Ricky Canton of Navasota, Texas is the Current Tiedown Roping World Record holder with a time of 6.3 seconds. The 15 time National Finals Rodeo Qualifier is a PRCA Gold Card member who at the age of 4 7 is still a threat to his competition in the rodeo arena today. He is a Houston born Texan who along with a select few ropers is a member of the PRCA Million Dollar Club, with career winnings totaling over $1,476,770.00 in the PRCA Alone. He has won or placed at almost every PRCA Rodeo throughout his 26 year career and isn’t finished yet. One Rodeo he has never won, but came close a few times, is his hometown, Houston, TX . However, he likes to add the quote, “if it was easy everyone would do it?!” The 1987 PRCA Rookie of the Year slowed down in 2007 with the birth of his son Cole, in order to raise his family, Train Calf Horses, tend to his herd of roping calves enabling him to produce some of the Best Tiedown Calf Ropings in the Country. His astonishing career has many numerous highlights including being a 2-time Cheyenne Frontier Days winner. He also was the Calgary Stampede winner and the $50,000.00 bonus round winner In 2003. When asked what the highlight of a single rodeo season was for him, he states “July 2005 just before his 40th Birthday”. In the same week, Ricky broke the PRCA world record in Strathmore, Alberta with a time of 6.3 seconds and won Cheyenne “The Daddy of ’em All” the very next day – Winning over $38,000.00 in just two weeks time. Ricky credits a lot of his career earnings to being able to adjust & ride a variety of different horses not all of them belonging to him. Which is a remarkable talent to be able to win on a horse you have never ridden. He is the 2004 Winter Tour Finale Champ and has qualified for 7 Tour Finales. He has represented Texas well throughout the USA & Canada. Albuquerque, Ellensburg, Cloverdale-Alberta, Molalla, Or, Ft. Madison just to name a few, he has won all of them 2 to 3 times each. He has won numerous Texas rodeos including the San Antonio Stock Show, Huntsville, San Angelo, all qualifying him to the Texas Circuit Finals numerous times & he is the 2003 Texas Circuit Champ. In his first 18 years as a PRCA member, he qualified 14 times to the NFR. Two of those four years of not qualifying he chose to stay close to home. One year for the birth of his daughter and another year to support his first wife Jeri as she battled with cancer and tragically lost, leaving him to raise his 6 year old daughter Madison alone. A few years later he married Christy and now 10 years later, they have 21 year old Madison and 6 year old son named Cole. However, nowadays Ricky considers himself semi-retired while still competing at his favorite Texas Rodeos throughout the year. He also travels to Oregon every summer stopping at other winning arenas for him such as Reno and Greely, CO along the way. Christy’s family’s Oregon cattle ranch is a popular summer hangout. While there he competes in the Northwest Rodeos and gives a few roping lessons.
Ricky has won many Prestigious Ro pings throughout his career as well. Some of the “Greats” are : the Windy Ryon Roping, the “MoBetta” Roping and the Bob Crosby Roping all of which he has won Multiple times. Other proud wins are The San Angelo Roping Fiesta, the Bubble Gum Roping and the Roy Cooper Jr Roping just to name a few.
As an admirer of the sport, Ricky also takes time to teach his kids to rope. His daughter, Madison and son, Cole have match tying contests all the time on the dummy. Also, At the age of 4 he had his son Cole Roping Breakaway out of the box on just a 4 year old horse that Ricky, himself trained. He also teaches his knowledge at roping schools and lessons teaching many young kids to be winners. He helps the sport of Tiedown roping excel as well by offering a new online coaching website where Ropers can upload their own video and Ricky can coach them online using modern technology and editing techniques. this allows Ricky to teach students/ropers from all over the world.
Ricky also works hard to produce outstanding Ropings. He makes the sport available for every “level” of roper to compete and has worked hard to “prepare” the Calves for his Ropings making the cattle “even” giving everyone a chance to win. He has supportive sponsors that believe in his goals and help promote and produce a great production. If you ask fellow competitors to sum up what they know about Ricky Canton their answers tend to be very similar. “Ricky Canton (known as “Monk” due to his small frame and longer arms) is a great competitor and friend that you can never count out. He’s a humbled family man, practical joker, talented horseman and super quick with calves on the ground!” Basically you could add Ricky’s famous words about himself… ” You live by the sword of the wrap & a hooey and you die by the sword of the wrap & a Hooey!”
