Renowned bareback horse Grated Coconut of Calgary Stampede’s Grated Coconut headlines an award-winning, eight-member class of inductees that will be enshrined in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Aug. 1.
Grated Coconut, who won a PRCA-record six Bareback Horse of the Year awards, is joined in the class by six-time world champion Cody Ohl (tie-down roping, 1997-1998, 2001, 2003, 2006 and one all-around in, 2001); world champion bull rider Butch Kirby (1978); stock contractor Jim Sutton Jr.; contract personnel Suni Deb Backstrom; notable Randy Witte; rodeo Ellensburg (Wash) Rodeo and world champion barrel racer Martha Josey (1980).
Grated Coconut – Bareback Horse
“We’re excited to say the least,” Calgary Stampede’s Keith Marrington said. “For the Calgary Stampede, this is a great honor to have one of their animals recognized on the world stage. We retired him in 2010 because we needed to use his services to keep our program alive and (for) more years to come. He’s a very unique horse and the face of the Calgary Stampede breeding program. We’re just delighted to have him recognized by such a great organization as the PRCA. That’s the ultimate recognition when you retire, and you go into the Hall of Fame and you are recognized by your peers is pretty special for sure.”
“He was special in and out of the arena,” Marrington said. “When he was in the arena, the guys knew anytime they drew Grated Coconut they had the opportunity to make money. ... Outside the arena, he was just a different horse, he was very gentle. The horse was halter broke, and he has a great demeanor and he’s passed those genetics on to his offspring.”
Cody Ohl – Tie-Down Roper, All-Around
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” said the 6X World Champion. “You dream of being a world champion your whole life, and it only gets to be real for so many. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame for a great career is pretty amazing.”
“Just to be surrounded by the ones in this class (of inductees) and the ones continuing to go in means the world.”
Butch Kirby – Bull Rider
Gary William “Butch” Kirby qualified for the NFR eight times (1973-75, 1977-78, 1980-82). In addition to his world title, he also finished third twice and fifth once. When his bull riding career ended, Kirby never left rodeo. Instead, he became a pro official for 25 years for the PRCA. When the Wrangler NFR comes around in December, it will mark Kirby’s 30th NFR as a judge.
Jim Sutton Jr. – Stock Contractor
“It’s my birthday (today, April 20), so this was quite the gift,” said Sutton, 85, when he got the call from the PRCA. “This is something I really appreciate. I have been inducted into a half a dozen halls of fames, and if there’s one I wanted to be in this would be it. This is the best award I have ever received.
Sunni Deb Backstrom – Contract Personnel
“My mom was the first woman inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame,” said Sunni Deb Backstrom, 61. “It was one of my proudest days. My entire life is the rodeo industry and always has been. It was my family’s life. It’s very overwhelming, I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
Randy Witte – Notable
“That was the farthest thing on my mind,” Witte said. “I’m pretty much speechless. … It’s hard to sink in. I just told the rest of my immediate family. What a tremendous honor. It brings back a flood of memories.”
“When I started out, I was going to be a bull rider, I made some rides I was proud of. I had help from (Hall of Famer) Jerome Robinson. He taught me and other guys. But he was a lot more dedicated. In my case, it didn’t take me long to find my real course of life was rodeo writing not rodeo riding.”
Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo – Committee
“This is great news, we feel very honored,” said Dan Morgan, Director for the Ellensburg Rodeo. “With everything going on lately, you know there’s been a lot of not-so-happy news out there right now, and it felt really good to get a call like this and brighten the day.”
“Our rodeo is 100% put on by volunteers, and our volunteers are more important than anything to us. We have our board of directors, our top hands and then there’s hundreds of volunteers – I don’t know if I can say thousands but there’s a ton of people. You don’t really think about just how many people it takes until you go to the rodeo and see the same people year after year. I’ve seen the same people volunteer for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been here my whole life.”
Martha Josey – Barrel Racer
“I am so excited and just don’t know what to say, I am in shock,” the 82-year-old said upon learning of her induction. “I have received some great honors in the past, but this is among the very highest. It is a true honor to be included in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in the WPRA category alongside so many great athletes and personnel. ... I thought four years ago when the WPRA inducted their first class it was just magnificent, and to get the call today is just wonderful. I am so honored.”
Read the full story by ProRodeo.com and learn about each of this year’s inductees here.
Western Sports Reporter Amy Wilson profiled the inductees and talked about their impact on ProRodeo during the WSR Minutes:
