South America during his life.
The late historian J. Evetts Haley called
him, “One of the greatest cowboys.”
The character “Clay McGonagill even
appeared in Elmer Kelton’s “The Good
Ol’ Boys,” which was later made into a
movie starring Tommy Lee Jones. In the
movie, Jones character, Huey Calloway,
ropes against the champion, “Clay
McGonagill,” at San Angelo, Texas.
In 1904, Clay married Annie Johnston.
Reportedly, he had met her only
four days before marrying her in San
Antonio, Texas. She was attending
boarding school there. The couple
wound up having one son.
And what about the match between
Bob Gentry and Clay in 1907? In an
interview later, Annie said that Clay had
beaten Bob at a ten-head match there
in Muskogee, Oklahoma after Gentry
had just won the “World Championship
Steer Roping” contest.
in 451.8 seconds to Gentry’s 458.8 on
ten head. Everyone considered Clay
McGonagill to be the World Champion
Steer Roper.
After Clay won this first match, Gentry
was complaining about something or
another, so Clay challenged Gentry to
another match. Eleven head for Clay,
ten for Bob—best time overall wins.
The McGonagills lived on a ranch near
Monument, New Mexico. Besides his
roping income, Clay supplemented his
earnings by hiring out as a cowboy.
Annie recounted, “Gentry took him
up it (the bet for another $1,000),
after which I felt sure we’d have to sell
everything we had just to hold onto
Kelly (Clay’s horse). Without Kelly, Clay
would be sunk.”
The next day, the Muskogee TimesDemocrat reported, “It is very doubtful
whether such a roping as was turned
in by McGonagill yesterday has ever
been equalled.” Clay roped eleven steers
The legendary Clay McGonagill was
killed on October 24, 1921, while
hauling hay on the Pima Indian
Reservation, near Sacaton, Arizona.
He had stopped the wagon he was
driving to clear the road of a down
power line. As it turns out, the power
line was still live and carried about
11,000 volts. Clay was killed instantly.
He was posthumously inducted into
the National Cowboy and Western
Heritage Museum Rodeo Hall of Fame
in 1975.
MONTY ROBERTS
FOR ALL HORSE LOVERS ON YOUR LIST!
DON’T MISS THIS
RARE “Bucket List”
APPEARANCE OF The Man
Who Listens to Horses!
Arizona Equestrian Connection
Proudly Presents:
HORSE WHISPERER MONTY ROBERTS
“FROM MY HANDS TO YOURS” World Tour
Jackpot Ranch Arena
March 14th, 2015 • Camp Verde, AZ
Tickets Available Online • Seats are Limited • VIP Tickets Available
ArizonaEquestrianConnection.com
Email: [email protected] • Phone: 602-314-5413
AZintheSaddle.com
December 2014
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