COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – It’s a special weekend for everyone involved, a one-of-a-kind affair that draws hundreds of rodeo fans, contestants and industry leaders to Colorado Springs, Colo., each July. The annual ProRodeo Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, set for 10 a.m. MT on July 12 in the garden area, pays tribute to the best of the best in the sport of ProRodeo, and this year will be no different. Nine people, one talented horse and 16 rodeo committees will take their places alongside the greatest names the sport has ever known and will be forever enshrined in the elite Hall.
This year’s inductees are: all-around cowboy Paul Tierney of Oral, S.D.; team roper Bobby Hurley of Clarksville, Ark.; late steer roper Shaun Burchett of Pryor, Okla.; saddle bronc rider Tom Reeves of Ranger, Texas; the late Feek Tooke (stock contractor); Trails End (rodeo livestock); specialty act performers Leon and Vicki Adams (contract personnel); Duane Howard (rodeo notable); and the late Buddy Lytle (lifetime achievement). The 16 rodeo committees being inducted are: the Buffalo Bill Rodeo (North Platte, Neb.); Calgary (Alberta) Stampede; California Rodeo Salinas; Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days; the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Pocatello, Idaho); Grand National Rodeo, Horse and Stock Show (San Francisco); Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Tucson, Ariz.); National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver); Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up; Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Reno (Nev.) Rodeo; San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo; Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show (Fort Worth, Texas); West of the Pecos (Texas) Rodeo; and Prescott (Ariz.) Frontier Days – the World’s Oldest Rodeo.
With this year’s class, the total number of inductees will grow to 206 people, 25 animals and 16 rodeo committees. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, making this year’s Induction Ceremony even more special. ProRodeo Hall of Fame announcer Hadley Barrett will serve as the event’s emcee.
The induction ceremony is just one of a number of events during the Hall of Fame weekend, as the Hall of Fame organizers have set up a solid lineup for the celebration. The annual ProRodeo Hall of Fame Golf Tournament and Fundraiser will be held at the prestigious Broadmoor resort on July 11. Later that night, a Cowboy Dinner for inductees and their families will take place at the Hall of Fame.
Induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame is considered the highest accolade in the sport. While more than 100 nominations are submitted annually, only a small percentage is selected to join this elite group.
More than 50,000 visitors annually visit the 30,000 square-foot facility that is located adjacent to the national headquarters of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and on a 20-acre site in Colorado Springs.
