Larry Mahan passed away this week. He’d been battling cancer for about three years. I grew up watching and reading about Larry. He was the first modern day rodeo cowboy that transcended into main stream media.
I remember when the electric horseman movie came out. I’ve always thought the movie was based loosely on the popularity of Larry and all the endorsements he had. He was one of the first rodeo cowboys to obtain endorsements like pro athletes in the NFL and NBA.
As I’ve grow older I’ve learned one thing that sets Larry Mahan apart from other rough stock cowboys is he is a heck of a good horseman. He rode some of his horses with a bosal. I’ve owned some really broke horses in my life, but I’ve never really trusted them enough to ride them in a bosal. Larry Mahan, in his sixties was riding colts in a bosal. I guess if I had made the nfr that many times riding bucking horses I wouldn’t worry too much about a colt in a bosal either.
Larry was a gentleman as well. I’ve been around him several times over the years at different rodeos. I think the first time I recognized him was at the stock yards in Fort Worth. He was just looking at the draw sheet to see what rough stock rider had what bull or horse drawn. I was checking to see what calf I had drawn. We spoke, he smiled and wished me good luck. When he headed up to the grandstands there were people asking for his autograph. He took time to sign everything they stuck in front of him.
One time he was riding a horse around at a rodeo, I can’t reeves where it was at. He opened and shut a gate on his horse, side passing him both ways. The horse never made a false move.
Larry Mahan was known all over the world as a celebrity, whether for the World Championships or as a commentator on TV. I just knew he was a really humble guy and he rode good, broke horses. Larry Mahan was one hundred percent old school cowboy. There was a reason he wore a white hat, he lived up to it.
James Lockhart lives near the Kiamichi mountains in southeast Oklahoma. He writes cowboy stories and fools with cows and horses.
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