- Courtesy of the National Cowboy Museum
Native American cowboys have a rich history in American cowboy culture. Still today, Native American cowboys are making a big impact in the world of rodeo. Jackson Sundown, a Nez Perce, led the way. Today, Tee Woolman, Derrick Begay, Erich Rogers, Kenny McLean, Tom Reeves, Bud Longbrake, T.C. Holloway, Spud Jones and Sean Culver are leading the charge in the rodeo arena, and a young Doyle Lee just might be the future of Native American Cowboys. Find out all about them here.
Past: Jackson Sundown
The Native American culture has a long history in the rodeo arena, perhaps beginning most notably with Jackson Sundown. Jackson Sundown, whose Nez Perce name was Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn, or Blanket of the Sun, was a nephew of the famous Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph.
As teenager he was part of the Nez Perce Retreat of 1877, immortalized later in the movie, I Will Fight No More Forever. Sundown managed to escape into exile in Canada, where he lived until 1911.
Crossing back into Idaho, Sundown quickly gained fame as an all-around hand at the rodeos throughout the Northwest. He stood out in a crowd with brightly colored shirts, braids tied under his chin during rides and woolly chaps.
In 1911, he qualified for the final round of saddle bronc riding at the Pendleton Round-Up, the winner of which would be named the world champion. He rode against George Fletcher, an African American cowboy and John Spain, a white cowboy. Spain was declared the champion, but protests rang loud, the crowd favoring Fletcher’s ride.
Sundown made those same finals again in 1915, and again placed third and decided to retire. However, Alexander Phimister Proctor, who hired Sundown as a model for a sculpture at the time, persuaded Sundown to enter the saddle bronc riding one last time—and would even pay his fees. Sundown took Proctor’s offer, made the finals and in his range saddle, at the age of 52, rode a horse named Angel to the championship.
Sundown was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy Museum, the Indian Rodeo Hall of Fame, the Cowboys of Color Hall of Fame, the Pendleton Round-Up Hall of Fame and the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
