The Bull RidingHall of Fame, located at the Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas, is a hall of fame for the sport of bull riding. It is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Texas, and created to "recognize, memorialize, and applaud the bull riders, bullfighters, bulls, stock contractors, events, and individuals who have had a made a historic contribution and attained stellar performance in the sport." Membership is open to fans worldwide. The BullRiding Hall of Fame intends to honor all of the bull riding champions. But the hall also has other goals to preserve the history of bull riding, housing "inductee exhibits, accomplishments, photos, videos, personal effects and much more". The Bull Riding Hall of Fame has four categories of induction: Bull Riders, Bull Fighters, Bulls, and Legends. The inaugural class of inductions started in 2015. The hall opened its doors to the public in 2016.
History
The founders created the Bull Riding Hall of Fame, Inc., "to recognize bull riders, bull fighters, bulls, organizations, competitive events, and stock contractors that have achieved the ultimate level of performance in the sport of bull riding." The organization's activities include historical presentation, visitor education, event hosting, and managing via multiple committees. The founders were involved in overseeing the building of the foundation hall, and also maintaining the Bull Riding Hall of Fame museum at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth. Husband and wife team, Bill and Tammi Putnam, were founding members and respectively served as president and treasurer. Bill Putnam's daughter, Amy Ellinger, served as secretary.
Organization
The Bull Riding Hall of Fame Museum is located at Cowtown Coliseum, Fort Worth Stockyards, Fort Worth, Texas. One group of nominees is inducted into the hall each year. Inductees are selected by the nominations and votes of Annual Members, Lifetime Member, Sponsor, Memorial/In Honor Donors, and Friend of the Hall Supporters. Annual and Lifetime memberships are available for individual or couples. Sponsors can be an individual, couple, organization, or corporation.
The inductees, human and animal, are among the most notable individuals and organizations in the sport. More than half of them are also inductees of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, including bullfighter Wick Peth. Others include PRCA bull riderLane Frost, famous for his duel with Red Rock in the Challenge of the Champions. From the Professional Bull Riders there are several Ring of Honor holders from the which is the PBR equivalent of a Hall of Fame. Chris Shivers is still the holder of many records in the PBR and a 2013 Ring of Honor holder. Another Ring of Honor holder is bull rider Tuff Hedeman, one of the riders who conquered Bodacious. Hedeman competed in the PBR and the PRCA. He is also in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Out of the three bulls that have been inducted as of 2017, two of them are also in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Tornado was inducted in 1979. Bodacious was inducted in 1999. Bodacious was the only bull to win the PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year and the PBR World Champion Bull in 1995, until Bruiser did it in 2017.
