EVENTS
Trick and Roman Rider
Steer Wrestler
Calf Roper
Horse and Bull Trainer
Among the outstanding Roman riders and horse and bull-trainers of the late 20th century, Leon Adams was born on a farm near Stuart, Oklahoma, in 1930. He commenced Roman riding on his father’s plow horses, and began performing on tandem mounts at local rodeos while he was still a teenager. After graduating high school, he took his act on the road to area and regional events.
Seeking a unique rodeo act, Leon Adams trained Brahma bulls (notably, Geronimo and Apache) for Roman-riding performances–the only presentation of its kind in the world. Having joined the PRCA in 1964, Adams and his bulls performed at such great rodeo venues as Calgary, Alberta in Canada; Denver, Colorado; and Fort Worth and Houston, Texas, as well as at the National Finals Rodeo in both Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Las Vegas, Nevada. They also made appearances in Mexico, Japan, Finland, and France. His presentation was named PRCA Specialty Act of the year in 1987 and 1997.
Outside of the arena, Adams trained several Roman-riding teams (both bulls and horses), as well as talented trick-riding, bull-dogging and calf-roping horses. A number of his performing horses, ridden by wife Vicki Herrera Adams, have claimed Specialty Act of the Year awards. In recent years the couple have operated a 2,500-acre cattle ranch near Stuart, Oklahoma, and continue to train horses for rodeo specialty acts and competitions.
