The Passing of a Legend

[Anonymous]

ProRodeo Hall of Fame cowboy Benny Reynolds, the all-around world champion in 1961 and the winner of the inaugural Linderman Award in 1966, died Feb. 14 of an apparent heart attack while loading hay on his ranch in Twin Bridges, Mont. He was 77.

Considered one of the most versatile athletes in the history of the cowboy sport, Reynolds competed mainly in bareback riding, bull riding and steer wrestling, but also dabbled in saddle bronc riding and team roping. It's estimated he accumulated more than 360 buckles in his 40-plus year career.

He was the PRCA's Rookie of the Year in 1958 and qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 11 times over a seven-year span, earning berths in multiple events in each of the NFR's first four years (1959-62)

"Benny was good, real good," former traveling partner Dan Stringari told the ProRodeo Sports News last October. "He'd enter everything he could and he would always seem to win at least one event everywhere. If you beat him in the bareback riding, he'd get you in the steer wrestling or team roping. They could never beat him in all the events; he was going to place in most events and win one."

"He was one of my heroes," said three-time World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Shawn Davis. "I traveled with him for a while when I was starting out and we've been friends forever. He was one of the great ones."

Reynolds finally stopped competing in riding events in 1993 after he suffered a broken neck at the age of 57. He would go on to steer wrestle for another two or three years and continued to team rope and compete in Old Timer's rodeos until he was 71.

Reynolds still roped regularly and worked his 270-acre ranch, breaking away in December – every year from 1987 through last December – to work the arena gates at the Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas.

His love affair with the sport started when he was 6 in the tiny community of Melrose, Mont., and it never went away.

"I made more money at the Finals in the bareback riding, but I think I was best at steer wrestling," Reynolds told the PSN. When he won the 1961 all-around world title, Reynolds finished fifth in the world in both bareback riding and bulldogging.

"I also rode bulls and saddle broncs, but I was too long-legged for the saddle bronc riding and I would hit them in the leg instead of the shoulder and it didn't look good."

In a 1961 Newsweek story, Lex Connolly, then managing director of the Rodeo Cowboys Association, said, "Benny is like Paul Hornung of the Green Bay Packers; he isn't No. 1 in any of his events, but he's so good at all of them that he's the best overall."

Reynolds was listed among Montana's 50 Greatest Sports Figures of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated.

He is survived by his three children, son, Rooster; daughter, Jenny; and son, Louis John, all of whom live near the family ranch. Oldest son, Rooster – the 1995 NFR steer wrestling average champion –was working with his father when he died.

So sad to hear-Truly a fine gentleman... When I was in college I rodeoed with his younger half brother, DJ - and got the chance to travel with and visit Benny on several occasions when we were traveling in western Montana... We used some of his dogging horses in college... Always had that big grin! I always looked up to him as a hero... He was a real cowboy- not just an areana cowboy....A true legend to the sport of rodeo and the state of Montana..... RIP...

 

[Faster horses]

Sorry to hear that. My thoughts of Benny Reynolds are the same as OT's.

I was the announcer an secretary for the roping club in SW Montana from 1985 to 1993. Benny came often to rope with us. He'd drive up in a 1/2 ton pickup, pulling a two horse trailer, often with Rooster along with him. You couldn't ask for anyone better than those two. Often times, when we were figuring up the payouts, Rooster would take the microphone and entertain everyone. It was a hoot. They were always good sports and never complained about anything.

There are many stories about Benny Reynolds. One of the favorites was one Mr. FH mentioned when I told him that Benny had passed away. When Benny was on the TV show many years ago, "What's My Line"......they played The Star Spangled Banner and asked what that song made them think of. Benny's answer was, "Bronc Riders get ready."

Sometime during those years, he was the grave digger at the cemetery in Melrose or maybe Twin Bridges.....not sure.....but that job created a lot of fodder for jokes on or about Benny. Like the time he got smashed, had to dig a grave that evening and fell in and couldn't get out. :shock:

Our daughter rodeoed with Rooster and they had practice rodeos at Benny's place. It was always a fun time.

He was a great man in many ways. He will be missed.

 

[Anonymous]

Bob Schall, June 25, 1950-March 21, 2014


Bob SchallCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Robert H. "Bob" Schall Jr., the 1986 Linderman Award winner and a recent inductee into the Montana Hall and Wall of Fame, died March 21 in his hometown of Arlee, Mont., after a two-year battle with colon cancer. He was 63.

Schall was an accomplished bareback rider, team roper, and steer wrestler, winning numerous championships in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, while traveling extensively throughout the United States and Canada.

"I wasn't a part-time cowboy and I never got road foundered," he told the Valley Journal (Ronan, Mont.) in an interview in January. "I spent 39 years on the road going to rodeos.

"I loved being in rodeos. It was outstanding. It was a great adrenaline rush. The best part was not knowing what was going to happen next from the time you nodded your head to the few seconds after you hit the ground."

A graduate of Montana State University in Bozeman, Schall was a member of the 1972 NIRA National Championship Men's Rodeo Team that was inducted into the MSU Athletic Hall of Fame; he helped the cause by winning the national collegiate bareback riding title that year.

As a professional, he competed in as many as 126 rodeos in a year and was still going to more than 100 – including senior rodeos – well into his 40s. He won the Montana Circuit year-end bareback riding championship in 1992 and the all-around title a year later.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert H. and Marjorie Schall, Sr.; brothers-in-law Norman Crawford, Rip Johnson and Tom O'Connor. He is survived by his daughter Emily; longtime partner Jill Ursua; sisters Marjorie Schall, Betsy Johnson, Judy Myllymaki, Johanna Crawford, and Mary Jane Heindel; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 29 in the Arlee High School gym. Burial will follow in the City Cemetery in Missoula. A potluck reception will follow the interment, side dishes & desserts are appreciated. Foster Funeral Home of St. Ignatius, Mont., is entrusted with the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame, the University of Great Falls Rodeo Team, the MSU Rodeo Scholarship fund, or the charity of one's choice. Thoughts and condolences may be shared at www.fosterfhandcrematory.com

Heres another Montana legend passing on... If I was ever asked to describe Bob Schall it would be that "he was one of the toughest of the toughs" in the rodeo game... Broncs, bulls, steers, buffalo couldn't kill him- but that damn cancer gets even the toughs....

 

[Faster horses]

In Montana rodeo circles, he was known as "Iron Head."

When the young guys wanted to learn to bulldog, and they would be at his place learning about it, Bob would come home from working all day, and run down the arena with each kid, each run, telling them just what to do...

May he R.I.P.

 

[OldDog/NewTricks]

Back then My Boss bought 10 acer's with chicken houses here in San Martin so we could ride his horses in winter (nights) - we tied 2 chicken houses and made a Track with box-stall's in the center - - we dug 6" out of the 3rd house and made a Ripping Arena with Bucking Chutes at one end - there were also 3 out-side Arenas Grandstands and "George Kirshner's Saddle/Western Store".
Marty Woods, Benny Reynolds, Paul Templeton and many other top Cowboys made the "Chicken Palace" a Stop/Camp.

I miss thoses Days!!!