Roy Cooper (rodeo cowboy)

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This article is about the former New Mexico rodeo cowboy. For the current Governor of North Carolina, see Roy Cooper.

Roy Dale Cooper (born November 13, 1955)[1] 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 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.[2] The ProRodeo Hall of Fame inducted Cooper in its Tie-Down Roping category in 1979.

Early life[edit]

Cooper was born in Hobbs, New Mexico, and raised on a ranch.[2][3] He suffered from asthma in his youth, and hair from horses caused him allergies.[3] However, he began to practice roping when he was three to five years old, depending on the source.[3][4] Cooper stopped being affected by asthma prior to attending high school,[2] and he competed in American Junior Rodeo Association events, winning an award as "outstanding individual in 25 years" in 1977.[3] Two years earlier, he had won the calf-roping title of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association; his father, Tuffy, won the organization's title in the discipline in 1950.[5] He went to Southeastern Oklahoma State University and was a journalism major.[4]

Rodeo career[edit]

In his rookie PRCA season, 1976, Cooper won the organization's tie-down roping championship and led the event in average earnings at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). He broke the record for the most prize money won by a rookie cowboy, and earned the PRCA's Rookie of the Year award. In 1977, Cooper was the third-leading earner at the NFR's roping event.[3] At the 1978 Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo, he led all cowboys in prize money won, and his calf-roping winnings were the largest recorded in any non-NFR event at the time.[6] After breaking one of his wrists the previous year,[7] Cooper won his second calf-roping season championship in 1980, and had a third-place NFR average earnings finish in the discipline.[8] The following year, he earned his second straight season calf-roping title. However, he narrowly lost out on the PRCA's all-around season championship to his cousin, Jimmie Cooper, who earned $47.60 more in prize money than he did during 1981.[9]

Cooper had almost $100,000 in earnings in 1981, and was approaching $400,000 in career earnings in 1982.[7] He won his third consecutive PRCA tie-down roping championship, and fourth overall, in 1982, rallying from a prize money deficit of nearly $15,000 at the season-ending NFR. A second-place finish in that event's tie-down roping competition was enough for him to pass Jerry Jetton, the previous leader. Cooper's total earnings for the year neared $100,000 again, and in the season-long all-around competition, he placed fourth.[10] In 1983, Cooper won the all-around championship, National Finals Steer Roping (NFSR) title, and calf-roping championship. This made him the first PRCA competitor since 1958 to win three discipline season championships,[11] and the fourth in PRCA history.[12] Cooper broke the record for yearly prize winnings with $153,390.84 in earnings,[11] and claimed all-around and tie-down roping average earnings titles at the NFR.[13] In calf roping, he set a season record in earnings with $122,455 for the year.[12]

After holding the lead in the all-around standings late in the NFR, Cooper ended up in second place for the year, behind Dee Pickett. He did manage to win his fifth straight calf roping season championship.[14] In steer roping, Cooper was unable to defend his 1983 championship title; he was in seventh place before a win in the discipline at the NFSR caused him to move up to fourth for the year.[15] In 1985, Cooper wound up second in calf roping for the season,[16] though he was the discipline's champion in the Winston Tour series.[17] He won the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo's all-around title in 1989,[18] and by September 1990 was the PRCA's all-time leading money winner with career earnings of more than $1.1 million. Cooper was in sixth place in the 1990 PRCA NFSR standings, before breaking his left wrist and suffering a concussion in an automobile accident.[19]

Cooper eventually returned to competition, but had another injury setback in 1993, when he pulled a groin and missed three months of rodeos. Later that year, he won all-around and steer-roping championships at Cheyenne Frontier Days.[20] In 1994, he was out of action for much of the year after rotator cuff surgeries. He claimed a calf-roping title at the 1995 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.[21] Later in the year he had the fastest average calf-roping time at the NFR, which was later described as Cooper's "favorite moment" at the event.[22] Cooper finished second in the all-around standings in 1996.[23] That year, he led the NFSR in average earnings in steer roping; Cooper became the first cowboy to win four NFR average steer roping titles, a record that has since been surpassed by Guy Allen. It was the eighth NFR average title of his career and his ninth overall NFR championship, counting his 1983 all-around victory. As of 2016, he was second among cowboys in NFR titles, behind Trevor Brazile, and first with all-around championships excluded.[13] At a 2000 rodeo in Lovington, New Mexico, he surpassed $2 million in earnings; Cooper was the first to reach this mark in rodeo.[24] As of 2011, Cooper remained a part-time competitor in rodeo events.[25] By 2016, he had retired.[26]

Family[edit]

Several members of Cooper's family have competed in rodeo events. His father Tuffy was a PRCA cowboy who was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1998; he taught roping to Roy when he was a child.[4][5] Cooper's sister, Betty Gayle, was a champion in cowgirl events and is in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame. He also had a brother, Clay, who was a professional rodeo cowboy, as was his cousin Jimmie.[5][9] Cooper has three sons—Clif, Clint, and Tuf—who are cowboys. They all participated in the 2010 NFR's tie-down roping event, making it the first time three brothers had done so.[25] Tuf won three PRCA tie-down roping world championships in 2011, 2012, and 2014, and was the winner of the 2017 PRCA all-around world title.[27] Cooper's stepdaughter, Shada, is married to Trevor Brazile, a 26-time PRCA world champion.[27][28]

Legacy[edit]

Inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1979, Cooper was part of the Hall's inaugural class of enshrinees in the category of Tie-Down Roping.[2][22][29] For his skills in calf roping, he acquired the nickname of "Super Looper".[2] The ProRodeo Hall of Fame calls Cooper "one of the most dominant ropers in the history of the sport."[2] He was noted for his speed and quick hands, in addition to his rope-tossing ability. Calf roping champion Toots Mansfield said of Cooper that he had "perfected the art of roping and tying a calf about as far as it can be perfected."[3] Fellow cowboy Joe Beaver praised Cooper's consistency and ability to avoid errors and said, "At his prime, he had no competition."[27] Cooper and other members of his family have founded the Cooper Rodeo Foundation, which aids children and young adults in rodeo.[30]

Awards[edit]

  • 1976 PRCA Rookie of the Year award[3]
  • 1976, 1980–84 PRCA calf-roping world championship[31]
  • 1983 PRCA steer-roping world championship[31]
  • 1983 PRCA all-around world championship[31]

Honors[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Everett, Dianna. "Cooper, Roy Dale (1955– )". Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Roy Cooper". ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Morris, Kathryn (May 21, 1978). "Roy Cooper: He's A College Educated Rodeo Star". Lakeland Ledger. p. FW19. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "Cooper is rookie of the year". Ellensburg Daily Record. September 2, 1977. p. B8. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c Mahoney, Sylvia Gann; Hedeman, Tuff (2004). College Rodeo: From Show to Sport. Texas A&M University Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-58544-331-4. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  6. ^ "All-around, it was Good: Cooper, however, was the star". The Calgary Herald. July 31, 1978. p. C7.
  7. ^ a b "World champs!: Many a cowboy title winner competes in Ellensburg rodeo". Ellensburg Daily Record. September 3, 1982. p. 11-A. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  8. ^ "Tierney top cowboy". Ellensburg Daily Record. December 15, 1980. p. 6. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Gay, Trujillo capture world rodeo crowns". The Courier. Associated Press. December 14, 1981. p. 14. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  10. ^ "Roy Cooper Wins Fourth Title". The Durant Daily Democrat. December 13, 1982. p. 1. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  11. ^ a b "Cooper builds legend at NFR". Ellensburg Daily Record. United Press International. December 12, 1983. p. 11. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  12. ^ a b "World Champ Roy Cooper Faces New Challenges In The Future". The Durant Daily Democrat. December 25, 1983. p. 11. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  13. ^ a b Wrangler NFR (PDF). Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. 2016. p. 342. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  14. ^ "Pickett wins all-around title". Ellensburg Daily Record. United Press International. December 11, 1984. p. 10. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  15. ^ "Cooper looks ahead". Ellensburg Daily Record. August 30, 1985. p. 13-A. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  16. ^ Konotopetz, Gyle (December 16, 1985). "Champ may need a tin of polish". The Calgary Herald. p. C1. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  17. ^ "Rodeo tour finale slated in Spokane". Ellensburg Daily Record. November 20, 1985. p. 12. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  18. ^ "Frontier Days Rodeo marred by death". Ellensburg Daily Record. United Press International. July 31, 1989. p. 10. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  19. ^ "Top roper Roy Cooper out for rest of season". Ellensburg Daily Record. September 12, 1990. p. 11. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  20. ^ "Cooper Ropes $11,600 Paycheck". The Durant Daily Democrat. Associated Press. August 2, 1993. p. 3. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  21. ^ "West tops 'Bodacious' in Texas Stock Show". Ellensburg Daily Record. February 22, 1995. p. 9. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  22. ^ a b Wolf, Jeff (December 8, 2000). "National Finals Rodeo: Still A Super Looper". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on January 1, 2004. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  23. ^ "Bedell wrestles world title at National Finals Rodeo". The Deseret News. Associated Press. December 16, 1996. p. D5. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  24. ^ "Briefs". American Cowboy: 14. November–December 2000. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  25. ^ a b Whisler, John (February 9, 2011). "SuperCoopers". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  26. ^ Wachter, Paul (October 31, 2016). "Fred Whitfield and the Black Cowboys of Rodeo". Andscape. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  27. ^ a b c Sager, Mike (June 2018). "The First Family of Rodeo". Smithsonian. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  28. ^ "Trevor Brazile". Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  29. ^ "Inductees". ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  30. ^ "Cooper Rodeo Foundation". Cooper Rodeo Foundation. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  31. ^ a b c "PRCA World Champions (Historical)". prorodeo.com. Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  32. ^ "Roy Cooper". ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  33. ^ "Roy Cooper". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  34. ^ "Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame Inductees". Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  35. ^ "Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame Inductees". Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  36. ^ "Roy Cooper". Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  37. ^ "Hall of Fame: Roy Cooper". Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  38. ^ "2009 Sports Hall of Fame Inductees". Lea County Museum. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  39. ^ "Inductees". Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  40. ^ "Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon Hall of Fame Inductees" (PDF). Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  41. ^ "Class of 2014". Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. July 30, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
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