GUYS AND GALS – RODEO’S BEST

The rodeo town of Pecos, established as a cattle drive camp along the banks of the Pecos River in the 1800’s, is an appropriate location for the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame. Pecos, billed as “Home of the World’s First Rodeo” by the surrounding community, hosted one of the first rodeos on record to award prizes. The 1883 event featured running calves down Main Street with roping cowboys in pursuit.

The Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame celebrates the competitive sport and the winners who honor its sportsmanship; rodeo cowboys like A. T. “Trav” Windham, cattle drover and foreman of the Lazy Y, who is considered the first Pecos rodeo’s first champion. Windham, once described in print as “one of the greatest cowmen Texas ever knew”, roped and tied his steer in 22 seconds, winning his event and finishing second in another roping competition later that day.

The Hall of Fame is one side of Pecos’ “golden triangle” of rodeo, a triumvirate that includes the Hall, the West of the Pecos Museum and, of course, the annual West of the Pecos Rodeo.