Vannie Halliday’s rodeo career started at the young age of eight, working for his father, who was employed by Dick Ratjen, producing rodeos in the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico.
In 1972, the Halliday family bought out Dick Ratjen and formed the Halliday Rodeo Company producing youth and amateur rodeos in Texas and New Mexico including AJRA and HiPlains sanctioned rodeos.
Vannie has worked all facets of rodeo from being a contestant in bareback riding, calf roping and team roping to being a pickup man, chute boss and timed event chute boss.
At 18, Vannie started working for Harry Vold Rodeo Company and was a member of his crew for almost 20 years, working as a pickup man, flankman and timed event chute boss. He then continued working in the same capacity for Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame members and stock contractors-Bad Company Rodeo/ Mack Altizer, Terry Walls Rodeo Company and Mike Cervi Rodeo.
His career has included working his first NFR in 1975 in Oklahoma City, OK to many times in Las Vegas as well as many major national PRCA rodeos and all the Texas major rodeos. In 2005, he was named top stock foreman for the Extreme Bull Riding Tour.
