Cheyenne Frontier Days — the largest and oldest rodeo in America — was always a place Chris LeDoux felt at home. Not only because he won the bareback riding championship here in 1976, but because Cheyenne had witnessed many of the defining moments in his career.
One photograph fans still cherish shows Chris on horseback, just seconds before the start bell rang. His cowboy hat tilted low, hands gripping the reins, body leaning slightly forward. But what made the picture special wasn’t his posture or the light — it was his eyes.
In that instant, Chris wasn’t looking at his opponent or the open arena ahead. He lifted his gaze toward the grandstands, as if searching for someone. Some say it was for his family, who often attended his big events. Others believe it was his way of finding a fixed point to steady himself before the ride.
That year in Cheyenne, the sun was golden, and dust drifted lightly in the breeze. The stands were packed, thousands of eyes on the cowboys stepping into their defining moments. Amid the charged atmosphere, Chris still carried that signature calm — the kind that made him a symbol not just of rodeo, but of the Western spirit.
For Chris, those seconds before the bell were when everything stilled. It wasn’t just physical preparation, but a mental connection — with the audience, with his family, and with himself. Those fleeting moments gave him the focus and strength to explode into action the instant the bell rang.
The image of Chris on horseback at Cheyenne continues to be shared by fans, not only for its rugged beauty, but because it captures the essence of a true cowboy: always ready, always proud, and always carrying the people he loves in his heart.
🎵 Suggested listening: “This Cowboy’s Hat” – Chris LeDoux.
Well, I was sittin’ in a coffee shop, just havin’ a cup to pass the time Swappin’ Rodeo stories, with this ol’ cowboy friend of mine When some motorcycle riders started snickerin’ in the back They started pokin’ fun at my friends hat
And one ol’ boy said, “Hey, Tex, where’d you park your horse?” My friend just pulled his hat down low, but they couldn’t be ignored One husky fella said, “I think I’ll just rip that hat right off your head” That’s when my friend turned around, and this is what he said
“You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western sky You’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dry Bulldog the Mississippi and pin its ears down flat Long before you take this cowboy’s hat”
He said, “Partner, now this ol’ hat it’s better left alone You see, it used to be my daddy’s, but last year he passed on My nephew skinned the rattler that makes up this ol’ hat band But back in ’69, he died in Vietnam”
“Now the eagle feather was given to me by an Indian friend of mine But someone ran him down somewhere around that Arizona line And a real special lady gave me this hat pin But I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again”
“You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western sky You’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dry Bulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flat Long before you take this cowboy’s hat”
“Now if your leather jacket means to you what this ol’ hat means to me Then I guess we understand each other, and we’ll just let it be But if you still think it’s funny, my back’s against the wall But if you touch my hat, you gotta fight us all”
Right then I caught a little sadness in that gang leader’s eyes He turned back to the others, and they all just shuffled on outside But when my friend turned back towards me, I noticed his ol’ hat brim Well, it was turned up, in a big ol’ Texas grin
You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western sky You’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dry Bulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flat Long before you take this cowboy’s hat
You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western sky You’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dry Bulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flat Long before you take this cowboy’s hat
You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western sky You’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dry
