Theres a pretty good chance of that since he made the NFR 27 times and Im only 31, said Davis, competing in his first NFR. Rodeo has been good to him. Clay O'Brien Cooper talks about breaking up with your team roping partner. The Coopers have two sons, Colton (born 2003) and Caden (born 2005). Performance & security by Cloudflare. Your IP: A Martinez, Robert Carradine, Sean Kelly, and Clay O'Brien were all in both the film and the television series, though only Martinez and Carradine played the same character in each project. Making a Play with Clay O'Brien Cooper. by Mark Boardman | Apr 26, 2017 | True West Blog. Rodeo has its share of colorful characters. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Won the Clark County Fair & Rodeo (Logandale, Nev.) and the Molalla (Ore.) Buckeroo Rodeo, with Justin Van Davis He has also been NFR average champion four times (1985, 1994, 2007, 2012). Masters said it's an adventure traveling with his famous partner. Stampede; the Dodge City (Kan.) Round-Up; the Walla Walla (Wash.) Frontier Days and the Norco (Calif.) Mounted Posse Rodeo The boys remain passive as instructed, and the rustlers steal the herd. He rides into deserted Bozeman, Montana, where his friend Anse Peterson suggests hiring local schoolboys. Young Clay caught the roping fever. Moved to San Antonio in 1979. Born Clay O'Brien Cooper on May 6, 1961, and best-known as the pint- sized "Hardy Fimps" in the western coming-of-age film, The Cowboys (1972); Clay O'Brien became a favorite with John Wayne, who appreciated a real cowboy when he met one. In all three films, an adult takes a group of youngsters and initiates them into manhood by instructing them the "right" skills and values. Clay O'Brien Cooper. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. As heeler, he's teamed up again with header Chad Masters, 33. At 52, the Gardnerville, Nev., resident is one of the older cowboys on tour. And vice versa. Only 13 episodes were filmed before the series was cancelled. But when I first met him, I didn . When his ranch hands abandon him to join a gold rush, aging rancher Wil Andersen is forced to find replacement drovers for his upcoming 400-mile (640km) cattle drive. . Clay is a seasoned PRCA competitor, having won titles at the NFR 4 times, it's no surprise this Clay is in the number 2 spot. But then the teenage years came, O'Brien Cooper's voice changed and the child-acting roles dried up. John Wayne thought Clay OBrien Cooper was too small to play one of, What History Has Taught Me with Robert Vaughan, You Had to Look Hard The Marquis de Mors Did, Tallyho Coach at Hot Springs, Dakota Territory. Amy O'Hara Hearn 1 episode, 1974 Victor Mohica . That's how young Clay earned a tryout for The Cowboys, a 1972 film about a rancher, played by Wayne, who is forced to train a group of young boys for a 400-mile cattle drive. Remaining pint-sized for several years, Clay could be found in pleasant but . Growing up in the arena and listening to stories about the pros and who roped the best made a lasting impression on the youngster. Please let us know how we can help. Lonny Chapman as Homer's Father Charles Tyner as Stonemason Sarah Cunningham as Annie Andersen, Wil's wife Allyn Ann McLerie as Ellen Price, a teacher Maggie Costain as Phoebe, a prostitute Matt Clark as Smiley, a ranch hand Jerry Gatlin as Howdy, a ranch hand Walter Scott as Okay, a ranch hand Dick Farnsworth as Henry Williams As a heeler, he teamed with Jake Barnes to win a record seven world team roping championships. I wanted to see if I could still compete at the top level, he said. Seeing this, Watts and his gang come out of hiding and begin to openly parallel the herd. 2012: (Partner Chad Masters) Placed in five rounds en route to winning the Wrangler NFR average title in 73.4 seconds on 10 head; it was his fourth NFR average title, tying him for third on the all-time list. Rodeo; the Cody (Wyo.) Born Clay O'Brien Cooper on May 6, 1961, and best-known as the pint- sized "Hardy Fimps" in the western coming-of-age film, The Cowboys (1972); Clay O'Brien became a favorite with John Wayne, who appreciated a real cowboy when he met one. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33. Albums. Cooper and Barnes jointly set the team roping aggregate record at the National Finals Rodeo of 59.1 seconds on 10 head, en route to the world title in 1994. Cooper was the Turquoise Circuit all around champion in 1985-87, 1991 and 1993 and the circuits team roping champion in 1983-84. Won the Ellensburg (Wash.) [4] It was the feature film debut of Robert Carradine. The film received praise for its musical score, the original plot, and John Wayne's performance, but several critics debated the film's implication that boys become men or confirm their manhood through acts of violence and vengeance; Jay Cocks of TIME and Pauline Kael of The New Yorker were especially critical of this aspect of the film.[7]. Slowly, the boys become good cowhands, impressing both Andersen and Nightlinger. Clay O'Brien Cooper was born May 6, 1961, in Ray, Arizona. After a year on the sports copy desk, became a reporter covering the Iguanas hockey team. A 1997 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee, Cooper joined the PRCA in 1979, and by 1981 had qualified for the National Finals Rodeo the first of 29 times (1981-95, 1997-98, 2000-04, 2006-08, 2012-2015). Clay O'Brien Actor | The Cowboys Born Clay O'Brien Cooper on May 6, 1961, and best-known as the pint- sized "Hardy Fimps" in the western coming-of-age film, The Cowboys (1972); Clay O'Brien became a favorite with John Wayne, who appreciated a real cowboy when he met one. He and his wife, Alisa, who is from the Reno area, moved to Gardnerville after their two adult daughters, Bailey and Quinn, left home. Co- champion at the Sheridan (Wyo.) Jade was . We all look up to him.. Clay has the respect of cowboys everywhere, holding more Team-Roping championships than anyone and is the holder of Seven World titles in Team-Roping. Cooper made his acting debut alongside none other than John Wayne in the 1972 film The Cowboys which follows a rancher, played by The Duke, who is forced to train a group of young boys for a 400-mile cattle drive. He was a good guy.. Finished second in the world standings with $189,666, just $1,131 behind Jade Corkill. I was a little kid with starstruck eyes. Team Roping: 1994, Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA Cooper spends time in Morgan Mill, Texas, in the winter but has called Gardnerville home for the last three years. He has qualified for the National Circuit Finals Rodeo 10 times and been NCFR team-roping champion four times. In the morning, Nightlinger and Homer rejoin to the group and find the boys tending to Andersen, who is near death. In addition to seven world titles, O'Brien Cooper has appeared in 27 Wrangler National Finals Rodeos with total career earnings of $2.5 million. Born Clay O'Brien Cooper on May 6, 1961, and best-known as the pint- sized "Hardy Fimps" in the western coming-of-age film, The Cowboys (1972); Clay O'Brien became a favorite with John Wayne, who appreciated a real cowboy when he met one. I was blessed to have the opportunity to work with some really cool people, (including) John Wayne and James Garner. Team Roping: 1991, Buffalo Bill Rodeo / North Platte, NE The answer was evident last year, when he won his fourth NFR average title (73.4 seconds on 10 head) and placed second in the world standings with $189,666 just $1,131 behind Fallons Jade Corkill 18 years after his last world title. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Marshal 6.4 Billy Joe 1973 The Magical World of Disney 8.4 TV Series Shoie Sterling Melborne ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy, 103 Pro Rodeo Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80919, Copyright 2021 ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy. Who Is Clay O'Brien's Wife? We get along really good. It takes two to tango, as they say, and the same goes for team roping. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Andersen instructs Nightlinger to take the boys home and in his final moments tells the boys how proud he is of them. Cooper said The Duke was the same as most of the characters he portrayed. While the others continue on, Nightlinger and a boy named Homer hang back to handle the repairs. 24,612 people follow this. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Standing a respectable 6 feet, Clay and his wife, Beth, have two daughters, Bailey and Quinn. Cooper, born May 6, 1961, in Ray, Ariz., started roping at age 6. Team Roping: 1981, 2006, 2012, Deadwood Days of 76 Rodeo / Deadwood, SD Clay OBrien Cooper was born May 6, 1961, in Ray, Arizona. He might qualify based on his age alone. O'Brien Cooper, who turned 10 during the shooting of the movie, played a boy named Hardy Fimps and relished the opportunity to work with Wayne. Photos. One day Dan, a boy who wears glasses, is chasing a stray horse when he stumbles upon Watts and his gang of cattle rustlers. Sep 17, 2022 | By Team Roping Journal. After dark, Watts and his gang surround Andersen and the boys in their camp. He enjoys teaching people how to rope and is an instructor . Biography. Pro Rodeo Hall of fame - Team Roping Inducted 1997 Movie star, television actor, accomplished tie-down roper, premier team roping heeler, multiple world champion - Clay O'Brien Cooper has led a charmed life. 23,485 people like this. After a great school up in Helena, all I was thinking about was making my connection in Salt Lake, so . Thats how I got to try out for The Cowboys, he said. Cooper is active in youth ministry and spends time with his family in Gardnerville, Nevada. He is also known as "The Champ". All-Around: 1991 When they catch up to the rustlers, Nightlinger offers to help the boys make a plan. Has covered numerous world title fights over the years in Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles. Remaining pint-sized for several years, Clay could be found . An interview with 2018 ERHOF Inductee Clay O'Brien Cooper. Jake was the first person to be named to the list of "Legends of ProRodeo" by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in which he was inducted in 1997. Team Roping: 1989, 1999, 2003, Dodge City Roundup / Dodge City, KS He was the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo team roping winner in 1987, 1989 and 1995. I was just blessed to be in the right spot at the right time. 6-0, 200 Wife, Alisa (married 2004); daughters, Bailey, Quinn Made his acting debut in the John Wayne film The Cowboys (1972) when he was 11 years old, portraying Hardy Fimps; worked in film and television through 1976, including roles in Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Marcus Welby, M.D, Cahill U.S. Team Roping: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, All-Around: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, Team Roping: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, Black Hills Roundup / Belle Fourche, SD By continuing to browse or by clicking I Accept Cookies you agree to the storing of first-party and third-party cookies on your device and consent to the disclosure of your personal information to our third party service providers or advertising partners to optimize your experience, analyze traffic and personalize content. Long before Clay OBrien Cooper won seven team roping heeler world titles and narrowly missed winning a record-tying eighth last year at age 51 the Gardnerville resident enjoyed a colorful career as a child actor. Ive been blessed with the opportunity to do what Ive always loved and enjoyed doing. Clay O' shares a team roping tip in this bonus episode of "The Short Score," brought to you by the WCRA. Clay's rodeo achievements are impressive by any standard and this mini-bio can not even begin to cover them. Click to reveal Clay O'Brien Cooper (1961) Team Roping (Heeling) Clay O'Brien Cooper was born May 6, 1961, in Ray, Arizona. Georgia star defensive tackle Jalen Carter left the NFL scouting combine after an arrest warrant was issued for him in connection with his role in a deadly car crash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal), A nice sign: Big Rockies snowpack may boost Lake Mead, Raiders, Aces stars to tie the knot in Las Vegas this weekend, North Las Vegas man targeted Blacks after losing job, police say, Snow closes US 93 at Arizona line, briefly closes I-15 southbound at Primm, 5 new and upcoming Las Vegas Valley restaurants, Norovirus outbreak grows to 71 at Las Vegas school, Legendary rockers raise millions at Power of Love, New Las Vegas Events president starts job with a bang, Rock legend Carlos Santana extends run at House of Blues, Super Bowl MVP bettors hope for historic result, Chicagos drummer rose from Las Vegas lounges. Remaining pint-sized for several years, Clay could be found in pleasant but typical Disneyesque fare throughout the 1970s before he left acting and returned to cowboying full-time, where his undisputed talent truly lies. Dan tells Andersen he knew Watts had been following them but was scared to tell, and Andersen comforts the boy. 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