Team Roping Legend and 13-Time NFR Qualifier Dick Yates Passes Away

On Friday, June 19, 2026, Richard L. ("Dick") Yates passed away. A legend in rodeo and team roping, Yates leaves a legacy and an immense impact on the Western industry.

Yates grew up in Southeastern Colorado, where his father farmed crops and had a small herd of cattle. As a young boy, he milked cows every morning and developed the strong work ethic that would take him to great heights later in life.

Yates' father roped calves, so he and his siblings learned the event early on. Weighing in at just 100 pounds when he graduated high school, Yates was the perfect size for a very different sport: horse racing.

He rode racehorses at fair meets in Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, and in match races. In college, he continued to rope calves and tried his hand at all three rough stock events. He settled on calf roping and bareback riding, which he focused on for the next 15 years, becoming a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) at age 20.

In 1958, he married Jan. The couple settled on a plot of land outside of Pueblo, Colo., and had two children, Kelly and J.D. As a family, rodeo and horses were a major part of the Yates' lives.

Around the time Dick and Jan were married, team tying was transitioning to team roping in southern Colorado. Intrigued by the sport, he began entering, and as they say, the rest was history.

For 13 years, Dick and J.D. competed together in team roping at the SuperBowl of Rodeo, the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).

In 1984, Dick, J.D., and Kelly made history as the first (and only) father-son-daughter trio to qualify for the NFR in the same year. Dick and J.D. competed in team roping, of course, and Kelly competed in barrel racing.

Yates saw immense changes to the sport and the industry throughout his life, from pulling a two-horse trailer behind his trusty Buick Electra 225 to the 1983 Presidential Rodeo, where he, J.D., Kelly, and Jan had a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Washington D.C.

Dick and J.D. won the team roping, and they were presented the buckle personally by President Ronald Reagan in a White House ceremony.

A renowned horse trainer who passed his gift down to his children, Yates made many top horses in his time.

The scores may be shorter and the cattle may be smaller than they were in Yates' hayday, but he never lost his love for the sport. From cheering on his son and grandson, to competing himself, team roping played a major role in Yates' life.

Yates' accomplishments extended far beyond the arena. During his two terms on the PRCA board, he led a push to make team roping a standard event at PRCA rodeos and for equal money compared to the other events.

J.D. and Kelly each led their own storied careers, and the next generation is following in the family footsteps, with J.D.'s son, Trey, a four-time NFR qualifier in team roping.

We tip our hats to a life well lived and to Yates' many contributions to rodeo, team roping, and the Western way of life. We extend our sincere condolences to Dick Yates' family and loved ones in this difficult time, as we take a moment to honor his many accomplishments in life.

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