04/12/2026
He wasn’t even old enough to drive when he kicked open the gates of rodeo history.
At just 15 years and 11 months old, Ace Berry rode into the National Finals Rodeo in 1962, becoming the second-youngest competitor to ever make the cut. But that wasn’t a one-time flash—it was the start of a run that would stretch well into the mid-’70s, with Berry proving himself on both sides of the arena.
Out of Oakdale, California, Berry became a constant at the NFR, qualifying in team roping an astonishing 14 straight years from 1962 to 1975, switching partners ten times but never missing a beat. At the same time, he wasn’t just dabbling in roughstock—he was dominating it, earning six trips to the NFR in ba****ck riding between 1967 and 1973.
What set Berry apart wasn’t just longevity—it was versatility at the highest level. Alongside Phil Lyne, he stands alone as one of the only cowboys to win NFR average titles in both a roughstock and a timed event in the same season. In 1972, Berry pulled off the rare double, winning the team roping average with John Miller while also capturing the ba****ck riding title with a then-record 685 points—a number that echoed through the sport.
He didn’t stop there. Berry added more gold to the mantle with NFR average wins in team roping in 1967 and ba****ck riding in 1971, carving out a legacy built on grit, adaptability, and a refusal to be boxed into just one event.
Ace Berry didn’t just compete—he proved a cowboy could do it all, and do it better than most.
SOURCE: PRORODEO HALL OF FAME
PHOTO: LENAPE CENTER
