Larry Mahan (1943–2023), Hall of Fame rodeo cowboy
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2 min readLarry Mahan was a legendary rodeo cowboy who was profiled in the Oscar-winning 1973 documentary “The Great American Cowboy.”
- Died: May 7, 2023 (Who else died on May 7?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 79.
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Larry Mahan’s legacy
Mahan was a young teen when he began competing professionally in rodeo, and by his early 20s, he was a champion and a star of the sport. His specialties included saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and bull riding. In 1965 and 1967, Mahan was the World Bull Riding Champion, and he won his first of five consecutive World All-Around Champion titles in 1965. After several difficult years, Mahan came back to win the All-Around Champion title again in 1973. That competition was featured in “The Great American Cowboy,” which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film in 1974. His rodeo stardom helped popularize the sport with a mainstream audience.
Mahan retired from rodeo in 1977, but he remained involved in the sport. He hosted “Equestrian Nation” on RFD-TV and was briefly a rodeo color commentator. Mahan created a line of Western wear, including popular boots and hats. He appeared in movies, including “The Good Old Boys” and “Six Pack Annie,” and he recorded an album of country music. In 1979, Mahan was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in its inaugural class.
Notable quote
“In my opinion, the three riding events fall into the category of extreme sport. And that seemed to create a lot of interest in the sports media world, and all of a sudden, I was being interviewed on the right and the left and underneath and on top. So, I had to step up to the plate.” —from a 2019 interview for Wrangler Network
Tributes to Larry Mahan
Full obituary: ProRodeo
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