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| World's First Rodeo Trailer |
Everett bowman was born July 12, 1899 at Hope, New Mexico (the
family actually lived near Weed) and he was a cowboy from the word go. Arguably
remembered as one of rodeo’s greatest legends, this ten time World Champion Cowboy
helped bring modern-day rodeo to where it’s at today.
Everett was the first president of the Cowboy Turtles Association
“CTA” (the predecessor to the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association or “PRCA”).
As a matter of fact, he was one of the first organizers of the association and
signed up as member (card number) fifteen; but first and foremost, he was a
cowboy.
The Bowman family moved from New Mexico to the Safford, Arizona
area when Everett was about thirteen. One of his first full-time jobs away from
his parents ranch was that of a cowboy with the famed “Chiricahua Cattle
Company” also know back in the day as “the Cherries” or the “Three C’s” which
ran cattle all up and down that rough Arizona – New Mexico border country. The
foreman at the time was quoted as saying, “Everett made the best hand we ever had. It was amazing; never
saw anything like it! He became a top roper, he was tougher than leather – was
the strongest man I’d ever seen.”
At the age of twenty-three, Everett and his brother Skeet, along
with eight other cowboys drove a large herd of cattle from Globe, Arizona to
Ely, Nevada. This may have been one of the last “old time” great cattle drives,
stretching over 900 miles! When they reached Ely, after being on the trail most
of the summer, the Bowman brothers decided to “stay on” and give cowboyin’ in
Nevada a try. However, one cold winter in that “North Country” changed those
boy’s minds. Everett said, “That country has two seasons - winter and late
fall.” They cowboyed there a little over a year, then returned to Arizona,
making the entire round trip a-horseback.
Once back in Arizona, Everett (along with brother Skeet) pursued
a full-time rodeo career. That turned out to be one of the best moves ever
made.
Although officially credited with ten World Championships,
author (and nephew to Everett), Lewis Bowman, claims Everett won at least
eleven. You see, prior to 1929, records were sketchy and, in some cases,
championships were determined by winning a certain rodeo. Lewis says he may
have won even more than eleven.
Officially, Everett was a two-time World All-Around Champion,
four-time Steer Wrestling Champion, three-time Calf Roping Champion and gained
one Steer Roping title. He won or placed at most of the day’s biggest shows
such as Madison Square Garden, Cheyenne, Calgary, Ellensburg, Prescott and
Pendleton to name just a few. He even rode bucking horses till about 1928, but
gave it up and stuck with the timed events saying, “Too many events and a man
is no good at any of them.” The timed event end of the arena was where he
shined anyhow.
At six-foot, two-inches and 200 pounds, Everett was a physical
specimen. To date, Everett is one of only three men who have won rodeos “triple
crown” (three world titles in a single year) more than once. He accomplished that feat two times. Trevor
Brazile and Jim Shoulders are the only other men to do that. Bowman became
known in media circles as “Rodeo’s Babe Ruth.” His fellow competitors often
spoke of him as “A Cowboy’s Cowboy.” He competed in full-time rodeo competition
until 1943, a period of about twenty years!
Other advancements credited to Bowman include towing the first
horse trailer on the rodeo circuit and being the first to fly to rodeos.
Everett’s older brother, Dick, fashioned a hand-made wooden horse trailer
in1924, which Everett and younger brother Skeet took on its maiden voyage from
the home ranch in Safford, Arizona to Cheyenne, Wyoming. They put one horse in
the trailer and one in the bed of the truck (as was customary then). When they
arrived in Cheyenne, the Bowman boys received a lot of strange looks, but it
wasn’t long till the contraption caught on. Then in 1929, Everett is credited
with being the first cowboy to get the bright idea to charter a private
airplane to get him to more rodeos. That idea also seems to have caught on as
well. By the late 1930s, Everett bought his own plane and learned how to fly it
for himself, something he did the rest of his life.
Perhaps Everett’s biggest contribution to the sport of rodeo
however was his involvement with the CTA. He served as the association’s
president from its inception in 1936 until it reorganized as the Rodeo Cowboys
Association (RCA) in 1945. The guy’s called themselves “Turtles” because it
took them so long to get started and have a voice in rodeo business for
themselves. For too many years, cowboys had been unhappy with their entry fees
not being added back to the pot, the type and order of events and non-standard
judging practices.
In 1936, at Boston, all that changed when Everett and his
fellow cowboys went on strike and refused to compete unless the aforementioned
grievances were rectified. When the dust settled, the predecessor of the PRCA
was born, and Everett was a big part of it all. It has been said, that once he
got an idea formed in his head, it was hard to change. He went “toe to toe”
with many rodeo committee members during his day, in the best interest of the
cowboy.
Many of the fundamental changes that are now the bedrock of rodeo came about
under Bowman’s leadership.
According to Lewis Bowman, “Everett Bowman (president) and
brother-in-law, Hugh Bennett (secretary/treasurer) were the cogs that got the
Cowboys Turtle Association into gear. The men signed up the cowboys and kicked
‘em straight (sometimes literally). Their sister wives, Lois and Josie, were
the official timers and record keepers. The girls stowed the books and
association’s money in the back seat of their car and kept records between
rodeos.”
Competitor, Phil Mills, said of Everett, “He did more to put
the cowboy in good graces than any other man.”
Lewis also tells of another event he witnessed as a boy, “One
year at Cheyenne, this fellow and Uncle Everett got into a heated argument
about having to join the association to compete in sanctioned rodeos. This
fellow took a swing at Everett, who blocked the punch with one hand and landed
a crushing blow at the same time with his other - knocking the guy out and
breaking his nose. He then threw fifty dollars on the man’s chest and told two
guys to haul him to the doctor and get him fixed up. A couple hours later, the
guy returned with his nose all bandaged up. He threw twenty dollars back at
Everett and said, ‘Here’s your change Bowman - Doc only charged thirty dollars.
By the way, I’ll join your danged association.’ Everett smiled, handed the man
back the twenty and said, ‘If your going to join, keep this and put it towards
your dues.’ The two men remained good friends after that.”
After retiring from rodeo, Everett settled on his own ranch
near Wickenburg, Arizona where he spent the last parts of his life. He also
worked as a sheriff there for a time. He still loved the sport of rodeo and
would, “talk rodeo” with anyone who came by. Bowman judged many rodeos after
retiring from competition and added “Mule Trainer” to his resume. Always the
showman, he continued to make public appearances up into his sixties. At age seventy,
Everett accepted a part in the movie, The Great White Hope, taking the role of
a pastor.
As a true natural athlete, he took up the sport of golf, and in
his later years, became quite good at it. He even hit a hole in one at age
fifty-five. Upon doing this, Bowman put down his golf clubs and retired from
the sport of golf saying, “You just can’t get any better than that.” Just as
with rodeo, he retired at the top.
In 1951, Everett underwent surgery to remove a throat cancer.
It lasted six hours. Rodeo stock contractor, Everett Colborn, heard about this
and sent Bowman a letter which stated, “It does not surprise me your surgery
took six hours, it probably took about four of that just to get through the
hide.” It was done in good nature and as a testament to Bowman’s toughness.
The sport of rodeo also loved Everett Bowman, inducting him
into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. He was also admitted to the National
Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City in 1965, the first living man to be so honored. The rodeo
grounds in Wickenburg are also named for their long time resident and rodeo
legend. The Everett Bowman Rodeo Grounds are still in regular use to this day
and the city of Wickenburg has a large bronze statue commemorating Everett.
The “Father of Professional Rodeo,” Everett Bowman, passed in
1971 while flying his own airplane. Then PRCA president, Dale Smith, read the
eulogy at Everett’s funeral and famed cowboy, Rex Allen, sang.
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| Everett Bowman |
Jim Olson © 2012
