Events: Bareback Bronc Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding and Bull Riding
Don McClure was born in Graford, Texas in 1938. He was raised as a cowboy, riding horses, and working cattle on the family ranch in Palo Pinto County. He entered his first calf riding contest in Weatherford, Texas at the age 6. He won his first bareback riding at the age of 15 at a junior rodeo in Graham, Texas.
Don attended North Texas State College in Denton where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1962. He taught math for thirty-three years in Graham. In 1959, Don married Shirley Winnett, a barrel racer from Mineral Wells. She has since complimented and supported him in all of his endeavors.
Don participated in both the CRA and IRA rodeo associations. He won the CRA bareback riding championship in 1960 and 1961 and also served as the CRA bareback riding director in 1960 and 1961. He joined the RCA in 1963 and cointinued riding until 1969.
He placed or won rodeos in Texas such as Fort Worth, Lubbock, Vernon, Wichita Falls, Dallas, Gladewater San Angelo and Waco. Outside of Texas: OK City, Hinton, Ardmore, Chickasha and Mangam, OK. Fort Smith and Springdale, AR. Burwell, North Platte and Binkelman, NE. Phillipsburg and Hill City KS. Loveland, Longmont and Woodland Park, CO. Camdenton, MO. Carlsbad NM. Cowtown, NJ. Cheyenne, Wy.
After retiring from the rodeo circuit, Don began raising and training cutting horses. He was also successful in the cutting arena, placing in the Open and Non-Pro division of the NCHA Futurity in 1981; the 1984 NCHA Five Year Old Classic; and the 1985 Non-Pro division of the NCHA Futurity.
Among Don’s favorit memories of his rodeo career are the friendships he made, his CRA championships, placing at Fort Worth Fat Stock Show, and qualifying for the finals at Cheyenne Frontier Days. Now 74, Don and his wife own and operate the McClure ranch in Graford. Always a cowboy, he is still active in ranching and riding horses.
