Imogene, God bless them all. 
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    Gail Hughbanks Woerner is one of rodeo's foremost historians, having written hundred of articles and six books on the subject. She has interviewed hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls,

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