ROY COOPER: RODEO LEGEND GONE TOO SOON
By Dee Yates
Roy Cooper, widely known as the “Super Looper” and considered one of rodeo’s most revolutionary figures, died in a house fire at his Decatur, Texas home on April 24, 2025. He was 69. The fire was reported at 7:08 p.m. in the 600 block of County Road 3051. The large, one-story home was engulfed in flames as Wise County EMS and Decatur Fire Department crews arrived on scene. Several other fire departments responded to provide mutual aid to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby structures. The circumstances were traumatic for family members who were home at the time of the incident.
Cooper, born November 13, 1955, in Hobbs, New Mexico, dominated the professional rodeo circuit for decades, accumulating eight gold buckles—six in calf roping (1976, 1980-84), one in steer roping, and a world all-around championship in 1983. He won the National Finals Rodeo average in calf roping four times (1976, ’79, ’83, ’95) and claimed four National Finals Steer Roping averages (1984, ’85, ’93, ’96).
Membership in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) came in 1976, where as a rookie he competed in the first of 18 National Finals calf roping events and ended the year with 1st in the NFR average as well as a World Champion title. A severed wrist in 1979 only delayed his competition, and he went on to win the NFR average. World Champion Calf Roping titles were also awarded in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984. In 1977 and 1978, Roy was the year-end champion roper, but the title of World Champion was awarded to the winner of the NFR only. Qualifications for the NFR in calf roping also came in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996.
In 1983, Roy won the World Champion Steer Roper title, the calf roping title, and the PRCA All-Around title. This Triple Crown marked the first time in 25 years any cowboy had won three gold buckles in a single season, matching Jim Shoulders’ 1958 achievement. Trevor Brazile, Cooper’s son-in-law, would be the next to accomplish this feat 24 years later.
Roy competed 13 times in the steer roping Finals; in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1997. With H.P. Evetts as his header, they competed at the PRCA National Finals in 1981 at the Myriad Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The number of times Cooper qualified for the NFR and National Finals Steer Roping is staggering: tie-down roping – 19 (1976-87, 1989, 1991-93, 1995-96); steer roping – 13 (1980-81, 1983-88; 1990; 1992-93; 1996-97) and team roping as a header for H.P. Evetts (1981).
Cooper transformed calf roping through technical innovation and athletic prowess. “Every once in a while, a guy will come along and change things. Roy changed things. He revolutionized our event,” noted roping legend Dean Oliver. Joe Beaver described Cooper’s impact more colorfully: “When Roy cracked out, he was like a shark in a sea full of catfish.”
The financial milestones in Cooper’s career were equally impressive. He became rodeo’s second million-dollar cowboy in 1987, surpassed Tom Ferguson as all-time career earnings leader in 1988, and in 2000 became the first cowboy to exceed $2 million in career earnings.
His competitive record included victories at virtually every major rodeo: Houston, San Antonio, Cheyenne, Calgary, Reno, Salinas, Pendleton, Ellensburg, Dodge City, Greeley, Guymon, Nampa, Cody, North Platte, and Prescott, among countless others.
Beyond competition, Cooper was known for his generosity toward younger competitors and his dedication to family. In 2010, he witnessed all three of his sons—Clint, Clif and Tuf—rope at the NFR together, becoming the first trio of brothers to achieve this distinction.
In a heartfelt tribute, his son Clif Cooper shared: “If it’s one thing I know Dad loved God, and his entry fee are paid. He’s probably got a pen of freshies penned up already in heaven. I love you Dad- I truly Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Clif Cooper.”
At the time of his death, Cooper was preparing to receive the Ty Murray Top Hand Award at the PBR’s Heroes & Legends event scheduled for July 10 at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. Cooper once summarized his life philosophy simply: “I love to rope. And I love people. Roping and my family are my whole life.”
