EVENTS
Bull Rider
Saddle Bronc Rider
Born in 1917, Bill Hancock, was raised as a cowhand on a New Mexico ranch. He punched cows and broke horses from the time he could stay in a saddle, and he worked on the Diamond A and other large ranches in his youth.
Hancock entered amateur rodeo in 1935, and by 1938 the sport had become his life. Always a major contender, he rode bulls and saddle broncs at all of the major venues, including Cheyenne, Pendleton, San Antonio, Houston, Denver, and Fort Worth. In 1952 he won the “Bronc Riding Match of Champions” at Dickinson, North Dakota, defeating Casey Tibbs and Deb Copenhaver. Hancock’s exceptional riding skills helped him master the rankest rough stock of the day, including War Paint, Kickapoo, Come Apart, and Coca Cola.
Bill Hancock was one of the “old timers” who created the Rodeo Historical Society, serving on the board in the 1970s. After retiring from rodeo in 1956, he resided in Weatherford, Texas. He died in 1997.
