Troy University Athletics
Eight-Time World Champion Mentors Troy Rodeo Athletes
4/5/2012 6:32:00 PM | Rodeo
TROY, Ala. – Practice at the Pike County Cattlemen's Association went a little different than usual Wednesday, as Troy's rodeo team members received special instructions from a special icon in the rodeo business.
Rich Skelton, who is well-known as one of the biggest names in the team roping business, made his way to Troy Wednesday to assist the Trojan Spurs in all aspects of the sport.
“We covered pretty much everything yesterday,” Skelton said. "We went over how to practice, how to prepare for the rodeos all the way up to sponsors. We tried to touch a little bit on every aspect of rodeo.”
Skelton, a native of Llano, Texas, holds eight world titles and is a 19-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Qualifier. Skelton has been competing at a high level since he was 18 and is highly competitive as a team roping heeler.
“It was really fun yesterday,” Skelton said. “I got down here and I roped some breakaway calves and team roped a little bit and helped the boys and girls. I did some things I don't usually do at home and it was fun.”
His eight titles won span from 1997-2004. He qualified for the Wrangler NFR in 1990, 1993, 1995-2006, 2009-2010 and he was invited in 1991-1992 and 1994.
Skelton placed 17th in the 2011 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association standings and came away with earnings of over $50,000.
His one Wrangler NFR title came back in 2001. He qualified 15 times for the tour finale and claimed two titles in the summers of 2001 and 2003. He is a 12-time qualifier of the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo and claimed three titles in 1997, 2001 and 2003.
In the sport of rodeo, sticking together as a group or as individuals plays a big role in success. Rodeo athletes often make friends for life in the business and most of the time, their success builds off each other's support. Skelton has been a long-time partner with stars Tee Woolman and Speed Williams, who also both have conquered the rodeo arena in many different ways.
“When I got started I worked with Tee Woolman,” Skelton said. “I lived with him for 4 or 5 years before I ever actually roped with him. He taught me a lot about rodeo and it's pretty cool to be 18-20 years old and live with an icon like him.”
In 1995, Skelton and Woolman won the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo. Then in 1996, they claimed top honors at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. The first world title of Skelton's career came in 1997 when he and Williams paired together won the DNCFR. In 1998, Williams and Skelton tied the then-NFR team roping arena record of 3.8 seconds, then in 1999 set the PRCA team roping heeling earnings record with $172,385.
“Timing is everything and we met and he had already won a couple world championships and Speed and I never had,” Skelton said. “I wouldn't say the drive wasn't there, but Tee and I came awful close winning second once and then we just never actually won the championship together.”
Beginning in 2001, Skelton got on a hot streak and never slowed down. He and Williams won the NFR team roping average title in 2001, and Skelton also claimed his fifth world championship. The following year, Skelton, paired with the same partner from the previous year, won his sixth consecutive world title setting a PRCA record. The two went on to win the title in 2003 and 2004, setting a record for consecutive and team roping world titles (1997-2004).
“When Speed and I got together, we competed in rodeo for 10 years,” Skelton said. “He had some really nice horses and I had some really nice horses so it worked out well for us.”
The Wrangler NFR in 2005 marked the final time that Williams and Skelton would rope together as they tied the then-arena record of 3.7 seconds. In 2006, Skelton became the ninth cowboy to surpass the $2 million mark in career earnings at the Wrangler NFR.
After learning from an icon in Skelton, Troy will look to use the advice received at their next rodeo on April 12-14 in Martin, Tenn.
Rich Skelton, who is well-known as one of the biggest names in the team roping business, made his way to Troy Wednesday to assist the Trojan Spurs in all aspects of the sport.
“We covered pretty much everything yesterday,” Skelton said. "We went over how to practice, how to prepare for the rodeos all the way up to sponsors. We tried to touch a little bit on every aspect of rodeo.”
Skelton, a native of Llano, Texas, holds eight world titles and is a 19-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Qualifier. Skelton has been competing at a high level since he was 18 and is highly competitive as a team roping heeler.
“It was really fun yesterday,” Skelton said. “I got down here and I roped some breakaway calves and team roped a little bit and helped the boys and girls. I did some things I don't usually do at home and it was fun.”
His eight titles won span from 1997-2004. He qualified for the Wrangler NFR in 1990, 1993, 1995-2006, 2009-2010 and he was invited in 1991-1992 and 1994.
Skelton placed 17th in the 2011 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association standings and came away with earnings of over $50,000.
His one Wrangler NFR title came back in 2001. He qualified 15 times for the tour finale and claimed two titles in the summers of 2001 and 2003. He is a 12-time qualifier of the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo and claimed three titles in 1997, 2001 and 2003.
In the sport of rodeo, sticking together as a group or as individuals plays a big role in success. Rodeo athletes often make friends for life in the business and most of the time, their success builds off each other's support. Skelton has been a long-time partner with stars Tee Woolman and Speed Williams, who also both have conquered the rodeo arena in many different ways.
“When I got started I worked with Tee Woolman,” Skelton said. “I lived with him for 4 or 5 years before I ever actually roped with him. He taught me a lot about rodeo and it's pretty cool to be 18-20 years old and live with an icon like him.”
In 1995, Skelton and Woolman won the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo. Then in 1996, they claimed top honors at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. The first world title of Skelton's career came in 1997 when he and Williams paired together won the DNCFR. In 1998, Williams and Skelton tied the then-NFR team roping arena record of 3.8 seconds, then in 1999 set the PRCA team roping heeling earnings record with $172,385.
“Timing is everything and we met and he had already won a couple world championships and Speed and I never had,” Skelton said. “I wouldn't say the drive wasn't there, but Tee and I came awful close winning second once and then we just never actually won the championship together.”
Beginning in 2001, Skelton got on a hot streak and never slowed down. He and Williams won the NFR team roping average title in 2001, and Skelton also claimed his fifth world championship. The following year, Skelton, paired with the same partner from the previous year, won his sixth consecutive world title setting a PRCA record. The two went on to win the title in 2003 and 2004, setting a record for consecutive and team roping world titles (1997-2004).
“When Speed and I got together, we competed in rodeo for 10 years,” Skelton said. “He had some really nice horses and I had some really nice horses so it worked out well for us.”
The Wrangler NFR in 2005 marked the final time that Williams and Skelton would rope together as they tied the then-arena record of 3.7 seconds. In 2006, Skelton became the ninth cowboy to surpass the $2 million mark in career earnings at the Wrangler NFR.
After learning from an icon in Skelton, Troy will look to use the advice received at their next rodeo on April 12-14 in Martin, Tenn.
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