Rambo, Gene

Many consider Gene Rambo the most versatile cowboy ever. Born in San Miguel, Calif., in 1929, Rambo competed in all three roughstock events (bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding) and all four timed events (steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping and steer roping). More importantly he won consistently in all seven events for more than a decade. Perhaps his versatility kept Rambo from winning a world title in any of the seven events, as event specialists typically won the titles. However, he ranked among rodeo’s top money winners three consecutive years (1948-50). In 1948, Rambo won tie-down roping and bareback riding and finished second in steer wrestling at Cheyenne Frontier Days. That fall, he captured first in bareback riding, second in steer wrestling, third in saddle bronc riding and fourth in tie-down roping at San Francisco’s Cow Palace. Rambo’s personal career highlight was winning tie-down roping and saddle bronc riding at Forth Worth in 1950 because tie-down ropers from the Southwest felt they had a stranglehold on their event during that era. Rambo served as the team roping director on the PRCA Board of Directors from 1962-65. He died Feb. 1, 1988, in Parkfield, Calif. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1989.