Fort Worth Native Pete Hawkins, aka Pistol Pete came from a rodeo family. He started his rodeo career at the age of 14 team roping with his dad, Guy Hawkins a retired Bareback rider. It wasn’t too long after he started asking about the bareback riding.
He got on his first bucking horse a year later at 15 and was hooked. Though he continued to work both ends of the arena, the Bareback riding was always closest to his heart.
Pete had a very successful high school career winning Texas State Titles in Bareback & Bronc riding 1991 & 1992, and a National High School Title in Bareback riding in 1991. Pete went on to a successful college rodeo career making the Collegiate finals in multiple events and helping win a Men’s Team Championship. He then went on to the PRCA for a 10-year career from 1994-2004.
With Bareback riding as his main event, Pete still managed to enter and win checks in other events. During his career he won checks in Saddle bronc riding, Bull riding and Steer roping at PRCA rodeo’s. In 2001 he qualified for the “Linderman Award” by winning money in the Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc, and Steer Roping, but feel just short of winning the honored award that year to Jesse Bail. Pete won many prestigious rodeos like Fort Worth, San Antonio, Cheyenne(2X), Pendleton(2X), Reno, Prescott, Pecos, Fort Smith, St. Paul, Ponoka and the Texas Circuit Championship 2X. He qualified for the Texas Circuit Finals from 1995-2003, and made 6 NFR’s from 1996–2003. Only missing the 2000 and 2004 NFR’s due to major injuries. In those 6 trips to Las Vegas he was able to set 3 NFR records, and win a total of 8 go-rounds. In 1999 he held the arena record with 90-point ride on Kesler’s great horse Icicle. In 1999 he set the record for most go-round wins in a row with (3). Pete set another NFR record for most go-round wins at the NFR in the Bareback Riding with (4).
Though Pistol Pete Hawkins is far from nodding his head anymore in the arena, rodeo is still a big part of his life. He and his wife Brandee raise barrel & calf horses on their place with their 3 children Hayden, Quade, and Hayva. He now enjoys being a dad, watching his kids compete and is blessed that they share the same love for rodeo as he did.
