Members of the cowboy elite gather for the 60th annual Rodeo Hall of Fame inductions and awards, 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Inductees feature former top riders, ropers, wranglers and other rodeo stars.
Theres something about rodeo that really embodies the spirit of the American West, both in its historical and its modern forms, said Steven Karr, museum president. We are honored to have celebrated award winners and Rodeo Hall of Fame inductees through the years, including Lane Frost, Jim Shoulders, the Etbauer brothers and many others.
The Rodeo Hall of Fame honors great performers in rodeo and related professions, he said.
Rodeo traditions are truly tenets of the American West, past and present, Karr said.
This years class of inductees and honorees features Bobby DelVecchio, C.L. Eckols and John Edwards. DelVecchio, a real urban cowboy, is from the New York City borough of the Bronx and a world-champion bull rider. Other 2015 inductees are Bob Feist, Tommy Lucia, Jerry Olson, C.C. Bud Parker, B.J. Pierce and T.B. Porter.
The Tad Lucas Memorial Award will be presented to Kirsten Vold, and the Ben Johnson Memorial Award recipient is Mike Cervi. Leo Camarillo also will be honored as the 1975 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association All-Around Champion.
Members of the Rodeo Historical Society (RHS), the organization that bestows the awards, as well as the public, is invited to nominate rodeo legends. RHS is closely affiliated with the museum, and its worldwide members share an interest in preserving rodeo history, Karr said.
Inductees are selected by a secret ballot by members of RHS.
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum was founded in 1955 and has had more than 12 million visitors from across the world.
The Museum collects and exhibits an internationally renowned collection of Western art, he said.
Membership supports museum rodeo programs, research, an oral history project, acquisition of materials for the American Rodeo Gallery and the Rodeo Hall of Fame.
About 500 people attend the event each year. It is open to the public but reservations are required. Reservations can be purchased online or by phone.
This years Rodeo Hall of Fame weekend includes a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a concert by Ned LeDoux, son of late rodeo musician Chris LeDoux, a 2006 inductee.
The Champions Gala and Award Ceremony, including a seated dinner, is 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Print Headline: Wrangling winners, The Rodeo Hall of Fame inducts its class of 2015 this weekend at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.