Arizona in the Saddle | Page 46

tex austin

daddy of rodeo
By Jim Olson, ©2015, www.TotallyWestern.com

C

irca the 1920s, Rodeo began to make a
transition from “Wild West Show” to
being more of a “Rodeo” like we think
of in today’s terms. One man who took a
large part in that transition was a big-time
promoter called Tex Austin.

Much of Tex Austin’s early life is a mystery.
There is an abundance of conflicting stories.
Many sources claim he was born in 1886
while others say the year was 1887. Some say
his given name was Clarence Van Nostrand,
others John Van Nostrand, yet others say
John Van Austin was his birth name. Some
say he was born in St. Louis, Missouri while
others claim it was Victoria, Texas.

Tex claimed to have be born and reared on
a cow ranch in Texas, but there are reports
that he did not move West until he was about
twenty (circa 1907). At that time he worked
for various ranches in West Texas and Eastern
New Mexico over a period of a few years.

Tex then claims he went down to Old Mexico
where he worked as a cowboy for Don Luis
Terrazzo (reportedly the largest rancher in the
world at the time). Tex also said he rode with
Pancho Villa \