Clark McEntire
Champion Steer Roper & All Around Cowboy
1927-2014
Clark McEntire was born in Graham, Oklahoma on November 30, 1927. His mother, Alice, taught school, and his dad, John, ran steers and entered several rodeo events. From the time that Clark could hold a rope, he was roping everything that didn’t move. When Clark was in the 9th grade, he stayed home to help his dad gather some steers in the hills. He never went back to school.
At the age of 19, Clark came home as a local hero after winning the 1947 Pendleton Roundup All-Around title. Later he won 3 World Championship Steer Roping titles in 1957, 1958, and 1961. McEntire won Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1954 and 1961. He entered the steer roping at the West of the Pecos Rodeo many, many times and competed in the Steer Roping Finals every year it was held in Pecos, Texas. For several years, if Shoat Webster didn’t win the roping, Clark did. Clark believed in the free enterprise system and never worked for anyone.
Clark had a keen wit and a sense of humor. After attending a funeral, Clark, Jac, and Butch Mellor were at a restaurant eating when Butch said, “Clark, when you die, I ain’t going to your funeral.” Clark replied, “Hell, I don’t blame ya, I don’t wanna go neither!” Never a dull moment with Clark around.
Clark was riding by Jacqueline Smith’s house one day and saw her carrying two buckets of water to some hogs. He thought, “A gal like her fits ‘purty’ good in my business.” They were married March 17, 1950. The couple later had 4 children, Alice, Pake, Reba, and Susie.
Always a steer man, Clark was either roping or training them, or both. Clark passed away on October 23, 2014, and was posthumously inducted into the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame.