Maurice Curfman

Maurice was 35-years-old when he joined the CRA in 1960. In 1986 he quit rodeoing. Maurice competed in bareback riding and team roping. In 1975, he qualified for the CRA finals in team roping. Maurice was the CRA Vice President from 1975-1985. Maurice hauled bucking horses to rodeos in Weatherford, Post, and hauled 60 horses to Houston; just to name a few. He also hauled horses for high school rodeos and ranch rodeos. What he liked about the rodeo family is that they were just a good set of boys and he enjoyed helping them learn how to ride bulls, but most importantly he let them know to the cleaner way of life and how to make money honestly. Maurice said the majority of the boys he hauled around grew up to be solid citizens and he still gets to see some of them from time to time. Maurice has one daughter, Rebecca, a granddaughter, Krista, and his youngest granddaughter, Katherine, AKA Boo. He lost his wife, Norma, in 2004, and his son Jack Daniel in 2010.

He wants you all to know that rodeo people are nice and have a lot of fun.

Bruce Emery

Bruce Emery, of Clarksville, Texas, is the son of the late Ariel and Romie Emery. Bruce is married to Tannny Emery. He has a stepson, Billy Bob Hughey, who is married to Staci and have a daughter, Kalli.

Clarksville cowboy, Burr Andrews (Sammy Andrews’ dad), gave Bruce his first set of steers and Bill Williams loaned him horses to practice on. Jim and Hub Whiteman, and other cowboys, helped mentor him in the 1960’s while he was learning to steer wrestle. Bruce hauled with T.O. Pines, James Finley, and he travelled with Jack Wiseman for over ten years. Numerous other cowboys helped Bruce along the way. Bruce has been a member of the Texas Rodeo Association, Florida Rodeo Association, International Rodeo Association, Central Rodeo Association, and the United Professional Rodeo Association. In 1974, Bruce was the TRA Champion Steer Wrestler. He made the the IRA Finals each year from 1974 to 1981, and was able to finish second in the average twice. In 1977, Bruce was the champion steer wrestler at the first IRA rodeo held in Thunder Bay, Canada. in 1978, he was the FRA Championship Steer Wrestler. In 1981, Bruce was the Champion Steer Wrestler and Finals Average Champion for the CRA. In 1984, he was the CRA Champion Steer Wrestler and in 1983, 1986, and 1989 he was the Reserve Champion. In 1990, Bruce was awarded the Will Cook Award by the CRA.

For 15 years Bruce was a CRA and UPRA Director and served as the. Vice President for many years.

Starting in 1981, and for over the next 12 years, Bruce owned an arena in Clarksville, which many cowboys came to practice at. Bruce also hosted CRA, UPRA, and IRA sanctioned rodeos at his arena.

Kent Hall

Kent was 15 when he purchased his first CRA card in 1975. He rode bulls from 1975 to 1984. In 1977, he made the CRA Finals in Bull Riding and in 1984 and 1985 he qualified in the team roping.

In 1983, after going to a judging clinic in Oklahoma with Hans Kuecklehan, Kent decided that judging would be a little safer than bull riding. Kent was a judge for the CRA and CRRA. His first major rodeo to judge was the Membership Rodeo in Sulphur Springs and the CRA Finals in 1984. Kent has had the privilege of judging the TPRA Finals 3 times and the CRA/UPRA Finals 14 times.

He served on the CRA/UPRA Board of Directors for 32 years and was a judge for 35 years. Kent was the CRA/UPRA Judging Director for around 17 years and on the Executive Board for 15 Years. He is one of the longest running board members.

Kent and his wife, Karen, have 2 children, Kolton and Karlee. The family would travel with him some on the rodeo road.

Kent has retired after 21 years with TXDOT and is back on the farm where he grew up. He is working cattle, horses, growing alfalfa, soybeans, wheat, etc. He still enjoys helping others that are getting started in rodeo, and loves the sport, the people, and being a cowboy.

H.L. Kent

H.L. Kent started Kent Rodeo Company in the 1970’s. He said he was crazy when he became a stock contractor. He started out doing junior rodeos 4 years later. He was a stock contractor for 12 years. He produced rodeos for Blue Ridge, Honey Grove, Naples, and Sulphur, Oklahoma, just to name a few. To get back into the UPRA he had to put on 3 rodeos to be a certified UPRA Stock Contractor. H.L. say, “the hardest thing for a stock contractor is keeping enough money to get to the next rodeo.”

He was 32-years-old when he entered he first rodeo in the bull dogging.

H.L. is 80 years young and is still building fences and feeding cattle.

Richard King

Richard started bulldogging at the age of 15. He started competing in the CRA in 1968. He broke and trained his own horses.

In 1973, he won the coveted title of Champion Bulldogger in the CRA. His last finals was in 1996 and he placed in one of the rounds. He was an active competitor in his event for 28 years.

In 1986, Colt was his first horse that he competed on. Then came Sally, who was named champion bulldogging horse in 1992 and 1993. Richard said, “half the guys in the TPRA used Sally.” In 1996, his hazing horse, Cody, won Hazing Horse of the Year. He feels he has been on more steers than any other cowboy. Richard is a proud double Gold Card holder. He still enjoys helping kids who are wanting to rodeo.

Richard is retired from the City of Dallas and enjoys being with his wife, Charlene, and their son Jason, and 3 daughters, Cynthia, Alfreda, and Tasha, plus his 8 grandchildren.

Richard says, “both horse and rider must be consistent and know when to push. It is a team effort.” Richard loves to smile!

Sandy Lumley

Sandy started rodeoing his junior year of high school in Mesquite, Texas. It is of course, home of the Mesquite Rodeo, then owned by none other than Jim Shoulders and Neil Gay. Sandy graduated from Mesquite High School in 1972 alongside Donnie Gay and Monty Hawkeye Henson. That same year, he won his first bull riding at the Corsicana Texas FFA Rodeo. Sandy primarily competed in open rodeos prior to joining the Central Rodeo Association. In 1975, he was nominated as a bullfighter for the first time at the CRA Finals in Grand Saline, Texas. Sandy joined the LSHSRA in 1975 and was nominated to fight bulls at their finals 10 times. He would ride and fight bulls for the next 22 years, and was a member of the CRA, TRA, RCA, and was a bullfighter for the Dallas Desperados. He was nominated for CRA bullfighter of the year in 1984, and was a bullfighter at the TRA Finals 5 years in a row. Sandy had the honor of fighting bulls alongside Jimmy Anderson, Frank Mcilvain Sr. and Jr., Leon Coffee, Kyle Bell, Donnie and Ronnie Smith, and many other outstanding bullfighters. He worked for many stock contractors including Neil Gay, Adrian Parker, Curtis Malone, Bob Jenkins, Ronald Reid, Ray Lancaster, H.L. Kent, Gene Smith, Gerald Smith, Will Cook, Nicky Wheeler, Sammy Andrews, and Bob Champion. In 1976, he won the bull riding average at the CRA Finals in Wylie, Texas. In 1977, he was voted to fight bulls and qualified as a top 15 bull rider at the CRA Finals. In 1978, he won the average in the bull riding at the CRA Finals at Northside. Sandy qualified for the CRA Finals in bull riding in 1976, ‘78, ‘80, and ‘81, and was nominated as a bull fighter in 1975, ‘77, ‘79, ‘80, ‘82, ‘83, and ‘84. He was voted Bullfighter of the Year for 6 years in a row. He fought bulls at the TRA Finals from 1984 to 1988, and at the LSHSRA Finals from 1978 to 1987. In 1979, Sandy won the bull fighting contest at one of the biggest yearly bull ridings ever held in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He was proud to have learned from one of the best, Neil Gay.

David Nabors

David started out with the CRA in 1956, and holds the #6 card for the UPR. He was involved with the CRA, CRRA, TRA, and the IPRA. In 1967, Jerald Smith told him he talked too much and he needed to be an announcer. So, he did just that. Along with announcing, David did other jobs along the way, such as secretary, judge, he pushed calves, and even produced college rodeos. David worked for many stock contractors, and announced all of Rodney Green’s rodeos. He said that the first time he saw his name on a rodeo poster, he felt famous!

David was elected to the CRA board in 1970 and was the Contract Act Director. He said that back in the day, the Winnsboro Rodeo would have up to 100 bull riders. He feels adding Ranch Bronc Riding has been a good addition, and the rodeo queens have helped with selling tickets to the rodeo. He also helped rework the rulebook for the association, and has high praises for Tony Gene Smith and Jerry Hill. David resigned from the UPRA board in 2008.

Sandra Runyan

Sandra has been around rodeo all her life. Her dad was a calf roper and her husband, John, is a team roper. She has gone to a lot of rodeos and jackpots with them. Sandra started doing entries in the ‘80s for the Flying C Rodeo Company, this is where her own rodeo story began. She has been a rodeo secretary, time keeper, and kept the books. She still fills in for Will and Karen Cook when they need help and has even secretaried with her daughter, Brandy Ruff. Her son, Shawn, still helps with the Flying C Rodeo Company.

Sandra was a full time school teacher at Madill Elementary. She has 3 grandchildren that keep her busy going to as many of their activities as she can. James and Jerry Heflin and Will and Karen Cook are good friends of hers. The one thing she misses about rodeos is seeing old friends she made over the years and being able to make new friends along the rodeo trail.

Dr. Tony Gene Smith

Tony Gene graduated from Sulphur Springs High School in 1973. He attended East Texas State University, now Texas A&M Commerce, where he received his Bachelors and Master of Science in Agriculture. He also attended Oklahoma State University, where he received his Doctorate Degree in Agriculture Engineering. He later became the department head of agriculture at Murray State College.

Tony Gene competed in rodeos from junior high until his accident in 1992. He was the team manager of the Texas Twisters Rodeo Team for 2 years. Steer wrestling is his favorite event and he is proud to have won the CRA average in this event in 1978. He served as steer wrestling director and judging director. Tony Gene was a pilot and flew to many rodeos, and he was working on his helicopter license at the time of his accident. He worked every event in rodeo except Barrel Racing, he judged several CRA Finals, and held the position of General Manager and Office Manager from 1989 to 1992.

Tony Gene started the central entry for the CRA. In 1985, he started the Handicapable Rodeo, which blesses so many on their special day of being in the arena. One thing about Tony Gene is that he never meets a stranger.

Doug Williams

Growing up in Isabel, Oklahoma, Doug Williams learned from his family that you had to work for what you wanted. This was simple, straight-forward advice that Doug took to heart and became dedicated to.

at Isabel High School Doug was an active member of the school’s FFA chapter and already owned his own cattle. In his junior year, Doug showed the Grand Champion Steer at the McCurtain County Fair and was Grand Champion at the Muskogee State Fair. From there he took his steer to the American Royal in Kansas City, winning his class and garnering premier sale status. By September of 1954, Doug was headed to college at Oklahoma A&M at Wilburton, spending summer sessions away working on pipelines so he could pay his own way. Graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1959 with an education degree in vocational agriculture, Doug immediately began a teaching career that lasted 30 years. He worked as an agriculture teacher and FFA sponsor at Smithville, Battiest, then back to Smithville, and then he moved to Idabel. Doug’s dedicated efforts turned tenuous ag students into winners, receiving accolades all along the way for professionalism. His influence on students and co-workers was well known. His students won awards and ribbons, becoming confident and competent contestants under his guidances they showed their animals at livestock shows in Oklahoma and Arkansas. One of his judging teams became International winners in land judging and home site evaluation. Doug was named Teacher of the Year in McCurtain County, the only agriculture teacher to be given this award.

In the spring of 1960, Doug received a request to announce a rodeo in Waldron, Arkansas and a new passion took hold. Though it was an arduous beginning, with only two rodeos that year, Doug’s dual careers were set in motion. For the next 50 years Doug’s abilities and compatibility with his audience ensured that his announcing career thrived. Every spring, summer, and fall from Monday through Friday Doug taught his young ag students to be successful with their projects. Other times he headed to the circuit to establish his own success as a rodeo announcer. Throughout the days of double duty careers, Doug’s biggest “job” was ensuring he made time to give to his loyal family of four daughters and one son. Doug didn’t slight his duties as as a teacher, announcer, or father- and friends were also included in the the things Doug was dedicated to- he never forgot anyone! Whatever the job, the favor, or the need, Doug made the time for these things he loved.

In 1993, Doug retired from teaching and went full steam ahead with his dream of becoming a full-time rancher and cattleman. After all, full-time is the only schedule Doug Williams knows. Becoming a success in his farming and ranching was yet another one of his missions accomplished, but rodeo was in his blood now and had a firm grip on his soul, so as he had always done, he worked hard and made rodeo announcing a successful career. Rodeo was more than just a “job” for Doug and he became the Voice of Rodeo to fans throughout Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas, working the rodeos for Wing Rodeo Company and many others. His audience relied on him to keep things lively and teach them about all things rodeo to ensure they enjoyed their time watching the cowboys and cowgirls, and of course the clowns, whom were friends and acquaintances.

Doug became a member of numerous associations including the UPRA, the IRA, the CRA, the CSRA, and the CRRA. His outstanding career includes announcing 67 rodeo finals in which he was either voted on by the contestants themselves or hired directly by the association, making this honor all the more special for the Voice of Rodeo. In 2010, at the Rough Stock Finals in Bogota, Texas for Wing Rodeo, this Voice of Rodeo hung up his microphone.

However, Doug’s life didn’t get quiet. It is filled former students, co-workers, friends, and patrons of the rodeos he called, reminding him or the influence and guidance he provided in their lives and the difference it made. No matter where you go, there are always folks who know Doug Williams, both the man and the voice, but most importantly his ability to bring rodeo to life for them and give them the information they need for becoming successful in their own endeavors. Yes, his walls are decorated “awards,” plaques of rodeo and fair winners, and numerous shiny buckles commemorating his time and accomplishments in rodeo. He did it all by following the advice given to him at the beginning, he worked hard, and now his rewards are unending.

  • The State Fair of Texas

  • Cinch Jeans & Shirts

  • Bill Fick Ford

  • Circle E Western Store

  • Clarion Pointe Sulphur Springs

  • Alliance Bank Sulphur Springs

  • City National Bank Sulphur Springs