John Rhodes

John and Thomas Rhodes were father and son excelling in roping events. John was born on October 3, 1887, and died November 25, 1973. Thomas was born July 24, 1915, and died September 15, 1981. Both were born in Arizona and became cattle ranchers there. John competed from 1919 to 1968 and Thomas from 1933 to 1960.   John was a 1936 and 1938 World Champion Team Roper, a 1944 Champion Steer Roper and a 1947 Champion Team Tyer. Thomas was a World Champion Steer Roper in 1943, Champion Team Roper in 1944 and World Champion Team Tyer in 1945 and 1946. The two competed at many of the same rodeos: Cheyenne, Pendleton, Salinas, Tucson, Phoenix, Prescott, Reno, Los Angeles and Pecos, plus many more. John innovated healing from the right side in team roping, and was instrumental in founding the Tucson rodeo, where he served as arena judge for the first ten years. He entered the Tucson rodeo in team roping at age 80. Thomas taught riding and roping while in high school at an exclusive boys’ boarding school. One of his students was Willard Porter, well-known rodeo author. Both John and Thomas were Cowboys Turtle Association members, #46 & #56. Inducted with Thomas Rhodes.