EVENTS
World’s Champion Cowboy, 1925, 1927-1928
Steer Roper
Permanent Holder of the Roosevelt Trophy
Among the best and most colorful steer ropers in the sport, Bob Crosby was born in 1897 at Midland, Texas. Raised around Kenna, New Mexico, he was a seasoned cowhand prior to becoming a recognized rodeo contestant in 1923 at New York’s Yankee Stadium.
Known as “Wild Horse Bob” on the circuit, Crosby was always an aggressive competitor. In 1925, 1927, and again in 1928, he won the combined, “all-around” titles at Pendleton and Cheyenne, thus capturing (and retiring) the coveted Roosevelt Trophy. This feat, amassing the most cumulative points among the bronc riding, steer roping, bulldogging, and wild horse racing events, was equal to a three-time world championship for that era. In later years, Crosby participated in a series of dramatic matched-ropings–many of which he won.
Once called “The King of The Cowboys” by “Life” magazine, Bob Crosby was killed in a jeep accident near his New Mexico ranch in 1947. He is remembered for his “lucky” black hat, his string of exceptional roping horses that included Powder Horn and Jelly Bean, and for his endurance and tenacity in winning over serious injuries.
