Friends, family and fans came out to promote the premier of the Legends of Rodeo Past and Present, on Thursday, June 27 at the Heartland Heritage Museum & Gallery, located at 116 N. Broadway in Checotah. Heartland director Iris Park even dressed up like one of her favorite characters, Mrs. Kitty, as she and board member/city councilman Joey Marion introduced everyone.
Of course it’s no secret to Checotah why the town is so well-known in the rodeo world with names like Roy and Bill Duvall, Tommy Combs, Betty and Jaylie Roper, Ote Berry and more. However, now locals and visitors from afar can come hear video interviews and see actual rodeo clips of these famous cowboys and cowgirls as they tell stories about the good ol’ days of steer wrestling, hazing and barrel racing.
Ote Berry was one of the cowboys interviewed for the Legends of Rodeo, “I grew up in South Dakota and went to high school in Nebraska but when I wanted to rodeo I knew there was a reason we came to Checotah. It’s the Steer Wrestling Capital of the World. So you are only as tough as your competition and if you can’t make it down here, you’re not ready. But if you can beat your neighbors in McIntosh County then you are ready to take on the world…Roy’s (Duvall) attitude was try hard, bear down and give it your best every time… and he had the best attitude of anybody I’d ever been around… He was always positive and they’d give you plenty of opportunity to practice. They had horses. They had cattle and they gave us the opportunity. Then in return we rode their horses, traveled with them and the more money we made they got a percentage of what we’d win for riding their horses.”
He also stated about handling the pressure of being one of the best, “There’s always pressure when you rodeo, but it’s not from other people as much as it’s on yourself to try and make a living doing it…Pressure comes from different places you know. It’s a man-made or a self-made… to me that separates the good from the great.”
Berry also talked about some of the great horses he had the privilege of winning on and the camaraderie of the cowboy community.
“There are so many great horses. Tommy Combs horse “Charger” was the one I won Cheyenne on. I won my first world championship on Bill Duvall’s horse “Cadillac.” Then I owned a horse I called “Bugs” that I won my last world championship on…But the greatest thing about rodeo I think is the camaraderie… and being able to give back.”
Other legends, like Bill Duvall, brought a tear to fans’ eyes when he stated that the best thing he ever won was “Imogene” the love of his life.
Attendees of the premiere also enjoyed cowboy stew with cornbread made by Mark Watson and got to tour the Heartland Museum at their leisure.
