College Rodeo: From Show to Sport

Chapter 2. NIRA Creates a New Vision and a National Finals

c h a p t e r 2 22 c h a p t e r 2 NIRA Creates a New Vision and a National Finals In the late s the number of annual invitational intercollegiate rodeos grew asdidthedesiretoestablishanationalorganizationtodeterminenationalchampions . This organization could also standardize rules and set eligibility, contestants ’ conduct, prizes, and lead to recognition as a college sport. The idea had been bantered around at many college rodeos. Finally, in the fall of  with the GI Bill providing college financing for an influx of mature World War II veteran-cowboys, they organized the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) and produced the first college national finals rodeo,resulting in a new type of rodeo cowboy and cowgirl. In ,twenty-eight years after the first collegiate rodeo (one college competing ) at Texas A&M and ten years after the first intercollegiate rodeo (severalcollegescompeting )inCalifornia,thecontestantsatSulRossStateTeachers College’s first intercollegiate rodeo on November  to  in Alpine, Texas, decided to plan an organizational meeting. One of the visionary organizers, Hank Finger, Sul Ross Rodeo Association president, had transferred to Sul Ross from Texas A&M along with another cowboy, Jim Watts. In the spring of ,SR cowboy Buster Lindley and Finger,returning from a University of Arizona rodeo, had discussed some rule changes that they disliked.1 An attempt to organize a Western Intercollegiate Rodeo Association had occurred NIRA Creates a New Vision and a National Finals 23 in  or  at the University of Arizona.2 Apparently, it failed, for unknown reasons. Lindley and Finger, along with Watts and others, continued to discuss the need for an organization until it materialized at the Sul Ross rodeo. The meeting to begin organizational plans occurred in part because of the strong leadership talent, motivation, and maturity of many of the college students . Hank Finger’s election as president of the Bar SR Bar Rodeo Association attested to his leadership ability and charisma, attributes that helped direct the organizing of the NIRA. However, at the time of his election, Finger’s majorconcernwasproducingasuccessfulfirstintercollegiaterodeoatSulRoss. On December , , sixty-one Sul Ross students entered their first home rodeo.3 In  they invited other schools to compete at Sul Ross. Rodeoproductionsuccessfollowedstrongleadershipandmotivation.Hank Finger’s promotional and public relations talent showed with the numerous prize-solicitation letters and news releases he sent to promote the Sul Ross rodeo.Along with the prizes and publicity,a rodeo arena had to be completed. In the fall of , the Sul Ross administration appropriated $, for arena materials,and the rodeo members supplied the labor.4 The cowboys borrowed knocked-down bleachers from the Odessa Independent School District,a distance of approximately  miles, and returned them immediately after the rodeo.5 Headed for a historical rodeo event,eleven teams from Texas,New Mexico, Colorado,and Oklahoma,of the twenty-four invited,arrived at the little Texas town of Alpine in the mountains in Big Bend country. On November , , after the three-day rodeo,Sul Ross had won most of the titles.Both all-around championships remained at Sul Ross.Mary Ellen Chandler Kimball’s second in goat tying andfirst in barrel racing cinched for her Sul Ross’sfirst intercollegiate rodeo women’s all-around title and prizes of a hat, a pair of boots, head stall,and a buckle set.Chandler Kimball borrowed Charlie Hall’s roping horse for her events.6 Sul Ross freshman Bob King won the all-around saddle with a first in ribbon roping and a second place in calf roping. The historical event centered on more than just the action in the arena.The presence of twelve schools (including SR) on a campus whose administration strongly supported intercollegiate rodeo along with cowboys matured by their war years and individuals with charismatic personalities and talent for promotion provided the perfect combination to pursue the idea of creating a national c h a p t e r 2 24 organization. “Ham Scott of New Mexico A&M and I were talking over our troubles at producing college rodeos. We agreed that we should get all those interested together to discuss the problems of rodeoing on other campuses. I called a meeting for that night at the Range Animal Husbandry building,”said Hank Finger.7 The representatives of twelve schools from four states met to elect some officers. On November , , they elected Hank Finger as chairman of the constitutional committee and Charlie Rankin of Texas A&M as organizational publicity director.They planned to contact junior and senior colleges to send representatives to...