Remembering an old friend.
Earlier this year, ProRodeo Hall of Famer Roy Cooper died in a house fire at the age of 69. The tragic loss of Cooper was not only hard on his family but also on the entire rodeo community. Roy Cooper’s son, Tuf Cooper, announced his passing on Facebook:
“It is with great sadness that our family shares the passing of our Dad, The Super Looper, Roy Cooper. We’re all in shock and at a loss for words from this tragedy at the moment.”
On Monday, hundreds of rodeo patrons gathered at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth to remember Roy Cooper’s life and legacy. One of those in attendance was the famed country music singer George Strait. However, Strait was not there to sing for the audience; he, too, was there to share some stories and mourn the loss of a good friend.
Cooper and Strait met at a rodeo event in Oklahoma City more than 40 years ago; the rest was history regarding their friendship. At the beginning of the year, Roy Cooper appeared on the Let’s Freakin’ Rodeo podcast and recalled they just hit it off the first night they met on his tour bus.
@lfrpod Roy cooper talks about his friendship with George Strait #LETSFREAKINRODEO ♬ original sound – Let’s Freakin’ Rodeo
Strait stepped up to the podium and began to talk about his close friend.
“A few months ago, we couldn’t possibly imagine this is where we were going to be this Memorial Day. We’re supposed to be honoring our military heroes and the sacrifices they made. And we are still going to do that today, and I’m 100% sure that Roy would want that. We’re also honoring our brother, friend, father… grandfather…”
Strait then takes a moment to back away from the podium to compose himself before he continues.
“Roy was one of my very best friends. I can count those on one hand. He was my hero. We shared a lot of good and bad times together. He didn’t hang out with me; I hung out with him. You know, all you people who consider Roy a brother know this: He would have given you the shirt off his back. And we would’ve done the same for him… Roy was one of those ones they made the saying about, ‘They broke the mold after they made him.’ They sure did.”
Strait then says that Cooper introduced him to many rodeo legends, and those connected in the Western industry. After reminiscing about all that Cooper had given him through their friendship, he then shared a few stories about his and Cooper’s wild times together. The first one that came to mind was when he and Cooper were at the All-American Futurity held at Ruidoso Downs Race Track. After betting on horses all day, they were approached and asked if they wanted to ride with the jockeys out to the start gate during the pre-race parade. The two agreed to it, and when it was time to turn around and head in, Cooper turned to Strait with a wild idea.
“I knew something was up, he says. ‘Do you want to race?’
Before I could say ‘hell yeah,’ we were gone, baby. Oh, we rode as far as we could right back in front of the grandstands. Nobody knew what was going on, and we didn’t really care. So we always said they got an extra race that day.
Roy always said that he won that race, and I won’t ever admit to it, but I guess I will now. He got me by a nose. He said that we got banned from racing after that…I guess we did.”
Strait then tells another story about racing, sharing that one year, after the Kentucky Derby, he saw Roy Cooper trying to lasso Stevie Nicks. The “Super Looper” made a lasting impression because Strait recalls Nicks asking him about his “crazy cowboy friend” years later.
To end his speech, he chokes up, saying some final words about his best friend.
“We miss him so much. He was a good man. Boy, did he love his family, and he loved the Lord. If the good Lord chooses me to paradise sometime, I know where Roy is. I’m just gonna say throw a council on one, brother, let’s race. God bless Roy, God bless the Cooper family.”
Rest in peace, Roy Cooper. Your legacy will never be forgotten.
