Dr. T. K. Hardy (1929–1997) or “Doc” grew up in the West Texas oilfields with a lifelong love of football and roping, two sports that would have a major impact on his life.
After attending college on a football scholarship and signing with the New York Giants, he was detoured as an officer in the Marine Corps serving in the Korean War. He attended Texas A&M and would become one of the top equine veterinarians in the country as he had the uncanny ability to truly understand a horse. He was recognized as an authority in equine breeding and orthopedic injuries.
In addition to a thriving veterinary practice, he was actively involved in team roping and steer roping for more than thirty years and one of the original members of the Senior Steer Roping Association. He competed and placed at the Windy Ryon Memorial Roping, San Angelo Roping Fiesta, Ben Johnson Memorial Roping, OS Ranch Steer Roping, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Pendleton and the Senior Steer Ropers National Finals. Yet he always found time to treat another cowboy’s sick or crippled horse.
Doc was a PRCA gold card member and passionate steer roper, husband, father and “Podnah” to his scores of friends. Although never a world champion, no one had more fun or enjoyed rodeo and roping more than T.K. Hardy.
