Rich Skelton

Last updated

Rich Skelton (born June 18, 1966) is an American former professional rodeo team roping world champion and a 2018 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee. He is an eight-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) World Team Roping Champion, and is regarded as one of the most consistent team ropers of all time.

Contents


Early life

Skelton was born in Fort Worth, Texas on June 18, 1966. [1] However, he grew up mostly in Electra, Texas. [2] When Skelton was growing up, he spent every free minute he had perfecting his roping skills. [3] He attended Vernon College. [1]

Career

Skelton joined the PRCA in 1986 as a team roping heeler. [4] His first partner in team roping was hall of famer Tee Woolman. [5] In 1997 Woolman reduced his schedule, so Skelton teamed up with header hall of famer Speed Williams. [6] Their partnership continued together for 9 years. In that time, they tied or broke all existing team roping records. [4]

Skelton competed in team roping, tie-down roping, and steer roping in his entire career; and also placed fourth in the all-around once in his career. He placed in the top 15 in the World Standings going on 7 years. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 22 times, in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015. He also qualified once for the National Finals Steer Roping in 2007. The highlight, though, are the eight consecutive World Team Roping Champion titles which he and Williams earned in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. [4] [7] Rich Skelton is regarded as one of the most consistent and competitive team ropers of all time. [8] Skelton ended his career with nearly $3 million in earnings. When he retired after 2018, he was 44th in the World Standings. [1]

Awards and qualifications

Source: [9]

Award winning horses

Skelton has owned and ridden some of the most accomplished and skilled roping horses in the industry. Two of his favorites have won awards several times. Chili Dog, registered name Pets Ten, has won the AQHA/PRCA award twice, in 2004 and 2005. Roany, registered name Boons Smooth Val, won the AQHA/PRCA award four times, in 1997, 1998, 1998, and 2001. [10] [4] His horse "Z", registered name Mr. Moon Freckles, finished in a tie for third in 2006. [1]

Honors

Personal life

Skelton has since retired, and he enjoys golf and hunting. He, his wife Rhonda Smothers-Skelton, and his daughter reside in Llano, Texas. Both are barrel racers. [9] [8]

Related Research Articles

Lane Frost American bull rider

Lane Clyde Frost was an American professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He was the 1987 PRCA World Champion bull rider and a 1990 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee. He was the only rider to score qualified rides on the 1987 PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year and 1990 ProRodeo Hall of Fame bull Red Rock. He died in the arena at the 1989 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo as a result of injuries sustained when the bull Takin' Care of Business struck him after the ride.

National Finals Rodeo

The National Finals Rodeo, organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), is the premier championship rodeo event in the United States. The NFR showcases the talents of the PRCA's top 15 money-winners in each event as they compete for the world title.

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the largest rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions events in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the National Finals Rodeo. The PRCA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.

James A. Shoulders was an American professional rodeo cowboy and rancher. He is commemorated at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. At the time of his death, he was one of the most successful contestants in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), having won 16 World Championships, which was the most of any performer at that time. He was known as the 'Babe Ruth of rodeo'.

Lewis Feild was an American professional rodeo cowboy. He specialized in bareback bronc riding and saddle bronc riding and competed on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit. He was the World All-Around Cowboy Champion from 1985 to 1987 at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). He was also the World Bareback Riding Champion from 1985 to 1986. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame inducted him in 1992 in the all-around category.

From 1987 to 2010, The RAMNational Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR) was held every spring in Pocatello, Idaho. Then from 2011 to 2013, the event took place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The event moved to Guthrie, Oklahoma in 2014. In 2015, the RNCFR moved to Kissimmee, Florida. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the RNCFR was rescheduled and moved to a different location. It was ultimately held September 10 through 13 at the Stampede Arena in Greeley, Colorado. The event was closed to the public. In 2021, the RNCFR returned to Kissimmee, Florida and was held during its normal run in the springtime, but consisted of a limited and socially distanced crowd due to the ongoing pandemic. Qualification for the event comes via winning the season title or winning the average title at the circuit finals rodeo in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, or bull riding. A competitor must compete in one of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's (PRCA) 12 regional American circuits or two international circuits and qualify & win at one of the circuit finals events in order to participate in the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR).

Make It Do,, better known as Peanuts, was a Quarter Horse gelding. Peanuts was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2009. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1979.

Roy Dale Cooper is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who competed in Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) events for more than two decades. He won the All-Around Cowboy world championship in 1983 and claimed seven individual discipline championships, including six tie-down roping titles. Cooper won the PRCA's Rookie of the Year award in 1976, and was nicknamed "Super Looper" for his roping ability. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame inducted Cooper in its Tie-Down Roping category in 1979.

Trevor Brazile is an American rodeo champion who competes in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He holds the record for the most PRCA world champion titles with 26. Brazile won his 26th title in 2020. Brazile also holds the record for the most World All-Around Cowboy Champion titles at 14, breaking the record of 7 titles held by Ty Murray, Murray's last earned was in 1998.

Bull Riding Hall of Fame Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas

The Bull Riding Hall of Fame, located at the Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas, is a hall of fame for the sport of bull riding. It is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Texas, and created to "recognize, memorialize, and applaud the bull riders, bullfighters, bulls, stock contractors, events, and individuals who have had a made a historic contribution and attained stellar performance in the sport." Membership is open to fans worldwide.

Charmayne James American barrel racer

Charmayne James is a retired barrel racer who was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 1992 and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2017. The August 2017 induction ceremony was ProRodeo's 38th annual event, and marked the first time in the event's history that the class of inductees included barrel racers from the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA). James' horse, Gils Bay Boy, nicknamed Scamper, was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1996.

Phil Lyne is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who competed in the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA)/Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). Lyne was the RCA Rookie of the Year in 1969. Two seasons later at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), in 1971, he won the World All-Around Cowboy Championship and the World Tie-down Roping Championship. At the NFR in 1972, he repeated as the World All-Around Cowboy champion and added a second World Tie-down Roping Championship. Lyne won his first and only World Steer Roping Championship at the NFR in 1990. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.

Guy Allen is a ProRodeo Hall of Fame cowboy and an 18-time World Steer Roping Champion. He competes in rodeos sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He won the world title for the steer roping event 18 times when competing at the National Finals Steer Roping (NFSR) and also won the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) Average title five times. He had won the title 11 times in a row when Buster Record broke his streak. Allen is also inducted into seven rodeo halls of fame.

Mary Burger is a world barrel racing champion. She won the World Barrel Racing Championship in 2006 and 2016. Burger was 68 years old when she won the championship in 2016, setting a new record for oldest rodeo champion in any rodeo event, male or female. The record stands for the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) or the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) She broke the existing record set by Ike Rude of 59 years old in steer roping set back in 1953. She also broke the record set by Mary Walker in 2012 at 53 years old in the WPRA. Also In 2016, she became the third WPRA barrel racer to wear the No. 1 back number at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). She set a new record for season earnings, and she set a new record by becoming the oldest WPRA qualifier to the NFR at 68 years. Her horses, Mo and Fred, whom she used to win her titles with, she trained in barrel racing herself. In 2017, she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

Mary Walker, is a world champion barrel racer. She won the World Barrel Racing Championship in 2012. Despite several traumatic events in the two preceding years, she persevered. She also became the oldest woman, at 53, in rodeo to win a world championship in the barrel racing event at the National Finals Rodeo. She was later surpassed by Mary Burger in 2016 when Burger won at age 68. She lost her only child to a car accident in 2011. Two months later, Latte, her horse, fell on her during competition and severely injured her. It was about a year and a half after these incidents that she won her world title. Walker was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 2013.

Hailey Kinsel, also formerly known by her married name Hailey Kinsel Lockwood, is a three-time World Barrel Racing Champion. Kinsel won the title in 2017, 2018, and 2020 at the National Finals Rodeo. She has also won the NFR Average title once in 2020. Kinsel and her horses have qualified for the NFR four times in her years in professional rodeo, in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Kinsel has been competing in rodeo since adolescence, winning awards through high school and college in both barrel racing and breakaway roping, as well as professional rodeo. Her horse, Sister, won the Barrel Racing Horse of the Year Award in 2018.

Lindsay Sears is a Canadian professional rodeo cowgirl who specializes in barrel racing. She is a two-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) Barrel Racing World Champion. In December 2008 and 2011, she won the championship at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi is an American professional rodeo cowgirl who specializes in barrel racing. She is a two-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) Barrel Racing World Champion. In December 2007 and 2009, she won the championship at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

French Flash Hawk nicknamed Bozo won four consecutive World Barrel Racing Champion titles with his owner, Kristie Peterson. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2018. Bozo was one of the mostly widely known rodeo animal athletes of his time.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Rich Skelton Profile". Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  2. ↑ Hoffman, Brett. "Rodeo Insider: Llano roper recovering well after tractor accident". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Team roping champions headed to Hall of Fame". 101 Highland Lakes. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rich Skelton". ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Tee Woolman". ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Speed Williams". ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  7. ↑ 2020 Media Guide, ProRodeo Records and Statistics, Past World Champions - Team Roping Champions, p. 23.
  8. 1 2 "Rich Skelton - World Champion Team Roper". Priefert Manufacturing. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Wrangler Network". Wrangler Network.
  10. ↑ 2020 Media Guide, – PRCA Awards, AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year, pp. 11-12.
  11. ↑ "Rich Skelton". Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 7, 2020.

Other sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.