Troy Fort
World Champion Calf Roper
1917-1993
Troy Fort was born on December 8th, 1917 in Lea County, New Mexico, and attended school in Lovington. Troy competed for forty of his fifty-year rodeo career at the West of the Pecos Rodeo. As a native of Lea County, New Mexico, Troy learned to rope with the best. And that included having Jake McClure as one of his coaches. Troy was known as a great stylist at calf roping and was picture-perfect on his runs. People watched him with awe even when he failed to win. Troy became well known for his calf roping style: Dismounting on the near side and approaching the calf in a "businesslike" manner, delivering slack ahead of his run...his "trademark".
Troy was also famous for his horses, including a bay gelding named Streak and of course, the famous Baldy, a horse that he bought from Katherine Burk after the untimely death of her husband, Clyde. Troy's many achievements include events such as New York's Madison Square Garden to the Calgary Stampede in Canada and being crowned the World Champion Calf Roper in both 1947 and 1949.
After Troy's competitive days ended he served as the PRCA Steer Roping Director for four years and served on the Rodeo Foundation Board for four years. He was inducted into the PRCA Hall of Fame in 1979. Troy was also one of the founding members of the Lea County Fair and Rodeo in Lovington, New Mexico, and faithfully attended the West of the Pecos Rodeo every year.
Troy married Billie Jean and they had three children: LaJean, Clyde, and Roy Dee. Troy Fort passed away on January 2nd, 1993 at the age of 75 and was posthumously inducted into the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame.