The First Bulldogger

W.M. "Bill" Pickett (1870-1932), a native Texan, originated the rodeo event of bulldogging, now known as steer wrestling, and developed a distinctive style that made him world famous as a Wild West Show and rodeo performer. He would leap from the left side of his horse, catch a steer by the horns, twist its neck, and then reach over to bite the steer's lip. In 1908, he appeared in the Coliseum during the Fort Worth Stock Show, one of several performances there. He later died from injuries suffered when a wild horse kicked him in the head while he was working for the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch. Colonel Zack Miller honored his memory in verse, praising him as a cowboy who always did his best and left a place that could never be filled. In 1971, Bill Pickett became the first Black cowboy inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Fort Worth, Texas · United States