Derek Clark was born in September 1960 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He competed as a saddle bronc and bull rider from 1980 – 2000. He competed in junior rodeos, and was the Oklahoma High School Saddle Bronc Champion in 1978. Derek qualified for the NIRA Finals in 1984, representing Texas Tech University, and won the Average as well as the Championship title.
Clark qualified for the NFR 15 times (1983, 1985–1999), and won the Reserve Champion Saddle Bronc title in 1990. He won Saddle Bronc Champion titles in the Prairie Circuit (1983, 1991); Great Lakes Circuit (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993,
1994, 1995, 1996, 1998); and Texas Circuit (1986). Clark also was the Copenhagen/Skoal Series Champion (1990, 1993, 1995); Coca-Cola Series Champion (1993, 1995); Coors Series Champion (1986, 1990, 1993); and Dodge Series Champion (1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998). He was the Dodge National Circuit Finals Champion at Pocatello, Idaho, in 1991, and won or placed at all major PRCA rodeos over his 20-year career, including Cheyenne (1986) and Denver (1983, 1989, 1991). When Clark retired in 2000, he had surpassed $1 million in career earnings.
Having served on the PRCA Board of Directors from 1998 – 2005, Clark resigned as chairman in 2005 due to injuries received at the Springdale, Arkansas, rodeo while serving as a pick-up man. A fourth-generation rodeo contestant from Clark, Beals, and Veach family lineage, he continues to actively preserve rodeo history while serving as a mentor to aspiring saddle bronc riders.
