Arizona in the Saddle Vol 4 Issue 7 | Page 28

By Jim Olson, ©2017, www.TotallyWestern.com
A
ccording to author Clifford Westermeier, in 1947, “Leonard
Stroud was one of the first cowboys to make a business and,
certainly, a career of contesting (in rodeo).”
Stroud was born near Monkstown, Texas,
December 1, 1893 into a ranching family.
He left home at sixteen to join the Howe
Circus and, after becoming a big hit, later
joined the Ringling Brothers Circus where
he performed in “Wild West” trick riding
and bronc riding exhibitions. Due to his
popularity, he was paid a phenomenal sum
(for a cowboy) of $25 per week! He also
toured with Pawnee Bill.
Stroud soon decided to follow rodeo
instead and he had a very successful
career. During his rodeo prime (1914 - 1924), he competed
in almost every event including trick and roman riding,
trick roping, saddle and bareback bronc riding, steer and
calf roping and bulldogging. Rodeo producers often had to
rearrange schedules to accommodate Stroud’s participation in
so many events. Trick riding is what he really became famous
for however. (It should be noted here that trick riding was a
judged event much like the rough stock events are today up
until the 1930s.)
He is credited for being the first to perform such moves as
going under the belly of a horse at a full speed, passing under
the horses neck to the other side at a full gallop and there is a
trick riding move named for him to this day called the “Stroud
Standout.” In this move, the rider “stands” out to the side of the
horse, creating a ninety degree angle between horse and rider—
and he would do rope tricks while “out there.” Stroud would
also do many maneuvers while Roman riding—things like
jumping over a parked car—with people in it! He was a crowd
favorite, always flashy and colorful and was known far and wide
as a “showman.”
Leonard rode a saddle, specially designed by him and Porter
Saddlery of Phoenix, Arizona, which incorporated several unique
features, many of which are still evident (and now standard)
on today’s trick riding saddles. First there was a very elongated
saddle horn, serving as a central hand-hold. Other modifications
included slotted handholds attached to the rear skirting, a low
(practically flat) cantle, special saddle strings which could serve
as handholds and various other leather straps.
Even though he was one of the best riders of his day, Leonard
suffered injuries along the way. Once at a Colorado rodeo he
slipped and fell under the horse while attempting to pass to the
other side. He broke three ribs!
Aside from being the undisputed World Champion Trick Rider
between 1914 and 1924, Leonard was also a serious contender
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May 2017
in the other events he entered. He learned rope tricks from none
other than Will Rogers, becoming very accomplished. This also
helped his roping abilities in the calf and steer roping, where he
won many titles at big rodeos. Of course, his riding abilities were
second to none, this is evident of the many bronc riding titles he
won, including Cheyenne in 1918.
Of course, nobody wins all of the time.
Yakima Canutt, in his memoirs, tells a
hilarious story about the El Paso, Texas
rodeo of 1921. “Leonard Stroud rode
a wild bronc that had been brought
over from the Mexican side...He was a
small horse, but could he buck! He was
a crooked, fast sun-fisher. He really
unloaded Leonard.
Leonard and Mamie Stroud
Doubleday, the official
rodeo photographer, got
a picture of it and Stroud
gave him ten dollars to
destroy the negative. I
gave him ten dollars to
print me up several of the
photos and inscribe them,
‘Leonard Stroud Showing
the Boys How. A Yakima
Canutt Photo.’ I passed
them out to the bronc
riders. It got a good laugh.”
Along the way, Leonard married Mamie Saunders Stroud who
was also an accomplished trick rider and bronc rider. She got her
start in Lucille Mulhall’s Roundup. The duo competed in many
rodeos together throughout their storied careers. They moved
from Texas to Oklahoma, and eventually made their permanent
home in Rocky Ford, Colorado where they remained involved in
rodeo in one aspect or another the rest of their lives.
Something that stands out during this period is the fact that most
rodeo cowboys during the 1930s were supportive of the new
cowboy organization know as the Cowboy Turtles Association
(CTA). Not so with Leonard. While acting as the Arena Director
of the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, only months after the CTA
was formed, he was against what he called the “Cowboy Union.”

Leonard is quoted here, from the Pueblo Indicator on July
31, 1937, “It won’t work (the CTAs threat to strike if certain
demands are not met). The cowboys can’t ride me. The
expression, ‘ride ‘em cowboy,’ refers to horses and cattle, not
me!” For reasons of his own, Leonard remained opposed to the
CTA and never joined up.

The greatest trick rider from the early days of rodeo died June
29, 1961 due to health issues at a Denver, Colorado area hospital.
Leonard was posthumously inducted into National Cowboy and
Western Heritage Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1965.
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