The 2022 List Of ProRodeo Hall Of Fame Inductees Is Here!

Two cowgirls (and one amazing mare) are amongst the star-studded ProRodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2022 inductees! WPRA notable Cindy Rosser, barrel racer Ardith Bruce, and famed bucking horse Medicine Woman, will be enshrined July 16 during the festivities in Colorado Springs. Congratulations to all the inductees!

Cindy Rosser - WPRA Notable

Cindy Rosser has been a staunch supporter of the WPRA for decades and has worked every facet of the rodeo business. Born December 7, 1954, to Cotton and Linda Rosser in Yuba City, Calif., she grew up horseback and rodeo has remained her life’s work. She joined the GRA/WPRA in 1969 and served 20-plus years on the Board of Directors. She was the California Circuit Barrel Racing Champion in 1982.

“You are kidding…wow, wow, wow,” said Rosser when she learned of her induction while working cattle on the family ranch. Rosser is only the second WPRA notable to earn induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame with Florence Youree being the first. “I am honored to be put in the same category as Florence, an early member of the GRA. That is quite an honor, and it is great that the ProRodeo Hall of Fame is recognizing the women of the WPRA.

“It is truly a great honor to be in there with some great people.”

Rosser has had a hand in rodeo production all her life and in 1986 was named the PRCA Secretary of the Year, in 1998 she was selected as the NFR Rodeo Secretary and in 2012 was the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo secretary. She has also carried the American flag in the opening ceremonies and has trained numerous horses to jump through paper, stand in a Liberty Bell, a birthday cake, a ring of fire, and more. She also produced and designed openings and sponsor flags at the NFR for 10 years.

In 1995, she was named the Coca-Cola WPRA Woman of the Year, in 2015 she received the Lenora Reimers Heritage Award through the WPRA and in 2019 was honored with the Tad Lucas Award from the National Cowboy Museum.

In 2020, she was chosen as the recipient of PRCA's Donita Barnes Contract Personnel Lifetime Award.

Rosser is also a member of American Bucking Bull, Inc. and has sat on their Board of Directors for more than six years. She resides in Marysville, Calif.

Ardith Bruce - Barrel Racer

1964 WPRA World Champion Bruce will be inducted into the WPRA Barrel Racing category. 

Bruce, who was born July 22, 1931, and currently resides in Fountain, Colo., has been a member of the WPRA since 1960, reaching the pinnacle of the sport in 1964 when she won the world title aboard a horse known as Red, registered as Straws Kingwood Snip. The duo won $6,510 that year, edging Sissy Thurman by $400 to win the title. That same year, Red was the AQHA Reserve World Champion Barrel Horse and in 1965 was the first GRA/WPRA barrel horse to ever be featured in color on the cover of the Quarter Horse Journal.

“Oh wow,” said Bruce upon learning of her induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “This is a surprise to me, but I feel deserving of this recognition. I am honored to be joining an elite group of hard-working ladies who have received this honor before me.” 

Bruce landed among the top 15 seven consecutive years from 1963-1969. In 1967, she and Red won the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo the first year it was held in the Astrodome. 

Red loved running close to home – he won the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Bruce’s hometown of Colorado Springs six times. She was inducted into the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1997. 

Bruce was among the early GRA members to conduct barrel racing clinics and often traveled to Hawaii to conduct them. In addition to barrel racing, she spent a great deal of time on the racetrack and became the first female licensed outrider in the State of Colorado. 

She also gave back and remained loyal to the association for decades even after retiring from full-time competition. When the Association’s headquarters was moved to Colorado Springs, Bruce was there to help get things up and running. Her dedication and loyalty to the association carried over to the next generation with her granddaughter, Amber Bruce West, serving a term on the WPRA Board and now her great granddaughter is running barrels in college. Ardith was the one to put together a celebration party when Scamper was the first barrel horse to be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and was once again on hand to see the first WPRA members inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2017.

Medicine Woman - Bucking Horse

Medicine Woman was the four-time PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year (2011, 2014-16) and the two-time saddle bronc horse of the National Finals Rodeo (2010 and 2015). She retired after competing at the 2020 Wrangler NFR at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. She passed away this past December at the age of 19. 

Only ProRodeo Hall of Famer Descent of Beutler Brothers and Cervi has won more saddle bronc horse of year honors than Medicine Woman. Descent won the honor six times from 1966-69, 1971-72. 

Medicine Woman was a ranch-raised mare out of Big Medicine (sire) & Showtime (dam). Frontier Rodeo has won PRCA's Stock Contractor of the Year seven years in row – 2015-2021. 

“I look at guys who are in the Hall of Fame and you know that’s a pretty great honor,” said Frontier Rodeo’s Jerry Nelson. “I had never thought about having an animal selected. I always want to try to win stock of the year but to have one nominated and going into the Hall of Fame is pretty special. It’s amazing, I don’t know what to say. I’ve gotten calls from the PRCA office before and they said you can’t tell anybody, but you’ve won bucking horse of the year, but this call is even more special.” 

Medicine Woman was selected to the Wrangler NFR 12 times. Her first trip was in 2009 in the bareback riding, she made her debut in the saddle bronc riding in 2010 and never looked back. She was selected in saddle bronc riding from 2010-2020.

Other Inductees

Trevor Brazile - All Around

Bobby Harris - Team Roping

Bobby Mote - Bareback Riding

Rick Young - Contract Personnel

Jake Beutler - Stock Contractor

Mel Potter - Notable

Whiskey - Livestock SW

Nebraska's Big Rodeo - Rodeo Committe

Pioneer Award: John Van Cronkhite