The son of an attorney and school teacher, Raymond was born with the unusual dream of being a cowboy. So with one old roping horse and one calf, which stayed in the same stall at a neighbor’s house, he set his sights on being a world class calf roper. Struggling in the beginning because of his small size, Raymond found a mentor in Ernie Taylor and began to learn the technique he needed for consistent groundwork.
Ernie’s emphasis on perfect technique and determination, to compensate for size, began to pay off and Raymond went on to win 4 AJRA (American Junior Rodeo Association) championships and 2 NIRA (National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association) college region titles before joining the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association) in 1980. Falling just short of the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) his rookie year, Raymond credits finding the right horse as the decision that helped him qualify for the NFR in his second year. “Geesy” was a 6 year old former racehorse, with 103 speed index, with a volatile temper and a winner’s heart. Geesy went on to be Calf Horse of the year, and Raymond is quick to credit him and several other outstanding horses with helping him to achieve 10 circuit finals qualifications, 3 World’s Richest Roping titles and 7 NFR appearances. Understanding that you are only as good as the horse you ride, Raymond owned and sold several of the best calf horses to go down the road, and continues to train and sell quality calf horses today.
In 2002, Raymond and his family moved to Stephenville, Texas where he was hired as the assistant Rodeo Coach at Tarleton State University. The next year, Tarleton became one of the few universities to win boys and girls team National championships in the same year. They have continued to qualify both teams for the College National Finals for 8 consecutive years.
Raymond gives credit for his success in the sport that he loves to: a family who supported his dream, hauling partners who were genuine friends, outstanding horses, and the willingness to work harder than the guy who might have more ability.
