By the time he retired from rodeo
competition at age 26, Tibbs was
considered not only America’s favorite
cowboy, but also the greatest bronc rider
in the nation’s history. For Casey, how-
ever, the fun times kept on rolling. He
landed in Hollywood, where his tal-
ents turned to acting, performing stunts
and even directing films. Always a
promoter of Western life, he continued
to appear in roundups, rodeos, ornate
festivals and fundraisers for cowboys,
rodeos, museums and politicians.
Over time, he either performed
in or worked on 25 films. Among
his movie credits are, “Support Your
Local Sheriff,” “Support Your Local
Gunfighter,” “Born Wild,” “Born to
Buck,” and “The Young Rounders.”
He also appeared in several television
series, including “Gunsmoke,” and the
miniseries, “Lonesome Dove.”
In later life, Casey Tibbs lived in
Ramona, California where he devoted
his time to breeding racing horses,
stock, and bucking horses. In 1979 he
was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall
of Fame in Colorado Springs, where a
statue of the all- time champion, astride
his horse Necktie, was installed in front
of the museum. He died on January 28,
1990 at his home in Ramona. In 2018
he was posthumously inducted into the
California Rodeo Salinas Hall of Fame.
The plaque honoring him was sent to
the Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo
Center at his native Ft. Pierre, where
his riding fame began.
For Gilroyans, the locally famous
statue no longer rides above the old
Hall’s Clothing store location, but mem-
ories of the town’s Gymkhana days, and
of the legendary cowboy Casey Tibbs,
remain ingrained in the town’s history.
The Wildflower Run is sponsored in part by:
Sunday, March 31
Live Oak High School
Morgan Hill
www.WildflowerRun.org
USATF Certified 10K Run
5K Run/Stroller/Walk
Kids’ 2K Fun Run
Senior 2K Run or Walk
Providing local community grants and scholarships & leadership programs for women and girls
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
february/march 2019
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