By Shea McIntosh
Special To Ropers Sports News
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. — On January 31, 2014 Roxy Freeman passed away at French hospital in San Luis Obispo due to complications from two strokes she suffered a month apart. Roxy was born December 2, 1942 in Coalinga, Calif. to parents Walt and Gerry Freeman. She is survived by her only son Monty Shea McIntosh and great-aunt Mary Rasmussen. Roxy’s life cannot be summarized in this brief article. There are far too many things she accomplished for them all to be listed here. I will do my best to highlight what she would have wanted her friends to know, and what she would have wanted to be remembered for.
Roxy was a WPRA card holder her whole life. Her card number is W58. As a long time Gold Card holder, Roxy achieved four NFR qualifications running barrels and also was the world’s Champion WPRA team roper in 1980 (heeling). She also holds the fast time at the NFR in Oklahoma City, Okla. She was the Sierra Circuit director for many years and qualified for many circuit finals championships. Roxy worked with many legends in the WPRA to get members equal prize money, worked with committees to even have barrel racing, and to improve ground conditions for all contestants.
Over her lifetime she trained many winning horses, gave clinics, and was always there to offer advice for anyone who wanted it. She was brutally honest in her horse business and was well respected among her peers for it. She served as State secretary for the CHSRA as well as over a decade as the West Coast Regional College rodeo secretary for NIRA. All while holding a regular full time job with the County of San Luis Obispo as an agricultural inspector. Roxy was also the National Secretary for the American Mule Association most of her life.
All the roles she played were nothing in comparison to her role as a mother. Mom always had me mounted on the best horses since I was one year old (Lee Rider, NFR barrel horse). He taught me to run barrels, rope calves, team rope, and died at age 34. I never wanted for anything, she sacrificed everything for me, and I will forever be grateful for that. She taught me so many lessons in life, patience, doing the job right the first time, and respect your elders no matter what. Things I continue to do to this day and forever. I observed her last physical therapy session and she wrote my name on a piece of paper and it said “The Best son in the Whole World.” I know Mom is watching over me now as she always has, and always will.
A celebration of life will take place at the V-T Ranch in Paso Robles, Calif. on April 19, 2014 at 11am. Roxy wished to be cremated and will be laid to rest on the ranch with Lee Rider, Balderdash, Printer, Greydog, and all her cattle dogs. Please join us to tell your stories and memories of mom. For more information, I can be reached at 951-314-0348 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
