River Valley Pioneer Museum: Rodeo in Hemphill County

J. Ellison Carrol of Big Lake, Texas, is responsible for the statement that the first rodeo held in Texas was at Canadian in the summer of 1888. It was in the form of a two day celebration, with steer roping as the main event. To Hemphill County belongs the distinction of innovating a rodeo and was among the first of such “reunions” to be staged as a community undertaking anywhere in the southwest. A group of cowboys from the Laurel Leaf Ranch, located east of Canadian, conceived the 1888 project of holding a public contest with steer roping as the main event. In the years to follow, it was remembered that there was “roping and tying down”, horseraces, tournament races, and dancing indulged by the multitudes. In this time before the Anvil Park Rodeo, this event stands as an unmarked memorial of the people who settled this region. Things missing then were the carefully evolved rules that govern rodeo today, and a constructed rodeo ground with grandstands. Lining Main Street of the lively cow-town of Canadian stood hundreds of spectators. There in the dust filled frame shack lined streets were turned loose the enterprising riders who elected to risk the perils of attempting conquest of infuriated outlaw horses. No referees were nearby to halt the plunging ride as the timer's gun blasted to end the ten second ride. Contestants rode until either horse or man was proven to be the best and risked plunging into buildings, railings, and onlookers. In later years, space was provided next to the Santa Fe Stockyards for the contests, but the streets of town were elected for the horse races, tournament races, and other events. July 4th became a day of celebration and entertainment in the following years, the main forms being music, speeches, and horseracing. It wasn't until the Chamber of Commerce sponsored expositions to carve a financial footing and the rodeo began to exist as a community project, as it still is today.

Anvil Park Rodeo
To J. C. Studer, the 4th of July was sacred. He opened the lake on his property to the public each year on July 4th. Studer Ranch and the Anvil Park were located east of Canadian on Lake Marvin Road. J.C. built temporary stands at Anvil Park (so named after the Studer Ranch anvil brand) and in 1922, the Anvil Park Rodeo was born. Anvil Park Rodeo is known in the East and many National Amusement Magazines have given it recognition. The Studers owned and managed the rodeo and the stock for twenty-one years. The three day show drew from 5,000 to 6,000 visitors from all parts of the country. People traveled for miles and camped for the duration of the festivities. It endured twenty-two years there and three years in Canadian. It was disband because of unsafe grandstands and of course the war put added pressure on the people. It was renewed two years later in 1949 by the Canadian Roping Club. The Canadian Rodeo still goes on every year along with many other events. Canadian is still the patriotic rodeo town the first committee members had hoped it would be.

Sydna Yokley Woodyard
Sydna Yokley Woodyard was posthumously honored as a member of the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame on May 14, 1977. Sydna Yokley was born January 17, 1922 to Jess and Mae Ross Yokley and was raised on the Yokley's ranch outside Canadian, Texas. Sydna was truly a woman of western heritage. Her horse and roping skills can be traced back to her natural way of life and learning on her family's ranch. As a young schoolgirl Sydna won national acclaim for her riding and roping abilities. She began performing in rodeos across the country at age ten. She appeared every year at the Anvil Park Rodeo located outside Canadian on the Studer Ranch. In the 1940's and 50's, she became a national rodeo figure especially noted for her activities and achievements as a top-flight calf roper and trick rider on her trick horse, Sonny Boy. Miss Yokley's twenty-eight day performance in Madison Square Garden, New York and two-week performance at Boston Gardens in the fall of 1939 prompted Life Magazine to publish two full pages of action pictures of her performances in the arena. Sydna was also featured in the American Magazine. At one time she was one of only a very few women calf ropers in the world and her fastest official time was eighteen seconds. Sydna and James Henry Woodyard married on May 7, 1941 and had two children, James Jr., and Sharon. Sydna helped form the American Quarter Horse Association and became a breeder of registered quarter horses in North Hollywood, California and in the mid-1950's, Sydna and James began operating a motel together. On July 25 th , 1959 Sydna Yokley Woodyard was traveling with her nine year old daughter, Sharon, and her favorite mare from California to her home town of Canadian. She was traveling to Canadian to breed her mare at her father's ranch. She stopped at Winslow, Arizona to check on her horse and was tragically killed when her horse panicked, tossed his head knocking Sydna unconscious and trampled her to death in the horse trailer. After suffering several injuries and remaining unconscious for two weeks at the hospital in Pheonix, Arizona, Sydna passed away on August 8, 1959 at the age of thirty-seven. Sydna is buried in the Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery in Canadian, Texas. Several years prior to her death, Sydna was rated top billing as roper and rider and was billed as “America's typical ranch girl”.

Clinton and Clayton Hill
Twin boys, Clinton and Clayton Hill, were the third and fourth children born to Ben and Hazel Hill on June 30, 1924. Clinton was five minutes older than Clayton. They were born in Lipscomb County at their grandmother Cordelia Hill's home and raised on their family ranch in Roberts County. The four oldest Hill children began their education in an upstairs room in the family home until the Hill's moved to Canadian in 1936 where they continued their education. The Hill Brothers started their rodeo careers at Anvil Park Rodeo on the J.C. Studer Ranch in 1938. Clinton joined the Professional Turtle Rodeo Association in 1941 at Texarkana, Texas and was the youngest rodeo contestant at that time. Clayton joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1944 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Clinton said that it was quite an honor in 1953 when he led several months for the title of World's Champion Saddle Bronc Rider. In 1959, Clinton moved to Canadian from California and started “heading and heeling” in Canadian in 1960. Clayton, at one point, was also in the lead for the World's Champion Bull Rider title until he broke his leg that same year. Clinton and Clayton participated for over twenty-five years in rodeo. Both received a Gold Card from the PRCA. Clayton married Frankie Stoker, also a rodeo star in her own right, on August 31, 1949. Clayton and Frankie were the parents of one daughter and four boys. Clinton married Montie Campbell on December 23, 1961. Clinton and Monte raised a son and two daughters. Clinton was a member of the National Old Timer's Rodeo Association. Clayton retired from the active rodeo circuit in 1951 and began operating his own livestock hauling company, Clayton Hill Livestock. Clayton died tragically in a truck accident on November 5, 1977. In the past, the Canadian Roping Club has sponsored an annual National Old Timers Rodeo in Canadian in memory of Clayton Hill. Clinton died February 28, 1999.

J.W. Stoker
J.W. Stoker was born on the Stoker Ranch in September of 1927 near Colorado Springs , Colorado . Four years later the Stoker family moved to Overland Park , Kansas where they were raised and attended school. J.W. had two younger sisters, Frankie Louise and Bessie Mae. The three Stoker children's interest in trick riding and roping was sparked by the Tom Mix Circus performance in Kansas City , Missouri their grandfather took them to see. J.W. was a member of several riding clubs where h e learned to trick rope and ride from Pinky Barnes who traveled to Kansas City in the winter of 1938 to teach kids how to rope. Pinky was a wild west show and rodeo hand who frequently worked in the movies. From that point on J.W. knew he wanted to be a trick rider and roper and practiced everyday for hours. He even took his rope to school to practice during lunch. In the Spring of 1939, J.W. was hired by the Clyde S. Miller Rodeo Show as a young trick roper. In addition to hiring J.W., Miller also hired both of J.W.'s parents to help with the show. At the age of 10, J.W. and the Stoker family went on the road. J.W.'s father drove a truck and hauled and set up chutes. His mother worked in the cook tent and was the “wardrobe mistress”. By that July, Frankie joined J.W.'s act. It was truly a family affair. At the age of 12, he appeared on the Wheaties box as juvenile champion trick rider. J.W. turned pro in 1942. He rodeoed steadily except during his military service in World War II and the Korean War. While in the service, J.W. was with the Soldier Show Section of Special Forces where he entertained troops. Upon his discharge from the service in 1953, he went on the road performing with black lights. This use of invisible ultraviolet lights was the first such use in professional rodeo. His talents of trick riding, blacklight rope spinning and fancy horse catches have been witnessed in many other countries including, Japan , Dominican Republic , Cuba , Korea , Australia , and Venezuela . He was a stunt double in the motion picture Bronco Billy for Sam Bottoms , began his 1988 season performing at the Calgary Olympics Rodeo , and was a featured guest on The Today Show and the Charlie Rose Show in 1990. J.W. broke tradition by being honored two consecutive years (1985 & 1986) by the prestigious Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as entertainer of the year. He was also inducted into the National Cowboys Hall of Fame in 1999. As quoted in “Paint Horse Journal ” in March 1980, J.W. said, “It's a dying art”, “I predicted it in the 1940's and people told me I was crazy, but I've seen it come true.” Stoker lives on a twenty-five acre spread near Weatherford , Texas where he spends his off season training his show horses for his acts. His wardrobe includes over 100 fancy fringed-rhinestone shirts, seventy-five pairs of handmade boots and twenty-five western hats. As recent as December 2003, J.W. entertained at The Great American Wild West show in Las Vegas and appeared in American Cowboy .

Frankie Louise Stoker
Frankie Louise Stoker was born to Frank E. and Wilma Stoker, on the Stoker Ranch near Colorado Springs , Colorado in 1929. In 1931, the Stoker family moved to Overland Park , Kansas . The three Stoker children's interest in trick riding and roping was sparked by the Tom Mix Circus performance in Kansas City , Missouri their grandfather took them to see. After seeing the circus performance, J.W. new trick riding and roping was the career for him. With the help of Frankie, they worked odd jobs, ten to twelve cents an hour, to save money for their first trick saddle which cost $37.50 new. Frankie's brother J.W. began his career as a trick rider and roper at the tender age of ten. He was hired in the spring of 1939, and so was the entire family, by Miller Rodeo to perform in summer rodeos. Frankie and her younger sister, Bessie Mae, practiced their trick riding on a daily basis and by July joined their brother's act. Frankie was eight when she performed in her first rodeo and with the help of J.W. could do a one-foot stand, a Roman stand, a fender drag, and a Cossack drag. The Stoker children performed in their first indoor arena in Chicago when Frankie was ten years of age. During school, the Stoker performers would get their school assignments from their teachers before they left with the rodeo. Often, tutors traveled with them. Frankie's mother Wilma made all her performance costumes. The Stokers traveled across the United States performing in Wild West shows and rodeos. The Stoker act was put on hold after J.W. joined the military service in the fall 1950. J.W. was discharged from the service in 1952 and he and Frankie resumed their act in 1953 for a few years. While J.W. was in the service, Frankie worked for a furrier in Kansas City . Frankie married Clayton Hill, also a rodeo star in his own right, on August 31, 1949 and Frankie retired from performing in the mid-1950's. They moved to Canadian in April of 1957 and raised their five children, Karen, J.C., Donald, Ronnie, and Wallace. She served as the Hemphill County Justice of the Peace from 1979 until her retirement in 2002.

Denny McLanahan
It was written that “Denny McLanahan is an outstanding example of what rodeo is all about.” McLanahan is the son of Billy & Cheta McLanahan. Both of his parents are past rodeo competitors and champions. Billy rode bulls and bareback and Cheta was an accomplished barrel racer, they both competed for over 20 years which established the family tradition of rodeo champions. Denny began his rodeo career as many do in junior rodeo and the Tri State High School Rodeo. He entered both bareback and bull riding as a high school competitor. Along with rodeo he was also active in football, basketball, and track. After High School, Denny enrolled in Western Texas College in Snyder, where he was a member of the college rodeo team. Denny received a scholarship while attending WTC for three years (1987-1990). While at WTC, Denny qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo all three years. During his 1989-1990 college year, he won the South West Region Bareback Championship. As his rodeo career took off, he became well known for his abilities. He progressed to the professional side of rodeo. Eventually he gave up on bull riding to fully concentrate on his real love, bareback riding. Denny McLanahan is an 8 time NFR qualifier and to show the pride his hometown Canadian, Texas has for him there is a sign at the Canadian Rodeo Arena indicating the dates of his qualification, 1992-1999. Due to injuries, Denny no longer rodeos. He currently lives in Canadian, Texas with wife Holly and daughter Mady.

River Valley Pioneer Museum
rvmuseum@cebridge.net
PO Box 1201
118 N. 2nd
Canadian, TX 79014
(806) 323-6548

Hours of operation:
Tuesday - Friday 9am - 12 noon, 1pm - 4pm
Saturdays - 1pm - 3pm