Fort Worth’s Billy Minick joins the ProRodeo Hall of Fame
Billy Minick, a former National Finals Rodeo qualifier and stock contractor who produced some of the world’s largest rodeos, was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame on Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo.
During the induction ceremony, Minick, 79, who is from the Fort Worth area, was introduced by his wife, Pam, a former Miss Rodeo America who became a rodeo TV journalist.
Minick qualified for the 1966 National Finals in Oklahoma City in bull riding. In 1968, he purchased the Harry Knight Rodeo Co. from Knight and legendary entertainer Gene Autry. The company supplied the stock for some of the world’s largest rodeos in cities such as Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Cheyenne, Wyo.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Minick owned numerous high-profile bucking stock animals such as Tiger, who was the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Bull of the Year in 1974. He also owned the notorious bull V-61.
Minick said rodeo is a very challenging business.
“For anyone invoIved in the rodeo business, it’s a tough business and I have a lot of respect for them,” Minick said. “It enabled me to see the contestant side of it and then the stock contracting side of it and then the business side of it when I was a stock contractor. Those experiences still help us today in our business.”
Minick is the chief executive officer of Billy Bob’s Nightclub in Fort Worth, which features bull riding competition on the weekends.
Minick has a long-time relationship with the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo. He grew up regularly attending the famous winter pro rodeo.
“I came up through the ranks at the Stock Show,” Minick said. “I went on to be a bull riding winner there. Then, I ended up being a stock contractor and then Pam and I have been on the board of directors for 25 years.”
Cutting horse update
Veteran rider/trainer Lee Francois, who lives near Athens and Tyler, advanced to the Metallic Cat National Cutting Horse Association Summer Spectacular Derby open division finals after turning in a semifinal round score of 222 on Saturday aboard a stallion named The Animal at Fort Worth’s Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum.
A field of 20 horses who turned in a score of at least 217 advanced to the final, which is scheduled for Sunday. Francois’ 222 was the highest semifinal round score.
Beau Galyean, an accomplished rider/trainer from Fort Worth, advanced to the final with a 219.5 aboard a horse named Desiresomemettalic. Desiresomemettalic was sired by the renowned stallion Metallic Cat, which is owned by Fort Worth businessman Bobby Patton.
The Sunday championship performance begins at 1 p.m. with the 4-year-old non-pro finals. The performance will conclude with the 4-year-old open finals, which is the third jewel of the sport’s Triple Crown Series.
Cooper roping tough
Defending PRCA world all-around champion Tuf Cooper, who has homes in Weatherford and Decatur, finished fourth in the steer roping title race at the July 21-29 Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming and earned $11,444. Cooper also clinched the tie-down roping title at the July 25-28 Deadwood Days of 76 Rodeo in Deadwood, S.D., and earned $4,101. Cooper is ranked No. 1 in the PRCA’s 2018 world all-around race with $153,803. Trevor Brazile, a 23-time world champion from Decatur, is ranked No. 2 with $133,680.