Bill Pickett
Bill Picket - Bill Pickett invented the practice of what we know as bulldogging, or steer wrestling. Like a lot of what used to be strictly ranch activities, bulldogging has become a rodeo sport. The sport consists of jumping on a steer from a horse and wrestling the steer to the ground.
Even if someone else got the bright idea to subdue an unruly steer by jumping on it and biting its lip, that person never admitted it. History gives the distinction to Bill Pickett, the oldest of 13 children born in Williamson County to former slaves. He says he got the idea watching dogs do the same thing when they were herding cows. Pickett demonstrated his unique skills all over America and in Mexico, South America, Canada and England. Cowboy actor Tom Mix and humorist Will Rogers were among the people who served as Pickett's assistant. Rodeo and Old West historians differ on where this bulldogging thing first happened, and how. The most popular version, especially locally, has the defining moment taking place in Rockdale in 1903 when an unruly Longhorn steer tried Pickett's patience to the point where he did something drastic; he rode his horse alongside the ornery Longhorn then jumped off his horse onto the back of the steer and grabbed its horns. The steer resisted until Pickett bit the steer's lower lip, at which point the steer became downright docile. Pickett wrestled it to the ground with a compliant thud. |
2014 INDUCTEES JEHU D. "JUD" ASHMORE JOHN DOUGLAS "BUD" FITZPATRICK TODD WHITEWOOD 2013 INDUCTEES DAVID K. LANGFORD ROBERT L. MANSFIELD LARRY NOLEN GARY P. NUNN MARGARET "PEGGY" TOBIN 2012 INDUCTEES CRAIG CAMERON H. JOAQUIN JACKSON ARKEY BLUE BUDDY GROFF 2011 INDUCTEES COY HERMAN "TOOTS" MANSFIELD RICHARD S. "KINKY" FRIEDMAN LOUIS PEARCE WYMAN MEINZER MATHIAS EDWARD "SCOOTER" FRIES 2010 INDUCTEES BILL PICKETT JOSE POLICARPIO "POLLY" RODRIGUEZ RED STEAGALL BUCK TAYLOR RUDY ROBBINS DON & JUDY HICKS 2009 INDUCTEES J. MARVIN HUNTER J. FRANK DOBIE MAUDEEN MARKS "CAPTAIN" JOE BOWMAN RAY WHARTON CLEO HEARN KEVIN FITZPATRICK "EMPRESARIO" TERRY BOOTHE DR. RAUL GAONA, SR. |
