Ben Johnson Memorial Award
Born in California in 1923, Buster Ivory was raised on a large cattle ranch. By age 15 he was working for a dollar a day, riding the rough string on a California ranch. He entered a rodeo that year, won in two events, and left home to be a rodeo cowboy. For more than 30 years he made his living on the circuit.
At one time or another, Buster Ivory was top hand in his events at every major rodeo in the United States. At Madison Square Garden he placed second or third every year. He ranked fifth nationally in saddle bronc riding in 1951 and fourth in that event in 1952, behind rodeo greats Casey Tibbs, Bill Linderman, Gene Pruett, and Deb Copenhaver.
Ivory retired from riding events in 1969, but he produced rodeos and contracted for stock. During the 1960s he was livestock superintendent at every National Finals Rodeo, and for three years he served as NFR arena director. Buster Ivory received the Ben Johnson Memorial Award in 1999, passed away in 2003.
