Gay go om champn bull rir to top ntractor

AFTER LAYOFF, GAY BACK AT NFR

Donnie Gay: Wrangler NFR Memori - Wrangler Network | Home of the Wtern Liftyle * donny gay not at nfr *

“Nicky Wheeler had the talent and had the bt personaly and sense of humor and tght me what the word humble meant -I didn’t have much humblens as you know and I didn’t re – but I learned what was by beg around him – he did not get exclud om anythg, jt a great person, ” said 8 Time PRCA World Champn bull rir Don Gay. In 1977 he jumped the tck and airplane wh Don Gay and end the year ridg 9 of ten bulls at the Natnal Fals Roo Oklahoma Cy and won two rounds - earng around $2, 000. Don Gay remembers the story.

He will have the opportuny, ” said Gay.

“He had more abily than me, Tuff Heman, and Jim Shoulrs all rolled together, ” ntued Gay. Dcribed by Gay as havg an herent unique natural abily. Donnie Gay lik to borrow a le om another notable wboy, Jim Shoulrs, to expla his "retirement" 1982 and his subsequent return to bull ridg this year.

DONNIE GAY: WRANGLER NFR MEMORI

Donnie Gay wanted to be the world bull ridg champn at five years old. But not even the prec kid om Mque, Texas uld have predicted the succs he’d have the sport. * donny gay not at nfr *

"I heard Jim say this the other day, and I thk 's one of his better l, " said Gay. ' " Perhaps that is enough of an explanatn why Donnie Gay cid to return to the pro roo circu after a year's absence.

But for five years, bull ridg had been a miserable way for Gay to make a pa, most often om a severely pulled gro mcle or a pulled hamstrg, gave him more misery than did the bulls. "My doctor told me I was fe om the waist up, " says Gay, "'but he would jt as soon start over om the waist down. "The year's layoff, says Gay, may not have given him a new body, but is one he n live wh now.

SUNDAY CONVERSATN: DONNIE GAY, 8-TIME WORLD BULL RIDG CHAMP, ON TO-PILOT

Donnie Gay and Lane Frost: a Special Relatnship - News | Home of the Wtern Liftyle * donny gay not at nfr *

"Beg retirement was good for me, " said Gay, who spent most of 1983 workg for his father, neal Gay, a roo promoter and producer Mque, Texas. "Gay, 31, won his seventh world bull ridg tle 1981, tyg the rerd set by Shoulrs, of Henryetta, the 1950's.

But the pa of the 1982 season was more than Gay uld qualified for his 11th nsecutive Natnal Fals '82, but he announced October that he would be retirg at the end of the season, his qut for an eighth world tle did ri two roos 1983.

DONNIE GAY AND LANE FROST: A SPECIAL RELATNSHIP

"Neal Gay's profsnal roo reer began as a nttant Atoka, Okla., 1945. Born June 25, 1926, Dallas, Gay ro bulls, saddle bronc and bareback, and wrtled steers. His nttant years have sce been overshadowed by his stock ntractg and roo productn skills. * donny gay not at nfr *

"Gay promptly placed the money his first roo of the 1984 season and me to the Natnal Fals first place the standgs wh wngs for the year of $67, 943, over $10, 000 more than Charl Sampson of Los Angel, the send-place rir. "While Gay creds the 100-roo lim le as makg easier on his body, he still feels the le is an jtice, pecially to bull rirs. "I've always gone to 150 to 160 roos a year, " said Gay, "and I told them they should put an entry lim on and not a roo most roos, I only get one ri.

"Gay said the new le was perhaps the biggt change he noticed roo when he returned. "It will take an extraordary effort for anyone to overtake Gay for the world tle this year. "Then will e the big qutn Gay will have to answer.

BILLINGS — Donnie Gay wanted to be the world bull ridg champn at 5 years old. Gay won eight PRCA bull ridg world tl by the time all was said and done a roo reer that began at the age of 16 1969.

DON GAY

EVENTS World Champn Bull Rir, 1974-1977, 1979-1981, 1984 Roo Commentator Born Mque, Texas, 1953, Don Gay grew up an aspirg bull rir * donny gay not at nfr *

But Gay was far om fished wh the sport after retirg om petn. Gay was ducted to the ProRoo Hall of Fame 1979, followed by his father Neal 1993, beg the first father-son duo to achieve the honor.

MTN Sports ught up wh Gay when he was Billgs earlier this year attendg the Montana ProRoo Hall and Wall of Fame banquet, and the legend shared stori on topics om bull ridg to flyg, his two favore passns. Donnie Gay: Well ’s still there. Gay: No.

Gay: Jt turned 21 1974.

DON GAY

Don Gay was born on 1953 Mque, Texas, Uned Stat, is an Amerin bull rir. At 67 years old, Don Gay height not available right now. We will update... * donny gay not at nfr *

Gay: I have watched him some. Gay: I’m the reason the PBR gaed notoriety as fast as did.

Gay: Absolutely. Gay: Y.

Gay: Jim Shoulrs took er huntg.

NEAL GAY

Gay: You n’t even go wh an appotment and get back to the airport the same day anymore! Gay: Flyg is hours and hours of sheer boredom, and then a few sends of sheer terror. But I’m gog to tell you – nobody lov Donnie Gay more than Donnie Gay, so Jerry Nelson, my boss, he’ll fly anywhere wh me.

Gay: Oh, Mother Nature far and away.

At the age of 10, a bright eyed and spunky Lane Frost met world champn bull rir Don Gay for the first time. Lane was termed to start ridg bulls, but Gay advised him to ri lv and steers until his bon were more fully veloped. To the relief of his fay, Lane followed Gay’s advice.