Lee Mullins was born on a ranch near Iowa Park, Texas. His father was a rancher and leased land in Texas and Oklahoma. As a result, Lee grew up around Big Spring, Post, Olney, and Glen Rose. In the 1970s screw worms were a problem and this required a lot of doctoring of cattle. Since Lee was not large enough to work the cattle on the ground, his father told him to get a horse and rope the cattle and drag them to the hands that doctored them. This a calf roper was born and he is still roping even though he has entered his seventh decade on this earth.
Lee spent his teenage weekends with other kids in the area roping goats and riding cows. Without chutes, they would rope the cows and then hold them while someone got a rope around the cow and got on for the ride. Learning how to handle cows on the ground led to his ability to become a great steer wrestler.
Lee entered his first rodeo in 1944 as a calf roper at Pleasant Mound. In 1949 he entered the first five rodeos produced by the late Roland and Mary Jo Reed. After spending 18 months in the Air Force, he worked with his father on a ranch in Oklahoma. He joined the Fort Worth police in 1956 and retired 30 years later as a Detective in the Homicide Division.
At the behest of Bill Hogg, Lee started bull dogging in 1959. Lee was elected Steer Wresting Director of the Central Rodeo Association in 1960. In 1961, he entered 110 rodeos and was elected President of the CRA. He was elected president again in 1963 through 1967. Lee served two years as a Publicity Director for the RCA (permit) rodeos, entering Calf Roping and Steer Wrestling events until 1972. Lee won All Around Championship at MS Rodeo in 1960, entering the Calf Roping and Steer Wrestling. In 1961 and 1962 he won Steer Wrestling in rodeos in Mineola, Henrietta, Corsicana, Winnsboro, Pleasanton. Lee has placed in many other rodeos in calf roping, steer wrestling, and other events throughout his many years as a contestant.
Lee realized that there could be a better “Pigging String” in his early days competing as a calf roper. He made some that he plaited by hand. They became a favorite of his roping buddies and a demand for them put him in the rope business. One year, he and his wife, Betty, made a trip to Californa and he carried 100 dozen “piggin strings” and a bunch of ropes with him. He sold all of the ropes he had with him and came home with orders for more. The Mullins Rope Company became a full time operation and interfered with his rodeoing. When the merile (grass) rope became hard to acquire, he decided it was time to get out of the roping business, besides he would have more time to enter rodeos and time to take care of his ranch work.
Lee began team roping in 1980. Being a left handed roper, put him at a one second advantage of the right handed headers, helping him win and place when he had stiff competition. He belonged to the National Old-Timers Rodeo Association, The BudLite 65, The Coors Old-Timers Rodeo Association, The Legends and the United States Team Roping Associaton.
In 1994, Lee and his partner R.C. Tinney won a saddle for winning the Ronny Williams Roping in Mineral Wells. Lee won the 1997 Original Team Roping in Waco. he won a buckle for most points in the Legeneds in 2001. Lee won 2nd place in the 130 Century Finals in 1999 and 2000. Lee Mullins has won money, spurs, belt buckles, and two saddles in his lifetime. He finds it difficult to remember all of the rodeos he placed in during his 60 years as an outstanding roper and steer wrestler in the sport of rodeo.
