From the Professional Bull Riders Website:
“Thirty talented cowboys share a common bond of not only courage, strength, and victory, but also honor. As a reward for their dedication and support of the sport of professional bull riding they have been inducted into the Professional Bull Riders Ring of Honor. The Ring of Honor has been awarded to an elite assembly of legends who have helped make bull riding what it is today. The tradition began in 1996 by the PBR Board of Directors who wished to recognize these unique individuals who have been ambassadors to the sport.
“The PBR Ring of Honor is an actual ring handcrafted of diamonds and gold, and features the PBR logo, recipient’s name, and the year he was honored. Many of the current record holders and big names in PBR today view these Ring of Honor recipients as role model inspirations for greatness. Without guys like these elite few, bull riders and fans alike wouldn’t have anyone to look up to. There are a lot of great cowboys and bull riders, but these guys took time out when they didn’t have to, to give back to the sport.
“The PBR Ring of Honor Award is given annually to individuals who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the sport of professional bull riding, both in and out of the arena.
“These tremendous athletes and legends spurred on fellow cowboys, bull riders, and fans to follow in their footsteps. As a reward for their dedication, they are inducted into this distinctive assembly. The PBR tips its hat to the newest “Men of Honor” and thanks them for all they have given to the sport.”
2009 INDUCTEES
RANDY BERNARD
Randy Bernard was a 28–year–old fair promoter when he was hired as CEO of the Professional Bull Riders in August 1995.
Bernard shared not only the passion for the sport, but the vision of the 20 bull riders who had invested their own money in an effort to revolutionize bull riding and establish it as a standalone sport. He became the driving force that helped the PBR become one of the fastest–growing sports properties in North America, while providing opportunities to bull riders that had only existed in the imagination of the founding members.
“When we hired Randy we had a vision,” said PBR co–founder and current Livestock Director Cody Lambert, who called the hiring a turning point. “We thought we were reaching for the stars, but we weren’t looking at it from the right angle, Randy taught us how to truly reach for the stars.”
In 1996, a year after Bernard was hired, the PBR awarded a total purse of $1 million at the PBR World Finals. Later this year, the PBR will surpass $100 million paid out in prize money to the bull riders.
To date, 20 bull riders have earned in excess of $1 million, and seven of those riders – Justin McBride, Chris Shivers, Adriano Moraes, Guilherme Marchi, Kody Lostroh, Mike Lee and J.B. Mauney – have earned more than $2 million.
When Bernard left the organization in 2010, the PBR had solidly established events, a successful sponsorship program and more than 100 million viewers annually watching approximately 400 hours of prime time programming on NBC, FOX and VERSUS in the United States and on international networks.
Among other accolades, Time magazine recognized Bernard as one of the best sports executives in 2008 and he was named to Sports Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list.
“His leadership, dedication and endless work ethic have taken the PBR to heights we only dreamed of when we started back in 1995,” said PBR founder, nine–time World Champion and 2002 Ring of Honor inductee Ty Murray. “This couldn’t have happened without Randy Bernard. He has put together an unbelievable team that will continue to grow and take our sport to new plateaus.”
JIM SHARP
Jim Sharp rode professionally for 16 years, and was a founding father of the PBR. His name is included in any list of all-time bull riding greats, and in the estimation of many, he may have been the single most talented bull rider in history.
“In my mind, he’s the greatest bull rider who ever lived – nobody was better. Jim was so athletic and strong and that’s what made him such a great rider,” said 1997 PBR World Champion and 2005 Ring of Honor inductee Michael Gaffney.
Sharp earned $863,797 during a storied PBR career, highlighted by an incredible 2002 season, when he won four events (Fort Worth, Texas; Guthrie, Okla.; Greensboro, N.C. and Portland, Ore.) and finished fourth in the season standings. Sharp earned the largest paycheck at a regular-format single-day PBR event at the time with $120,720 on Mar. 10, 2002, in Fort Worth, Texas. He received $85,000 in bonus money and $10,000 for the Ford Truck Moment of Truth following a 95.5-point ride on Dillinger (Herrington Cattle Company). The 95.5-point ride ranked as one of the Top 10 in PBR history at the time.
“From about 1986 and 1987 until 1992, there wasn’t anybody who could touch Jim Sharp,” said Murray. “If he had ridden those seven years today, he would be the richest guy to ever throw his leg over an animal.”
Sharp rode his way into the record books in 1988 when he became the first rider to ride all 10 bulls at the National Finals Rodeo en route to the first of two Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association world titles. He was named PRCA Rookie of the Year in 1986 and won back-to-back National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Championships in bull riding while attending Odessa College.
Sharp has remained devoted to the organization he cofounded, and was the childhood hero of many of the best riders competing in the PBR today.
2008 INDUCTEES
ADRIANO MORAES
Moraes, a living legend and true ambassador to the sport of bull riding, will forever be remembered as PBR’s first World Champion (1994); first two-time World Champion (2001), and first three-time World Champion (2006). In his fifteen years riding on the Built Ford Tough Series, Moraes competed in 229 BFTS events, claimed 29 event titles, and collected more than $3 million in career earnings.
A perennial top 10 finisher in the World Standings, he finished only once outside of the top 20 and qualified for the PBR World Finals for a record 14 times. Moraes currently resides in Texas with his wife, Flavia, and three of four sons. He can be found at the occasional Built Ford Tough Series event and is still involved in different aspects of the sport of professional bull riding.
JUSTIN MCBRIDE
One of the most decorated bull riders in PBR history, the 2005 and 2007 World Champ crossed the $5 million mark in career earnings in September 2008, making him the richest cowboy in history. In his ten year career, McBride has set an extensive list of records including 32 career event wins; the most money earned in a single season ($1,835,321); and eight single season event wins. He shocked the world of professional bull riding when he announced his retirement shortly before the start of the 2008 PBR World Finals. McBride lives in Oklahoma with his wife, Jill, and daughter, Addisen, where he has since been spending his time ranching, raising bucking bulls, and participating in PBR’s TV broadcasts and other sponsor related activities.
J.W. HART
Hart, a PBR fan favorite and PBR’s original “Iron Man,” has an extraordinary resume — 1994 Rookie of the Year; 2002 World Finals winner; thirty 90-point rides; six event wins; and 2004 U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Challenger Finals event winner.
Often referred to PBR’s “Iron Man,” Hart set a record when he competed in 197 consecutive events over 9 years. Hart lives in Oklahoma where he and his wife, Leann, raise bucking bulls and he is often found adding colorful commentary to PBR’s TV broadcasts.
2007 INDUCTEES
PHIL LYNE
Phil Lyne is often referred to as “the cowboy’s cowboy.” Born Jan. 18, 1947, in San Antonio, Texas, Lyne made his mark in virtually every event that rodeo had to offer. Following an amateur career that saw him win five championships and 42 saddles, Lyne broke into the professional ranks in 1969. He quickly made a name for himself when he was named PRCA Rookie of the Year and competed in five events – bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. Lyne won a combined five PRCA world titles in three different events: the all-around title in 1971-72; tie-down roping, 1971-72 and steer roping, 1990 (he came out of retirement to claim the steer roping championship). He owns the distinction of being the only man in professional rodeo to win the National Finals Rodeo average in three different events – the bull riding, calf roping and steer roping.
Of being inducted into the Ring of Honor, Lyne humbly stated, “Very truthfully I was surprised to be recognized but greatly honored. Knowing some of the other Ring of Honor recipients makes it very special to join them. The PBR has brought so much recognition to the event. I’m happy for the guys riding in the PBR and I’m glad to see the bulls getting the recognition and respect they deserve too. I’m just honored that they thought of me.”
CARL NAFZGER
Born in Plainview, Texas, in 1941, Carl Nafzger was fascinated early in life by the bulls that his father raised on their family farm. It was this fascination that led him to the rodeo arena where he experienced great success as a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier (1963-65). In 1963, Nafzger finished the season ranked third overall in the PRCA bull riding standings — the best finish of his bull riding career. Upon leaving the world of the rodeo, Nafzger embarked on a journey that would lead him to the winner?s circle at virtually every major venue that the sport of Thoroughbred Racing has to offer. He married Wanda in 1968, the same year he received his first Thoroughbred Trainer’s license.
Nafzger is best known for his handling of the champion Unbridled that won the 1990 Kentucky Derby. Nafzger?s Street Sense also won Thoroughbred Racing’s top crown in 2007, making Nafzger a two-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer.
“To be inducted into the PBR Ring of Honor by your peers for something you did as a young man that was your life’s love and dream is the greatest thing that can happen to you,” stated Carl Nafzger in reaction to his induction. “I’m proud that the PBR has been able to take the sport of bull riding to a level we only dreamed of when I was riding. Because of the PBR, bull riders today are being recognized as the fine athletes they are, competing for prize money and endorsements we could have never imagined in the 1960’s. “Course it is a good thing the PBR wasn’t around then or I might still be trying to get on.”
2006 INDUCTEES
BOBBY DELVECCHIO
From the heart of the Bronx in New York, Bobby DelVecchio is the original urban cowboy. He embarked on a rodeo career against all odds from an area where cowboys were unheard of. Ultimately DelVecchio earned the 1981-82 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Reserve World Championship, the 1983 PRCA Texas Circuit Championship, and qualified to compete at the National Finals Rodeo six consecutive times from 1980 through 1985. DelVecchio charted new territory both in and out of the arena, and has devoted his life to the betterment of the bull riding industry.
Since retiring from competition, the gritty New York native has become a Texas transplant and is now making his mark on the booming bull breeding business. In 1988 DelVecchio had the idea to collect semen, something that was hardly commonplace in the rodeo world at that time, from Dell Hall’s 105 and Bennie Beutler’s 018 Cowtown. His plan was to raise world champion bucking bulls. Bobby and Sissy DelVecchio’s Flying D Ranch in Santo, Texas has in production, via embryo transfer, genetics representing 18 world championship titles earned by an elite group of the best bucking bulls of all time.
“I am so excited to receive this honor from the PBR. You hear the saying that ‘It’s hard to be humble,’ but it’s really not when your peers recognize you in this way. It is humbling.”
CODY SNYDER
Born and raised in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Cody Snyder immersed himself in the world of professional bull riding from the time he learned to walk. Snyder rode a calf in competition at age five and got on his first bull at age 12. By 15 Snyder had earned the Canadian Amateur Bull Riding title, and at 19 led the 1982 Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) Bull Riding standings. In 1983, at the age of 20 and virtually unknown, Snyder became the first Canadian to earn the title of PRCAWorld Champion Bull Rider. Snyder’s string of wins includes the 1986 CPRA Bull Riding Championship. He was named Cowboy of the Year by his peers in 1994, and was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and the CPRA Hall of Fame in 2005. He qualified for a record-setting nine Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) events in bull riding, and recorded the highest marked ride (95 points) in CPRA history in 1983. He is also a four-time NFR qualifier.
In 1993 Snyder retired from the competitive arena, but has never left the bull riding business. He and wife Rhonda Schlenker-Snyder together incorporated Cody Snyder’s BullBustin’, a company that has produced hundreds of professional bull-riding events in North America. The Snyders have been instrumental in bringing Canadian bull riding fans the excitement of live PBR events, as well as producing charity bull riding events that have generated in excess of $2 million dollars. He has worked as a color commentator on networks like VERSUS, ESPN, Rogers Sportsnet, TSN, and has served as the voice of the Calgary Stampede television broadcasts since 1997.
“Being included into the PBR’s Ring of Honor is definitely a career highlight for me. It means so much to me because you are voted in by your peers, who are all great bull riders. I was fortunate enough to travel and rodeo with many of the other inductees and I am proud to call them my friends. That makes this award all the more gratifying,” said Snyder.