Cooper, Roy

Roy Cooper jumped out of the box, winning the world tie-down roping championship and Rookie of the Year honors the first year he became a full-time professional in 1976. Born Nov. 13, 1955, in Hobbs, N.M., Cooper was severely afflicted with asthma as a child, which gave him little promise of becoming a professional roper. By the time he entered high school, however, he had overcome his asthma and dedicated himself to incessant practice of all elements of tie-down roping. He developed into one of the most dominant ropers in the history of the sport, earning the nickname “Super Looper.” He was the first PRCA cowboy to surpass $2 million in career earnings and has won eight world championships, six in tie-down roping, one in steer roping and one world all-around crown. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.