Texas Hall of Fame Cowboy, PRCA Bareback Rider and NFR Judge Passes Away

National Finals Rodeo judge, PRCA Gold Card member and bareback rider, Billy Wayne "Red" Rogers passed away at age 90 on May 27, 2024.

Born in Gatesville, Texas on April 3, 1934, Rogers was drawn to rodeo at an early age. He competed in high school, college and amateur rodeos in Texas and New Mexico before joining the ranks of the PRCA.

Everything about Rogers was "cowboy" right down to the jobs he held over the years. He worked for Tommy Steiner of Steiner Rodeo Company and Beutler & Sons rodeo stock contractors.

In an interview with Pro Rodeo Sports News, Bobby Steiner recalled, "Red did a lot of things as a young guy (for Steiner Rodeo Company). He was a bareback rider and back then it was different than now. He started driving trucks and guys like him still competed and worked for outfits. He did whatever was needed during a performance and that's what people did. He was quite a few years older than me, but I remember him as a good bareback rider who won his share of ridings, but he worked for the Steiner Rodeo Company as well."

Steiner was right in his recollection of Rogers' bareback riding abilities. Throughout his career, Rogers was found amongst the Top 20 in the World Standings many years in the bareback riding event.

Pro Rodeo Sports News reported that while traveling on the rodeo trail, the cowboy from Dripping Springs, Texas could be found with the likes of cowboy legends like Sam and John Neel, Bernis Johnson, Curly Hebb, Bud Humphrey and Jim Bausch.

Steiner went on to remember, "He was a very good judge, and he remained a rodeo fan. He would check up on Rocker (Steiner, Bobby's grandson) and he kept up with things on The Cowboy Channel. He was just a real good guy and one of the old-school guys. There were very few 'Jim Shoulders and Harry Tompkins', who were good enough to win at that point to not have to do some odd jobs, and Red was a top-end bareback rider. He still worked to make ends meet."

Rogers continued winning into his senior years. In the Old Timers Rodeo Cowboys Association, he was the 1979 Bareback Riding Champion, Reserve Champion Bull Rider, and the All-Around Champion at the Old Timer's Finals.

Rogers lived the life of a rodeo cowboy and was remembered by his only daughter, Tori House, as such.

"Rodeo was my dad's life."