Don Gay

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (June 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Don "Donnie" Gay is the eight-time PRCA world champion bullrider. Born to Neal and Kay Gay in 1953. He grew up in Mesquite, Texas, and started rodeo at age 5. His father is Neal Gay, a well-known rodeo competitor and rodeo producer. He was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. He retired from professional rodeo in 1989.

Gay now does television rodeo commentary for PRCA events on Fox Sports as well as on ESPN. He was also the commentator for PBR big-league events on TNN between 1994 and 2001.

In 2007 Gay was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame along with his brothers Pete and Jim.

[edit] Rodeo career

Don started riding calves at age 5. His Father ran the famed Mesquite Rodeo which still operates today. He used Mesquite to perfect his skills on both bulls and broncs. He got his PRCA just out of high school and hit the road. He soon got his pilots license. He used the plane to make more rodeos. This practice was still quite new to rodeo at the time. Don Gay won almost every major rodeo in the country at some point during his career. He won the first of 8 world titles in 1974. He would go on to win in 1975, 1976,and 1977. His next four titles came in 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1984. The record of 8 world titles in bull riding still stands to this day.^{[citation needed]}