Major League Rodeo (1978-1979)

Born: July 6, 1977 – MLR founding franchise

Folded: July 1979

Arenas:

1978: Freeman Coliseum

1978: Lakeway Equestrian Center (2,000)

Team Colors:

Owners: Jim Koerner, John Bitter, Phyllis Downs, et al.

MLR Championships: None

Background

The Texas Rowels were a co-ed professional team rodeo outfit that played in various cities around Texas in 1978 and 1979. The Rowels were one of six franchises in Major League Rodeo. They competed against rival teams from Denver, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Tulsa.

Major League Rodeo contests consisted of seven skills – bareback bronc riding, barrel racing, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, steer wrestling and bull riding. Each team sported a roster of 12 cowboys & 3 cowgirls. Three team members competed in each of the seven events, which were contested twice separated by a 20-minute halftime.

San Antonio’s un-air conditioned Freeman Coliseum was the Rowels’ home base. The team also hit the road to host one-offs in Austin, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie and other Texas cities. According to the Austin-American Statesman (8/18/1978), the Rowels drew crowds ranging from 750 to 3,000 fans per event at Freeman Coliseum during their 1978 debut season.

The End

The Rowels returned for a second season in 1979 but the campaign swiftly descended into chaos. Major League Rodeo kicked out the Tulsa Twisters franchise midway through the season. The Kansas City Trailblazers became homeless when the roof of Kemper Arena collapsed. The Los Angeles Rough Riders’ insurance company forced them out of their home at the Santa Ana Bowl after numerous riders and animals suffered injuries on the venue’s riding surface.

In early July 1979, league officials announced the cancellation of the rest of the regular season schedule. Major League Rodeo hoped to re-group for a championship series in August. But the league was never heard from again.

Trivia

A rowel (I had to look this up) is the name for the small wheel at the end of a cowboy’s boot spur.

The name was selected in part as a complement to the city’s San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball team (San Antonio Light, October 1, 1977).

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