T.B. Porter was born March 9, 1927, in Pineville, Louisiana, where he learned to rope, ride and train animals to help around the family ranch. By the time he was 16, Porter was winning on the rodeo circuit. He has been a member of most every professional association in rodeo —Cowboys’ Turtle Association, Rodeo Cowboys Association and the PRCA.
He was the 1946 champion calf roping and all-around champion at Fort Smith. At 22, Porter won the national calf roping championship at the 1949 Madison Square Garden. He competed 42 times over 28 days to secure the title. He competed in rodeos all over the U.S., from Massachusetts to California, with most in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. He won the Silver Spur prize at Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo for most sportsmanlike competitor, the Crawfish belt buckle for best Louisiana cowboy and the prize for top cowboy in Oklahoma and Arkansas. In addition, he was the first PRCA cowboy from to participate in the 1959 National Finals Rodeo in Dallas, Texas.
Outside the arena, Porter supported rodeo by helping young people learn the skills of calf roping and bulldogging. The Porter Ranch in Leesville, Louisiana, has had a practice arena for rodeo education for more than 60 years.
