EVENTS
Champion Steer Wrestler, 1957
Calf Roper
Oldest son of a homesteading ranching family, Willard Combs was born at Checotah, Oklahoma. He began rodeoing in 1940 as a calf roper, but soon turned to steer wrestling as a specialty. He captured his first trophy buckle at Woodward, Oklahoma, in 1950.
Willard Combs competed and won at many of the great rodeos of the 1950s, including Boston, New York City, Houston, Fort Worth and Cheyenne. In 1955, he and his brother, Benny, went neck-and-neck for the bulldogging title, with only about $300 separating them throughout the year. Benny won that race, but Willard persisted and captured the title of World Champion Steer Wrestler in 1957. During the 1960s he served on the board of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the National Finals Rodeo board.
Willard Comb’s great steer wrestling horse, Baby Doll, was for many years the consistent high money winner in carrying contenders to their steers — she helped make more world champion cowboys than any other dogging horse. Willard retired from rodeo in the early 1970s and lives on the family ranch.
