The Bull Riding Hall of Fame to Induct Legendary Bull Rider Myrtis Dightman

Waltham, Massachusetts, March 11, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Legendary bull rider Myrtis Dightman will be inducted into The Bull Riding Hall of Fame on Friday, May 13, 2016 at Cowtown Coliseum, Fort Worth Stockyards, Fort Worth, Texas. Dightman is a rodeo trailblazer who, beginning in 1966, qualified and competed six times in the PRCA National Finals Rodeo with a top finish third place. He is considered to be the Jackie Robinson of modern rodeo, as the Crockett, Texas, cowboy was the first African-American bull rider to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo.

Dightman got a late start in rodeo at the age of twenty-five as a rodeo clown and bullfighter before turning to bull riding. He traveled the professional circuit throughout the United States and Canada. Though black, Myrtis had tremendous talent and was accepted by most of the other rodeo riders, especially Champions Larry Mahan, Freckles Brown, and Jim Shoulders. Unfortunately for Dightman, his performance wasn’t always reflected in his scores because of his skin color. However, he won numerous rodeos in his career, including the Calgary Stampede in 1971 and Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days in 1972. His record took on its own brand of recognition. His six National Finals qualifications placed him among the best bull riders of all time. Dightman retired from competition in 1989.​

Dightman has been featured in advertisements as the black “Marlboro Man” and played a bull rider in the movie J.W. Coop with Cliff Robertson and had a role in the movie Junior Bonner starring Steve McQueen.

At the age of eighty, Dightman continues his rodeo involvement with the annual Myrtis Dightman Rodeo in his hometown Crockett, Texas each fall.