Franklin, Glen

Glen Franklin won three world championships in four years. Born March 18, 1936, in House, N.M., Franklin carried a rope when he was still wearing diapers and put his loop on any dog, chicken or human that got within range. A natural athlete, he was on the New Mexico state high school basketball team the same year he won his state high school tie-down roping title. His talent aroused the interest of tie-down roping great Troy Fort, who thought so highly of Franklin’s ability that he turned the great Streak, Fort’s best horse, over to Franklin. Later, Franklin paid $300 for a horse called Red Light, a horse that turned out to be a natural and was greatly responsible for Franklin’s back-to-back championships. Never content with the constant travel required to compete full time in professional rodeo, Franklin virtually retired after winning his third title and went into ranching. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.