Reginald “Reg” Camarillo was born February 20, 1945, and grew up in California, where he learned to rope alongside his cousins Leo and Jerold Camarillo. After returning from a two-year Army stint in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968, Reg and Leo Camarillo became team-roping partners and began a nine-year run at the NFR.
The two won the NFR average for three consecutive years (1969, 1970 and 1971), and in 1975, Reg and Jerold Camarillo won it again. Reg Camarillo also won at Phoenix, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California; Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Salt Lake City, Utah; Cody, Wyoming and more.
Elected to be an NFR team-roping judge for seven years, Camarillo was part of the “Camarillo Trio” who changed the game by introducing dally-style team roping — in place of the tied-run style — to the world of rodeo. The Camarillos were asked to give private lessons on their team-roping theory and fundamentals to important rodeo dignitaries, and soon they hosted team-roping schools throughout the United States and Canada, helping make team-roping a global phenomenon.
Leo Camarillo said of him, “Reg was both a revolutionary competitor and leader, with integrity and passion, who was always willing to take future champions under his wing.”
Today, Reg Camarillo lives in Fresno, California.
Bio
Reginald “Reg” Camarillo was born February 20, 1945, and grew up in California, where he learned to rope alongside his cousins Leo and Jerold Camarillo. After returning from a two-year Army stint in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968, Reg and Leo Camarillo became team-roping partners and began a nine-year run at the NFR.
The two won the NFR average for three consecutive years (1969, 1970 and 1971), and in 1975, Reg and Jerold Camarillo won it again. Reg Camarillo also won at Phoenix, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California; Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Salt Lake City, Utah; Cody, Wyoming and more.
Elected to be an NFR team-roping judge for seven years, Camarillo was part of the “Camarillo Trio” who changed the game by introducing dally-style team roping — in place of the tied-run style — to the world of rodeo. The Camarillos were asked to give private lessons on their team-roping theory and fundamentals to important rodeo dignitaries, and soon they hosted team-roping schools throughout the United States and Canada, helping make team-roping a global phenomenon.
Leo Camarillo said of him, “Reg was both a revolutionary competitor and leader, with integrity and passion, who was always willing to take future champions under his wing.”
