Event: Bull Riding
On August 18, 1960, Glen was born into a rodeo family. His father, Frank McIlvain Sr. – a bullfighter and rodeo clown – got his start in 1964 at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo, and his 3 siblings were also avid rodeo competitors. His mother said that at 18 months old he disappeared while at a rodeo. When he was discovered atop the 8 foot pipe fence where the bulls were kept, she knew then what his destiny would be.
Glen first started showing steers at stock shows, moving onto junior and high school rodeos and eventually at the age of 18 got his PRCA card and hit the road. He won rodeos such as Tucson, West of the Pecos, St. Paul, El Paso and many times at his hometown Mesquite.
Glen’s mentors were Donnie Gay and Jim Shoulders. He considered Donnie’s father Neal Gay-the famous rodeo producer-as a second father.
Glen’s biggest dream was to win the National Finals Rodeo. He made the top 15 bull riders in 1982 and went on to achieve 3 more berths at the NFR in 1984-1986. His dream came true in 1984 when he won the average.
After his retirement from professional rodeo he stayed active by hosting bull riding schools. Glen, along with his long-time friend Norm Caja, once took 23 cowboys to China and produced a western rodeo.
Glen then made the transition in to raising bucking bulls by amassing a collection of bull semen of great bulls at the time. He went on to raise some greats of his own selling three of his bulls for a tidy sum. His company, Bull Power Inc. specializes in building, selling and renting out Mechanical.
Glen still maintains the western life style with his wife, Yenling, son Boomer and daughter, Yao on his ranch in Canton, Texas and continues to assist Jim Gay with the rodeos.