Induction Weekend Rodeo Historical Society
Rodeo Hall of Fame
Six inductees entered the prestigious Rodeo Historical Society Rodeo Hall of Fame last weekend, plus an honoree of the Tad Lucas Memorial Award and an honoree of the Ben Johnson Memorial Award. All were well qualified and were honored to be chosen. At the Saturday night event those recipients were as follows:
Jake Barnes, of Scottsdale, AZ and Clay O’Brien Cooper, from Gardnerville, NV, were inducted independently although they won 7 PRCA World Championships in Team Roping together: 1985, ’86, ’87 ’88, ’89, ’92, ’94. They both qualified many years for the National Finals Rodeo, Barnes went 27 years and O'brien-Cooper qualified 29 times.
They broke many records in Team Roping too numerous to mention. Both had other partners at times but were an amazing duo. Jake qualified for the National Finals in his rookie year at PRCA. Jake had a horse fall with him in November 2015 and he incurred a traumatic brain injury which kept him out of competition for the Finals, however, he is back in the saddle and competing this year.
Clay was a child actor and made his screen debut in the 1972 film The Cowboys with John Wayne. He went on to make more movies as a child, but when roping got to be his passion. In addition to his World Championships, he has been a National Finals Rodeo average champion four times. Clay is active in youth ministry.
Ote Berry, of Checotah, OK, was a four-time PRCA World Champion steer wrestler, winning in 1985, ’90, ’91 and ’95. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 14 times. He also hazed for other steer wrestlers at the National Finals six years. Ote Berry won 20 total NFR go-rounds in his career in the arena, and seven of those were in the last round at the Finals. Among the many wins he had during his years in rodeo were Calgary, Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, Reno, San Antonio, San Francisco, Pecos, and Cheyenne. Berry was invited back to compete at the American Rodeo as one of the Legends of Rodeo in 2014 and 2015.
Bud and Jimmie Munroe, who married in 1980, were inducted together. Both had outstanding rodeo careers and both were World Champions, Bud in the PRCA Saddle Bronc event in 1986 and Jimmie in the WPRA Barrel Racing, in 1974, then she won theAll-Around Barrel Racing and Tie Down in ’75. Additionally, They were both NIRA champions. They have given back so much to the sport of rodeo. Bud was involved heavily in PRCA as a Saddle Bronc Director and also on the Grievance Committee.
Jimmie was WPRA President from 1979 to 1992 and again in 2011 & 2012. She was involved in getting equal monies for barrel racers, electronic timers, and more sponsors. Both Bud and Jimmie are deeply involved in their community at Waco, TX in the rodeos held there throughout the year.
Wick Peth, of Bow, WA, a World Champion Bullfighter, who changed the profession of bullfighting by his outstanding ability to save bull riders from injury, and his extensive knowledge of bulls. When Wick began his career in the arena he wore the makeup and baggies of the rodeo clown, had some acts, too. You see before that the rodeo clown did it all – acting as a funnyman during the rodeo until the bull riding when he got serious and kept bull riders from getting hurt or worse. Wick wasn’t funny, and it was soon discovered by the powers that be in rodeo. But, he was so good at bullfighting they hired him anyway. He was picked to fight bulls at the National Finals Rodeo eight times in the 1960s & 70’s, and he was an alternate four different years.
Walt Linderman passed away in 2005, and son Jay & widow, Dorothy, accepted his medallion. Walt was raised Red Lodge, Montana, and ranched and was a three event cowboy until 1961 when he began concentrating strictly on steer wrestling. He was runner-up to the Steer Wrestling World Champ three times, and won the National Finals Average in 1967. He also had a steer wrestling horse, named Scottie, that was ridden by as few as four or as many as seven different National Finals Steer Wrestling cowboys any given year during the years of his reign.. Scottie took three different steer wrestlers to World Championships in 1965, 66 and 68 and won 6 NFR averages for steer wrestlers. Walt knew Scottie had won over 3 million $ for those that rode him. Walt also had many steer wretling schools throughout the country, passing on his talent and ability in the event, to those coming in to the event later.
The Tad Lucas Memorial Award the honoree was Amberley Snyder of Utah who started riding horses at 3 and won the All-Around at the Little Britches Finals in 2009. She was also FFA President and after graduation from high school took the year off the complete her duties. On her way to Denver in January 2010, she rolled her pickup on I80 east of Rawlins Wyoming. She was thrown out of the pickup, hit a fence post. She was rushed from Rawlins to Casper, Wyoming, where she had surgery and it was determined the extent of her injuries. She is paralyzed from the waist down. She told her doctors and therapists that she would walk again, ride her horses again and rodeo. Although she has to be in a wheelchair, she was determined. She has quite a story of her recovery and determination. She and has become a motivational speaker. She rides her horses now, competes in breakaway roping and barrel racing and qualified for her Pro- card this year. Additionally, she has become a motivational speaker and travels the country telling her story. Tad Lucas would be proud to know she was chosen as the 2016 recipient.
Jack Roddy was the honoree for 2016 Ben Johnson Memorial Award. Jack was a two-time World Champion Steer Wrestler 1966 and 1968. He rode Walt Linderman’s horse, Scottie and Walt hazed for him, and he hazed for Walt. But this award is given to men who give back to the sport of rodeo once they have retired from competing. Jack has done so much for rodeo in various venues. He was on the Board of the PRCA for many years. He helped turn the Senior ProRodeo Association around and make it profitable.
He has been very involved in Animal Rights issues, not only for the sport of rodeo but also for the cattle industry. He held the first and only Golf Tournament sponsored by Rodeo Historical Society at his ranch in Brentwood California. He accepts cattle raised in Hawaii that graze on his ranch before they go to slaughter. Jack graduated from CalPoly and has continued to support and donate to the school. He also invited school children to his ranch to learn about the world of ranching and that milk and food doesn’t just come from the grocery store. Jack also assisted Gordon Davis and Cecil Jones, who originated the Ben Johnson Memorial Award in many ways. He never expected to be chosen as a Ben Johnson Memorial Award Honoree, however, the men who received the honor before him are the decision-makers in who is selected and Jack Roddy was their choice – hands down. He assisted Gordon Davis and Cecil Jones who originated the Ben Johnson Memorial Award – and never expected to be an honoree.
If you are not a member of the Rodeo Historical Society please become one and be able to vote for your favorite cowboys and cowgirls. There are various levels of membership, but the lowest is only $35 a year. Other benefits include two issues of The Ketch Pen, a biannual magazine devoted to rodeo history. Year-round admission for two to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Invitations to rodeo-related events held there. Opportunities to participate in a special Wrangler National Finals ticket offer once a year. Tax deductible membership. 10% discount in the Museum Store on-site and on-line.
Jake Barnes, of Scottsdale, AZ and Clay O’Brien Cooper, from Gardnerville, NV, were inducted independently although they won 7 PRCA World Championships in Team Roping together: 1985, ’86, ’87 ’88, ’89, ’92, ’94. They both qualified many years for the National Finals Rodeo, Barnes went 27 years and O'brien-Cooper qualified 29 times.
They broke many records in Team Roping too numerous to mention. Both had other partners at times but were an amazing duo. Jake qualified for the National Finals in his rookie year at PRCA. Jake had a horse fall with him in November 2015 and he incurred a traumatic brain injury which kept him out of competition for the Finals, however, he is back in the saddle and competing this year.
Clay was a child actor and made his screen debut in the 1972 film The Cowboys with John Wayne. He went on to make more movies as a child, but when roping got to be his passion. In addition to his World Championships, he has been a National Finals Rodeo average champion four times. Clay is active in youth ministry.
Ote Berry, of Checotah, OK, was a four-time PRCA World Champion steer wrestler, winning in 1985, ’90, ’91 and ’95. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 14 times. He also hazed for other steer wrestlers at the National Finals six years. Ote Berry won 20 total NFR go-rounds in his career in the arena, and seven of those were in the last round at the Finals. Among the many wins he had during his years in rodeo were Calgary, Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, Reno, San Antonio, San Francisco, Pecos, and Cheyenne. Berry was invited back to compete at the American Rodeo as one of the Legends of Rodeo in 2014 and 2015.
Bud and Jimmie Munroe, who married in 1980, were inducted together. Both had outstanding rodeo careers and both were World Champions, Bud in the PRCA Saddle Bronc event in 1986 and Jimmie in the WPRA Barrel Racing, in 1974, then she won theAll-Around Barrel Racing and Tie Down in ’75. Additionally, They were both NIRA champions. They have given back so much to the sport of rodeo. Bud was involved heavily in PRCA as a Saddle Bronc Director and also on the Grievance Committee.
Jimmie was WPRA President from 1979 to 1992 and again in 2011 & 2012. She was involved in getting equal monies for barrel racers, electronic timers, and more sponsors. Both Bud and Jimmie are deeply involved in their community at Waco, TX in the rodeos held there throughout the year.
Wick Peth, of Bow, WA, a World Champion Bullfighter, who changed the profession of bullfighting by his outstanding ability to save bull riders from injury, and his extensive knowledge of bulls. When Wick began his career in the arena he wore the makeup and baggies of the rodeo clown, had some acts, too. You see before that the rodeo clown did it all – acting as a funnyman during the rodeo until the bull riding when he got serious and kept bull riders from getting hurt or worse. Wick wasn’t funny, and it was soon discovered by the powers that be in rodeo. But, he was so good at bullfighting they hired him anyway. He was picked to fight bulls at the National Finals Rodeo eight times in the 1960s & 70’s, and he was an alternate four different years.
Walt Linderman passed away in 2005, and son Jay & widow, Dorothy, accepted his medallion. Walt was raised Red Lodge, Montana, and ranched and was a three event cowboy until 1961 when he began concentrating strictly on steer wrestling. He was runner-up to the Steer Wrestling World Champ three times, and won the National Finals Average in 1967. He also had a steer wrestling horse, named Scottie, that was ridden by as few as four or as many as seven different National Finals Steer Wrestling cowboys any given year during the years of his reign.. Scottie took three different steer wrestlers to World Championships in 1965, 66 and 68 and won 6 NFR averages for steer wrestlers. Walt knew Scottie had won over 3 million $ for those that rode him. Walt also had many steer wretling schools throughout the country, passing on his talent and ability in the event, to those coming in to the event later.
The Tad Lucas Memorial Award the honoree was Amberley Snyder of Utah who started riding horses at 3 and won the All-Around at the Little Britches Finals in 2009. She was also FFA President and after graduation from high school took the year off the complete her duties. On her way to Denver in January 2010, she rolled her pickup on I80 east of Rawlins Wyoming. She was thrown out of the pickup, hit a fence post. She was rushed from Rawlins to Casper, Wyoming, where she had surgery and it was determined the extent of her injuries. She is paralyzed from the waist down. She told her doctors and therapists that she would walk again, ride her horses again and rodeo. Although she has to be in a wheelchair, she was determined. She has quite a story of her recovery and determination. She and has become a motivational speaker. She rides her horses now, competes in breakaway roping and barrel racing and qualified for her Pro- card this year. Additionally, she has become a motivational speaker and travels the country telling her story. Tad Lucas would be proud to know she was chosen as the 2016 recipient.
Jack Roddy was the honoree for 2016 Ben Johnson Memorial Award. Jack was a two-time World Champion Steer Wrestler 1966 and 1968. He rode Walt Linderman’s horse, Scottie and Walt hazed for him, and he hazed for Walt. But this award is given to men who give back to the sport of rodeo once they have retired from competing. Jack has done so much for rodeo in various venues. He was on the Board of the PRCA for many years. He helped turn the Senior ProRodeo Association around and make it profitable.
He has been very involved in Animal Rights issues, not only for the sport of rodeo but also for the cattle industry. He held the first and only Golf Tournament sponsored by Rodeo Historical Society at his ranch in Brentwood California. He accepts cattle raised in Hawaii that graze on his ranch before they go to slaughter. Jack graduated from CalPoly and has continued to support and donate to the school. He also invited school children to his ranch to learn about the world of ranching and that milk and food doesn’t just come from the grocery store. Jack also assisted Gordon Davis and Cecil Jones, who originated the Ben Johnson Memorial Award in many ways. He never expected to be chosen as a Ben Johnson Memorial Award Honoree, however, the men who received the honor before him are the decision-makers in who is selected and Jack Roddy was their choice – hands down. He assisted Gordon Davis and Cecil Jones who originated the Ben Johnson Memorial Award – and never expected to be an honoree.
If you are not a member of the Rodeo Historical Society please become one and be able to vote for your favorite cowboys and cowgirls. There are various levels of membership, but the lowest is only $35 a year. Other benefits include two issues of The Ketch Pen, a biannual magazine devoted to rodeo history. Year-round admission for two to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Invitations to rodeo-related events held there. Opportunities to participate in a special Wrangler National Finals ticket offer once a year. Tax deductible membership. 10% discount in the Museum Store on-site and on-line.
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