Roy was born on November 13, 1955, to Betty and Tuffy Dale Cooper in Hobbs, New Mexico. He, along with his brother, Clay Tom, and sister, Betty Gale (deceased), grew up on the family ranch. From an early age, Roy was coached by his father in the proper techniques of roping, leading him to win at youth rodeos across the southwest. His winning ways continued through high school, where in 1973 he won the National High School Champion Calf Roping title, and in college at Cisco Jr. College in Cisco, Texas, and Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma, where in 1975 he won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Calf Roping title.
Membership in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) came in 1976, where as a rookie he competed in the first of 18 National Finals calf roping events and ended the year with 1st in the NFR average as well as a World Champion title. A severed wrist in 1979 only delayed his competition, and he went on to win the NFR average. World Champion Calf Roping titles were also awarded in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984. In 1977 and 1978, Roy was the year-end champion roper, but the title of World Champion was awarded to the winner of the NFR only. Qualifications for the NFR in calf roping also came in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996.
In 1983, Roy won the World Champion Steer Roper title, the calf roping title, and the PRCA All-Around title. Roy competed 13 times in the steer roping Finals; in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1997. With H.P. Evetts as his header, they competed at the PRCA National Finals in 1981 at the Myriad Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The nickname of “SUPER LOOPER” COOPER certainly befitted him from an early age, as competitors exclaim how his skills changed the sport and following his drive for success in the rodeo arena certainly made them strive to exemplify Roy’s actions. Many young people have been taught at schools in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Brazil by Roy.
Since Roy’s competitive days have slowed after 5 decades, he can be found hauling those thousands of miles across the United States with his boys, Clint, Tuf, and Clif, as they show the same drive for success in the rodeo arena as their father and grandfather have taught them.
