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Bareback-Bronc Rider
Born at Grinnell, Iowa, in 1939, Don Mayo began rodeoing at age 14 and turned professional when he was 17. During the early 1960s, he was one of the leading bareback contestants in the nation, qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo in 1961, 1962 and 1963.
Don Mayo provided a preview of things to come when he rode Osage for a combined score of 194 points at Odessa, Texas, in 1959. The following year he captured the all-around at Casper, Wyoming. In 1961 Mayo placed in the bareback competition at 52 venues including Phoenix, Wichita Falls, Oklahoma City, Pendleton and Las Vegas. He finished out the year sixth in the bareback standings and made the high marked ride at the National Finals Rodeo with a score of 186 on Come Apart. In 1962 Don won bareback trophies at Houston, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Wichita Falls, Rapid City and North Platte, finishing the year ranked second in his event and 13th in the all-around standings.
During 1963 Don Mayo led the standings into July, when severe injuries from an automobile accident left him a paraplegic. Mayo now resides in Stephenville, Texas, and works as a real estate investor.
