Walt Linderman was born March 26, 1936, in Red Lodge, Montana, into a family that both ranched and rodeoed — occupations that Linderman himself would soon take up. In 1953 he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Nauman, and took his first forays into rodeo while working ranches in Montana and Wyoming.
By 1957 Linderman was competing in saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and steer wrestling. He competed in all three events until 1961, when he stopped competing in saddle bronc. In 1968, he stopped competing in bareback but continued steer wrestling until an injury in 1977 ended his rodeo career.
During that time, Linderman qualified for the NFR in steer wrestling nine times (1962, 1965-1971, 1973), winning the NFR steer roping average in 1967 and becoming runner-up World Champion three times and second runner-up twice. Linderman also owned one of the winningest steer-wrestling horses ever known, Scott, which carried riders to world championships in 1965, 1966, and 1968, and won six total NFR average titles.
Beginning in 1968, Linderman pioneered the rise of steer wrestling schools across the United States, passing his skill and knowledge on to a new generation of champions. Linderman died on May 25, 2005.
