Rodeo legend Roy Cooper dead at 69 in fire at North Texas home
Rodeo legend Roy Cooper, known as “Super Looper” for his calf roping skills, has died, according to his family.
Cooper, 69, was found dead after his home near Decatur was destroyed in a fire Tuesday, April 29, according to the Wise County Messenger. Someone reported the fire shortly after 7 p.m.
Cooper’s son, Tuf Cooper, confirmed his father’s death in a post on social media.
“We’re all in shock and at a loss for words from this tragedy at the moment,” Tuf Cooper said in a Facebook post.
Officials at the Texas High School Rodeo Association said they were heartbroken by the news.
“Roy wasn’t just a legend in the arena—he was a legend in life,” the rodeo association said on Facebook. “He inspired so many with his strength, grit, and heart. Whether you knew him personally or admired him from afar, you knew he was someone special.”
Cooper began his rodeo career in 1976 and was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. He’s also been inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Over the course of his career, Cooper participated in 18 National Finals calf roping events and went on to win eight World Champion titles. He earned three of those titles the same year — 1983 — making him one of only 10 cowboys to win rodeo’s Triple Crown.
Cooper was one of the first to dismount his horse on the right side when roping a calf, according to Sports Illustrated. He could also tie a calf in the unheard of time of eight seconds.
In a 2023 video by Wild Horse Motion Films, Cooper said 1976 got off to a bad start. The 20-year-old rookie didn’t win anything in Kansas City or Chicago, and he told his mother he couldn’t even catch a cold. His luck started to change after that, and in February he won his first big check of $4,300 in the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
A Star-Telegram story about new leaders emerging from the rodeo described Cooper as “a young cowboy from Durant, Oklahoma.” He roped his calf in 9.3 seconds, beating out the top contender by 0.2 seconds.
By the end of 1976, Cooper was the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Tie-Down World Champion.
Crews from the Decatur Fire Department and Wise County EMS responded to Cooper’s home in the 600 block of County Road 3051 after 7 p.m. The house was fully engulfed by flames when they arrived at the scene, according to the Messenger.
The Wise County Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation into the fire with the assistance of the Tarrant County Arson Task Force. Wise County Sheriff Cary Mellema told the Messenger that the Sheriff’s Office will also be involved in the investigation.
This story was originally published April 30, 2025 at 9:23 AM.
