EVENTS
Trick Roper
Calf Roper
Born in 1929 at Chester, Pennsylvania, Gene McLaughlin learned the intricate art of trick roping from his older brother, Don, starting at age three. He was proclaimed the world champion juvenile trick roper in 1936. Don and he performed at the great Madison Square Garden Rodeo every year from 1934 to 1945.
A member of the Cowboys Turtle Association, McLaughlin still holds card No. 277. He performed trick roping acts at rodeos across North America, including prominent venues such as Fort Worth, Calgary, and Livermore, California. At one time he developed a trick roping act on ice, and, after moving to California in 1961, he began working as a stuntman in Hollywood.
McLaughlin has doubled for actors such as Patrick Swayze and taught Tommy Lee Jones and Keith Carradine how to rope. He worked as a stuntman in films such as “The Patriot.” A U.S. Army veteran and lifelong showman, Gene McLaughlin was inducted into the National Senior Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2003.
