1987
Carl Dorin - Contestant/Builder
Inducted - July 1, 1987
Slim Dorin
Slim Dorin was born in the Wetaskiwin, Alberta area in 1913 and went to school in Bruce for a few years but like many of that era, his father felt his main duties were to work on the farm, thus ending his formal schooling. In the early 1930's, with rodeo being a way to earn a few extra dollars, Slim moved to B.C. to compete, he states that he earned about $35 in the bulldogging event that season. In 1933 he went to Merritt to work a rodeo and was offered a job at Douglas Lake Ranch, a relationship which lasted for 28 years.
During Slim's rodeo days he was named All Around Cowboy on several occasions, won the Nicola Valley Bronc Riding Trophy and turned his hand at running some rodeos in B.C. He was in charge of Merritt rodeo for three years from 1937 to 1939 inclusive, helped make Cloverdale a professional rodeo in 1947 and 1948. He also handled the Williams Lake rodeo for a number of years and changed it to a July 1 date. In 1952 he moved to Williams Lake and was selling cattle for the Cariboo Cattlemen's Association. He was elected president and manager of the Williams Lake Stampede in 1953.
In 1945 Slim was appointed representative of the Cowboys’ Protective Association in B.C. He received his life membership in the C.R.C.A in 1969, something he is very proud of to this day.
It is obvious when talking to Slim that his first love was rodeo and if he could live his life over, rodeo would still be a very large part in this man's life. His contribution to rodeo and the cattle industry in British Columbia have been great. Slim Dorin, All Around Cowboy and Cow Boss, has many stories to tell that give some indication as to the history behind a man who has the respect of all who know him.
Frank Duce - Contestant
Inducted - November 14, 1987
Frank Duce
Frank Duce started his rodeo career in 1936 as a Calf Roper. Two years later he was entering the bareback riding and in 1940 started to ride saddle broncs mostly competing in Canadian rodeos.
By 1945 he was competing on both sides of the border and won or placed at rodeos such as Madison Square Gardens, Boston, Cheyenne, Fort Worth and Denver and many others. Throughout his career he won nearly every rodeo in Canada.
In 1945 he was the "Canadian" Saddle Bronc Champion at Calgary and was declared "Canadian" All Around Cowboy in 1945 and 46 at Calgary. He won the coveted North American Saddle Bronc Championship in 1952.
Frank was the CPA Saddle Bronc riding champion of Canada in 1951 and 1952 and won the Southern Circuit Championship four times. A true all around performer Frank once competed in six events at the Fort Macleod Stampede.
Frank was born at Cardston, Alberta in 1919. He and his wife, Rose, have three children, Jack, Jerri and Joy. Jack competed for several years while Jerri and Joy were famous for their trick riding performances and barrel racing.
Joe Fisher - Contestant
Inducted - July 6, 1987
Joe Fisher
Joe Fisher was born in Calgary, Alberta on September 28, 1902. Joe's father was a horse rancher, raising many of the good light horse breeds of that era. It was during the years prior to 1920 and up through 1921, that Joe began riding broncs. At that time he was a Bareback rider and the competition was usually held at the various ranches. In 1922 Joe decided to make rodeo his career. He was good and all the ranch hands encouraged him to "go for it". One of his first shows was at the Bragg Creek Stampede as an amateur. Joe went on to win and place in top money in the Saddle Bronc event during the remainder of his long career, but occasionally entered other events.
Joe competed and won at the Hand Hills and Raymond, Alberta Saddle Bronc event. It was at one of these small Alberta shows that Joe got an opportunity to travel and compete with the Pete Welsh Shows. Joe was the first Canadian to ever finish in the top money in the Open Saddle Bronc event in Tucson, Arizona. He went on to compete in and do well at Amarillo, Texas, Columbia, Ohio, Pendleton Roundup and Madison Square Gardens in New York. Joe was very successful in Toronto and Montreal, finishing in top money - splitting first and second with the top cowboys and using the best bucking horses in the world at that time. Heading back west to the Calgary Stampede for the big show in 1923, Joe competed against and beat Pete Knight for the "North American Saddle Bronc Event." Joe was also the first cowboy in the world to make a qualified ride on the great bucking horse "Five Minutes to Midnight."
At the Calgary Stampede, Joe became a field and chute judge at many shows. Joe stayed with the Calgary show for 20 years and was one of the original rule markers, as we know them today.
Joe Fisher married Jan Von Rummel in 1933 and moved to their ranch west of Kew, Alberta on Ware Creek. The had two sons, Pete and his wife Pat still reside in the ranch log house that Joe had built, and Jodie (Joe) and his wife Murnia reside at Okotoks, Alberta. Joe resides at the High Country Lodge at Black Diamond, Alberta where friends stop by for a coffee and talk about the good old rodeo days.
Hughie Long - Contestant
Inducted - July 6, 1987
Hughie Long
Hughie Long, known to everyone as the Prongy Kid, was born on May 12, 1907. He was the eldest of nine children. Working on the farm to earn his keep, Hughie quickly became accustomed to working with livestock.
At the age of 17, Hughie entered his first rodeo, although he made the finals, the teenage bronc rider did not win, in fact he was thrown with such velocity that he remained motionless for a few moments before making a wobbly exit to the sidelines.
In the upcoming years he would straddle more than a few. In 1926 the Prongy Kid, who was 19 at the time, became a familiar name in Canadian stampede circles. That was the year that Hughie captured the Saskatchewan Bronc Riding Championship and rode off with $80 prize money in his pocket and a trophy tied to his saddle.
In 1931 Hughie went to the Chicago International Rodeo and when the dust settled, he had won the Bareback riding and took third in the Bull Riding. From Chicago he went on to duplicate these feats at both New York and Boston, the three biggest shows in the nation. For the next decade, the name Hughie Long would reign among the best in Bronc and Bull Riding.
A highly successful horseman and trainer he was one of the most respected men to ever don the title of American Quarter Horse Association judge.
Hughie Long has won many rodeo titles through the years and has met and traveled with many famous cowboys. In 1984 he was inducted into the "Cowboy Hall of Fame" at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Hughie presently resides with his wife, Helen in Cesson, Texas.
Jim Maxwell - Builder
Inducted - November 14, 1987
Jim Maxwell
Jim Maxwell was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July 19, 1904 and moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta in 1906 where he was raised. In 1924 he married Helen Mickle. He worked for Calgary Power Co. in Seebe, Alberta from 1927-1937. During that time he met many cowboys including Pete and Harry Knight.
In 1937 he was transferred to Calgary, Alberta and in 1946 had the fortune of meeting Ken Thomson who was looking for someone in Calgary to take over the position of Secretary Treasurer of the Cowboys' Protective Association. Jim accepted the position and started in March 1946, working out of his home.
At that time, the management of a few rodeos throughout Alberta resented being told how much to pay per event but he convinced them of the benefits of being members, such as publicity for their rodeos and making rodeos available to the top contestants.
Jim devised the idea of producing a rodeo directory so they could keep both the cowboys and rodeo committees updated on prize money, opening and closing dates, entry fees, etc. The directory also gave the Association a means of advertising the year end donors' products and as years went by the prizes grew in value, and championship saddles, watches and the first buckles were awarded.
Jim continued in the position as Secretary Treasurer until 1962 when he retired as the work load was too heavy for a part time job.
Jim has since retired from Trans Alta Utilities and keeps busy by participating in curling and playing golf.
Jerry Myers - Contestant
Inducted - July 1, 1987
Jerry Myers
Jerry was born on the family homestead at Vanguard, Saskatchewan, on June 30, 1916. He was one of a family of six, three boys and three girls, who grew up on the Saskatchewan prairies. When he was six-years-old, his mother passed away and along with the oncoming "dirty thirties" it meant that Jerry and his brothers and sisters had to accept adult responsibilities at an early age.
When he was 16 Jerry started riding in rodeos and in 1938 he produced his first rodeo at Hodgeville, Saskatchewan. He was in the army during the early part of the war but was discharged on medical grounds after a few months when he couldn't stand the long marches. (As a young boy he had smashed the toes on one foot while hauling a barrel of water on a stone boat.)
In 1955 he won the Saddle Bronc event at Swift Current Frontier Days and in 1945 he won the same event at Maple Creek. It was also in 1945 that Jerry organized Prairie Rodeo Stock and began his early rodeo productions which he continued for the next forty years till he sold in 1985. In 1947 Jerry started Myers Transport which he operated during the winter months and between rodeos in the summer. Jerry's involvement as a stock contractor and rodeo producer has kept the sport alive in Saskatchewan. He also started many new rodeos in the Province which are still running today.
Another of his big contributions to the sport was his ability to pick and develop top rodeo stock -- many of which he leased or sold to other rodeo contractors. Among these were the Brahma Bulls Dirty Girtie and Tiger, which he raised, and bucking horses’ Blue Bill, Sage Hen, Misty Mix, Red Top, Silver King, Golden Ruler and Coyote. Bucking stock originating from Jerry's string has appeared in every National Finals Rodeo since it first started in Dallas, Texas in 1959.
Moose Jaw has been Jerry's home since he left Vanguard in the early 1940's and since then he has produced 40 consecutive rodeos in the city for which he was given public recognition by the Mayor in 1985.