EVENTS
Rough-stock Rider
Team Roper
Born March 4, 1935, in Glendale, California, Bill Martinelli broke out on the rodeo trail in earnest after a stint in the U.S. Army, amassing quite the impressive resume. The all-around hand rode bulls and barebacks and competed in team roping, but riding saddle broncs was his specialty.
Martinelli qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc riding eight times (1962-67 and 1971-72), winning the average in 1965. He also won San Antonio twice, California Rodeo Salinas three times and was a four-time saddle-bronc riding champion at the Cow Palace at San Francisco. He received the Governor’s Award for winning Salinas three times, and was recognized by the Oakdale (California) Cowboy Museum in 2006 for his contributions to local western history.
Matinelli competed for more than 20 years on the rough-stock end of the arena before taking up team roping. He also rode broncs in Europe for Rodeo Far West, a traveling Wild West show owned by Buster Ivory, and spent years operating the arena gate at the NFR in Las Vegas.
