GLADEWATER, Texas — There’s a Texas man who is a proud staple and producer of the Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo.
Don Gay calls the Gladewater rodeo the best rodeo in East Texas. He has been part of the Gladewater rodeo history for over 50 years, and his family’s ties longer than that – and it goes beyond East Texas too.
He first set foot in the arena in Gladewater in the 70s when he was in high school. It didn’t take him long to become a legend in bull riding history. Out of all places that he could decide to spend his time, he’s spent it at the Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo for nearly 40 years.
"I love everything about it, and I guess I must be the most blessed guy in the planet," Gay said. "I am the only eight-time world champion bull rider." His professional bull riding career started in 1970 when he was just a sophomore in high school.
"I got over to Gladewater and found out I had a long way to go," he said. But it didn’t take much for this bull rider to start racking up some awards and making a name for himself.
"I’m one of the few that don’t call rodeo a sport," Gay said. "I call it a lifestyle because I don’t ever take my uniform off."
He won his first bull riding championship in 1974. In the span of a decade, he claimed all eight world championship titles and bull riding runs in the family.
"I grew up in the world’s largest dirt playground and I wanted to be a cowboy, and it’s a good thing because it’s all we’ve done and are still doing," he said.
His dad, Neal, started furnishing livestock for the Gladewater Roundup Rodeo starting in 1978. Neal was a contestant in the Gladewater rodeo starting in the late 1940s.
"I took over as stock contractor and rodeo producer in 1988 and here we are still rolling," he said.
For over 30 years, Don Gay has called the Gladewater Rodeo his second home.
"It is one of the best rodeos in Northeast Texas – has been for many, many years," Gay said.
But the rodeo lifestyle goes beyond East Texas. His dad and Jim Shoulders, who happens to be Gay’s hero, started the Mesquite Championship Rodeo in North Texas in 1958. Part of that history is now in his ranch in Terrell with the old arena on his property.
The Gay family has etched their way into rodeo history. He said his dad is in the Rodeo Hall of Fame and his older brother Pete was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. Don himself was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.
"We’re kind of lazing around enjoying Hall of Fame status right now," Gay said.
And the love for the rodeo passed down to the next generation.
"My brother – his daughter has carried down the flag to do the opening ceremonies," Gay said. "My daughter Tally and she’s leading the Pledge of Allegiance for 6,000 fans in the Mesquite Rodeo Arena with Ronald Reagan standing right in front of her."
Now retired and in the hall of fame, Gay spends his time on the Rafter G Ranch, a place he calls his dad’s legacy. He's here to stay and only 89.3 miles away from his second home.
"That’s what Gladewater really is," he said. "It represents a lot of the past history and professional rodeo. My life has been rodeo and this represents it / my world champion saddles, the chaps that I rode in in the final years of my career."
He added that a cowboy "pays a big price to be his own boss."
Gay said it takes commitment to be a cowboy because not every day is a world championship day.
"But every day you can do something good – and that’s how I was raised," he said. "My dad would always say, ‘you don’t have half way rob the bank. You either did or you didn’t.'"