Salem Native Larry Mahan, the original Rodeo King, dies at age 79
America’s first nationally recognized rodeo star—who was born and raised near Salem, has passed away. Larry Mahan—who won six national all-around rodeo titles, and is in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame—died on Sunday after a long battle with cancer at the age of 79.
Made famous by a feature on ABC’s Wide World of Sports and later an Oscar-winning documentary about his career in the mid-1970s, Mahan won five straight national all-around rodeo titles from 1966 to 1970, and nabbed a sixth crown after overcoming several years of injuries. He qualified for the rodeo nationals 26 times in his career. Friends say Mahan took part in about 1,200 rodeos during his storied career.
Mahan was born in Salem, but was raised in the vicinity of the town of Brooks north of the city.
He was given his first horse by his father at the age of eight, and he spent hours working at the Salem Saddle Club, where he learned to ride calves.
He entered his first rodeo at the age of 13 in Redmond, Oregon—and went on the amateur rodeo circuit the following year. After seven years, Mahan turned pro in 1965.
To make sure the record is clear—Mahan split his time between Salem and Redmond during his teenage years. He was a district wrestling champion three times—twice at Redmond, once at North Salem High. Larry formally graduated from North High in 1962.
Larry became a rodeo celebrity after being featured on ABC’s Wide World of Sports, and later as the subject of the documentary film The Great American Cowboy, which won the Academy Award in the documentary category in 1974.
Before the Oscar win, Larry was already familiar to rodeo fans. ABC used him as a commentator for rodeos, even as he competed in them. Here is a 1973 clip of the charismatic Mahan on the air:
Mahan was actually inducted in the Rodeo Hall of Fame twice—first in the inaugural class in 1979, and again in 2010 as a Rodeo Legend.
Mahan didn’t just compete in rodeo events, he also developed his own line of Western wear, and was a bit-part actor for a series of Hollywood films. Additionally, he served as host for a couple of television shows about horses.
Mahan also had his own band called Larry Mahan and the Ramblin Rodeo Revue. The group once opened for Western music star Waylon Jennings in Texas, but Larry later admitted he really wasn’t much of a singer, but enjoyed attempting to perform. Mahan also sold his “brand” by wearing colorful Western shirts; he also flew himself across the country in his own plane, and dazzled fans with his keen rodeo insights and quick wit.
Mahan passed away at his home in Valley View, Texas—north of Dallas.
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