Homer Pettigrew

Steer Wrestling • Inducted 1979

Homer Pettigrew holds the steer wrestling record for both total and consecutive world titles at six and four, respectively. He won his six within eight years, and in 1947 and 1949-50, he was second in the world, which made him the dominant steer wrestler for a decade. Pettigrew, born Dec. 25, 1915, in Grady, N.M., also competed successfully as a tie-down roper. In 1949, he was the reserve world champion in tie-down roping. His combination of skills kept him among the top 10 cowboys from 1948-50. In response to a 1960 ProRodeo Sports News questionnaire about his retirement from rodeo, Pettigrew’s reply was short and to the point, “Haven’t quit. Just resting.”  He died July 12, 1997.

World Championships: 7

All-Around: 1941

Steer Wrestling: 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1948

Born: December 25, 1915 in Grady, New Mexico
Died: July 12, 1997 in Grady, New Mexico

California Rodeo Salinas / Salinas, CA
Steer Wrestling: 1940, 1952

Cheyenne Frontier Days / Cheyenne, WY
Steer Wrestling: 1944, 1948

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo / Fort Worth, TX
Tie-Down Roping: 1945

Iowa’s Championship Rodeo / Sidney, IA
All-Around: 1950
Steer Wrestling: 1942, 1950

La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rodeo / Tucson, AZ
Steer Wrestling: 1944

National Western Stock Show & Rodeo / Denver, CO
Steer Wrestling: 1949

Pendleton Round-Up / Pendleton, OR
Steer Wrestling: 1944

Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA
Steer Wrestling: 1948

Reno Rodeo / Reno, NV
Steer Wrestling: 1946, 1947, 1948
Tie-Down Roping: 1945, 1948

Snake River Stampede / Nampa, ID
Steer Wrestling: 1957

World’s Oldest Rodeo Prescott Frontier Days / Prescott, AZ
Steer Wrestling: 1954