Robert William Nixon, Jr., better known as Booger Red, was born on March 18th, 1930 in Woodsen, Texas. At age 13, he hitchhiked to Jacksboro, Texas, where he placed 2nd in the junior bull riding competition at his first rodeo. Three years later, at the age of 16, he won Champion Bareback rider at the Cowboy Reunion in Stamford, Texas, defeating adult cowboys.
In 1949, Booger won the first Texas State High School Rodeo Association Bareback and All Around competition and then went on to win the inaugural National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) Roping and All Around competition held in Hallettsville, Texas. Booger’s accomplishments were recognized in Seventeen magazine and Dale Evans comic books and strips soon afterwards.
Booger joined the United States Air Force in 1951 and was flown to rodeo events across North America, including major rodeos at Madison Square Gardens and Boston Gardens. In 1952, he was selected as the Texas Amateur Bareback Rider of the year. In 1953, he earned $2500 in 28 days at Madison Square Gardens riding 60 horses (43 wild, 8 bareback, and 9 roping) while earning just $1500/year in the Air Force.
During the 1960s, Booger trained paint horses including Ton Bagle, a five-time National Champion. In 1964, he won the inaugural World Paint Horse Roping Rodeo in Hutchinson, Kansas. In 1974, he was the Champion All Around Cowboy at Belton, Texas, winning the bareback, saddle bronc, and calf roping competition.
Booger is one of the very few cowboys winning PRCA points in all five major events: bareback riding, calf roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, and bull riding. Byrel Hittson, Hib Hibbert, and L. N. Sikes were instrumental in guiding Booger’s early career. Over the years, Booger helped many new cowboys follow in his footsteps, including his son Bobby, Guy Hayes, Wins and his son Pete, and Bode Zietz.
Throughout his career, Booger was associated with Steiner stock and rodeos, winning many of the latter events. Today, he raises Black Brangus cattle and Steiner bulls on his ranch in Morton Valley (Eastland), Texas.
Booger is in the Texas High School Rodeo Association Hall of Fame and is a lifetime member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
