2009-07-23
Wharton named grand marshal of museum Ranch Rodeo
Contributed
Often referred to as the “Mighty Mite” of rodeo’s calf ropers, Bandera’s Ray Wharton was the 1956 Rodeo Cowboy Association (RCA) World Champion Calf Roper.
The RCA was a forerunner of the current Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA), based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Calf roping is now referred to as tie-down roping.
As one of the state’s most revered rodeo greats, Wharton was recognized with a Texas Senate Resolution, approved on April 24, 1995, for his induction into National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. In 2002, he was also inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in Belton. Wharton is also enshrined in the Champions’ Hall at the PRCA Hall of Fame.
For all the contributions Wharton has made not only to the sport of rodeo, but to his community, he has been selected to serve as grand marshal for the inaugural Frontier Times Museum Ranch Rodeo. The rodeo will be held at Mansfield Park, beginning at 8 pm, in conjunction with the local celebration of the National Day of the American Cowboy, Saturday, July 25.
True grit, perseverance in practice, athletic hustle and speed down the rope – along with the determination to win – became Wharton’s trademarks. He always hungered for victory and when he got a hold on a calf, it usually went down like a bolt of lightening.
Born in Kerrville in 1920, Wharton grew up between Kerrville and Bandera on his father’s ranching interests.
His roping career started with a loop slung around anything that moved. By age three, Wharton had become extremely accurate, but a bad fall later resulted in an eight-year battle with a crippling bone disease. However, Wharton’s determination and heart drove him to continue sports and exercise and he eventually regained the use of his arm. Fortunately, Wharton discovered he had not lost his great talent with a rope.
He continued to practice roping while working on the Woodward Ranch in Sabinal and the Tom East Ranch in Hebbronville – hour after hour working toward a single goal. Wharton never considered himself an amateur roper, nor did he attend a “roping school.”
He won his first big rodeo in 1944 at Eagle Pass. Since then, the Wharton loop has encircled wins or places at Fort Worth, Midland, Vernon, Alice, Gladewater, Pecos and El Paso, among other Texas rodeos, as well as in Cheyenne and Casper, Wyoming; Ogden, Utah, Lake Charles, Louisiana; and what used to be the whopper of them all, New York City’s Madison Square Garden Rodeo.
In 1952, Wharton placed in a pair of the biggest ropings of the season – the first in May at Clovis, New Mexico, where he split third money with Jim Bob Altizer with a five-calf total of 97.8 seconds. In December, Wharton placed third at Don McLaughlin’s roping at Colleyville, with a six-calf total time of 88.3 seconds. At that roping, Wharton was beaten by Jim Bob Altizer and Buddy Groff, in first and second, respectively.
Wharton was fifth in the RCA standings in 1950 and fourth in 1955. After bagging $9,828 in 1950, bested only by Toots Mansfield, Don McLaughlin, Dan Taylor and Gene Rambo. In 1955, after winning $19,274, he ended the season behind Dean Oliver, Lanham Riley and Mansfield.
Undeniably, Wharton’s most impressive win was his 1956 calf roping championship, accomplished by besting Groff, Glen Franklin and Altizer, who placed second, third and fourth in that order.
Wharton never fails to credit his horses, “Bones,” “Rusty,” “Cindy” and finally “Brownie” – aks “Scrap Iron,” with his winning runs. His continuing in horses has enabled him to train some of the top performing horses in the country.
Additionally, Wharton has always served as a friend to young cowboys and has extended a helping hand to many of the young ropers and rodeo performers along the way.
Wisely, Wharton turned his winnings into land. After following the rodeo circuit several more years, he retired to his ranch in Bandera. He is married to the former Ada Ender of Bandera.
During his October 23, 1994, induction into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Wharton’s good friend, Randy Moore, introduced him with these very eloquent words: “The definition of the words hustle, try and tenacity are all defined the same way – Ray Wharton of Bandera, Texas. In football, he would have been another Bill Bates of the Dallas Cowboys. In baseball, Wharton would have run out every hit with the headfirst slide.
“He won or placed at every major rodeo in the United States, a career roper always focused on winning. Ray did not just slip in the door with this group of inductees. He came in with endorsements from such legends as Toots Mansfield, Don McLaughlin, Jim Bob Altizer, Shoate Webster and Lanham Riley – and with the help of a little brown thoroughbred horse. Yes sir, Ray came in once again ‘sliding head first.’
“When Teddy Roosevelt wrote in ‘Dare Greatly’, ‘The credit belongs to the man actually in the arena,” he not only referred to the rodeo arena, but the arena in life as well. Ray’s characteristics would also make him outstanding in life’s arena.
“Ray has two other ingredients as strong, or stronger than his hustle – unselfish generosity to help his friends and his genuine warm and loving personality. Ray paid as he went, or in advance, as though he was destined to be a champion and he would help his friends on the way up. Yes, if there was a Hall of Fame for outstanding people in the arena of life, Ray would be a shoo-in.”
Describing Wharton’s acceptance speech, Master of Ceremonies Clem McSpadden aptly noted, “Folks, his speech was just like he roped. It was done in 10 seconds flat!” The crowd heartily acknowledged their approval and Ray Wharton’s name was forever etched in the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Celebrations surrounding the National Day of the American Cowboy begin on Saturday, July 25, with an 8 am chuck wagon breakfast on the courthouse complex on Main Street and conclude with the ranch rodeo at Mansfield Park later that evening.
