Since I was a kid, I always wanted to rope for a living. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal), Heeler Clay O'Brien Cooper competes in the team roping event on the third night of the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013. All-Around: 1985 149.56.204.132 Dan is reluctant to go on watch that night, but Andersen, who thinks the boy is just afraid of the dark, convinces him to do his duty. He has qualified for his 29th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in second place behind Jade Corkill. O'Brien Cooper finished second in the heeler world standings in 2012, missing out on the gold buckle by just $1,131. Watts, who reveals he has been trailing the herd, releases Dan but threatens to slit the boy's throat if he says anything to Andersen. Born Clay O'Brien Cooper on May 6, 1961, and best-known as the pint- sized "Hardy Fimps" in the western coming-of-age film, The Cowboys (1972); Clay O'Brien became a favorite with John Wayne, who appreciated a real cowboy when he met one. Rodeo; the Cody (Wyo.) Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Is the Stanley Quencher tumbler worth its TikTok hype? All Rights Reserved. His stepfather, Gene OBrien, worked as a wrangler on western movies and television shows like Gunsmoke and Bonanza. John Stewart 1 episode, 1975 Julie Cobb . Awards Team Roping: 1983, 1991 Won the Ellensburg (Wash.) Team Roping: 1982, 1986, 1995, 1997, 2004, Cody Stampede / Cody, WY On the trail, Andersen notices Cimarron following the herd, which slightly nettles him. Team Roping: 1982, 1985, 2012, Grand National Stock Show & Rodeo / San Francisco, CA One day Dan, a boy who wears glasses, is chasing a stray horse when he stumbles upon Watts and his gang of cattle rustlers. We have estimated After a year on the sports copy desk, became a reporter covering the Iguanas hockey team. At about the same time, Cooper decided to give rodeo. Horse Supai Drifter (nicknamed Ike) finished second in the PRCA/AQHA Team Roping Heel Horse of the Year voting in 2004 Georgia star defensive tackle Jalen Carter left the NFL scouting combine after an arrest warrant was issued for him in connection with his role in a deadly car crash. My lifes been a fairy tale.. He has qualified for the National Circuit Finals Rodeo 10 times and been NCFR team-roping champion four times. Stampede; the Dodge City (Kan.) Round-Up; the Walla Walla (Wash.) Frontier Days and the Norco (Calif.) Mounted Posse Rodeo Team Roping: 1994, Red Bluff Round-Up / Red Bluff, CA Sep 17, 2022 | By Team Roping Journal. Rob Leonard, an assistant coach for the Baltimore Ravens last season, will be the Raiders defensive line coach. Masters said it's an adventure traveling with his famous partner. He was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1997. Clay OBrien Cooper Team Roping: 1985, 1988, California Rodeo Salinas / Salinas, CA to Salt Lake City after a roping school. Clay, who dropped his last name for film work, was a real cowboy, brought up on a California ranch. Don't miss the big stories. Rather than kill him outright, Dan cuts the reins so the horse can get up and Cimarron spooks it with a shot, sending Watts to be dragged to death. Much like Cooper looked up to Wayne, Justin Van Davis has the utmost respect and admiration for Cooper, his team roping partner at the National Finals Rodeo. 6-0, 200 Wife, Alisa (married 2004); daughters, Bailey, Quinn Made his acting debut in the John Wayne film The Cowboys (1972) when he was 11 years old, portraying Hardy Fimps; worked in film and television through 1976, including roles in Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Marcus Welby, M.D, Cahill U.S. The Coopers have two sons, Colton (born 2003) and Caden (born 2005). But then the teenage years came, O'Brien Cooper's voice changed and the child-acting roles dried up. He enjoys teaching people how to rope and is an instructor . Slowly, the boys become good cowhands, impressing both Andersen and Nightlinger. Biography. Rodeo; the Cody (Wyo.) On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 80% based on reviews from 15 critics, with an average score of 7.00/10, while, on Metacritic, it has a score of 52/100 based on reviews from seven critics. The elder O'Brien wrangled horses for such TV shows as Bonanza and Gunsmoke.. I was grateful to have the opportunity and be able to compete at a high level against the best in the world. He subdues the test horse but then gets into a fight with Slim, the next-oldest boy. The best thing is being able to make a living for me and my family doing what I always wanted, Cooper said. Youd pinch yourself and wonder if its really you and its really happening. All-Around: 1989, Greeley Stampede / Greeley, CO Team Roping: 1988, 1990, 2000 The boys remain passive as instructed, and the rustlers steal the herd. Going At It with Focus, Fire and Intensity. Career Highlights In addition to being an award-winning actor, Johnson also was a champion team roper who often competed in non-sanctioned jackpots organized by O'Brien Cooper's father. Clay O'Brien Cooper was born May 6, 1961, in Ray, Arizona. Its been a good life.. Clay O'Brien Cooper: No, not once you started to know him and interact with him. Movie star, television actor, accomplished tie-down roper, premier team roping heeler, multiple world champion Clay OBrien Cooper has led a charmed life. Other beats include the Rampage hockey team, Missions minor-league baseball and horse racing at Retama Park, as well as general assignment. He presented himself off camera exactly as he did on camera. Cooper and Barnes jointly set the team roping aggregate record at the National Finals Rodeo of 59.1 seconds on 10 head, en route to the world title in 1994. Cooper was the Turquoise Circuit all around champion in 1985-87, 1991 and 1993 and the circuits team roping champion in 1983-84. By 15 or 16, O'Brien Cooper knew what he wanted to do. Clay O'Brien Cooper, 7-time World Champion Team Roper, has competed professionally since 1981. Cooper is a well-known cowboy in the rodeo industry. He is also known as "The Champ". Star wide receiver Davante Adams will be kept abreast of the teams thinking as it tries to find its next quarterback. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. All-Around: 1987, 1995 Clay O'Brien Cooper is a 7-time world champion team roper who has qualified for the NFR 23 times and has over 2 million dollars in career. Born Clay O'Brien Cooper on May 6, 1961, and best-known as the pint- sized "Hardy Fimps" in the western coming-of-age film, The Cowboys (1972); Clay O'Brien became a favorite with John Wayne, who appreciated a real cowboy when he met one. At 61 years old, Clay O'Brien height Cooper joined the PRCA in 1979, and by 1981 had qualified for the National Finals Rodeo the first of 29 times (1981-95, 1997-98, 2000-04, 2006-08, 2012-2015). Team Roping: 1990 (tie), 1992 (tie), West of the Pecos / Pecos, TX The boys silently kill three of the outlaws and then use Nightlinger to draw Watts and the rest of his gang into an ambush. Young Clay caught the roping fever. Ben Johnson, who won an Academy Award for his role in The Last Picture Show, lived down the street from the O'Briens in Southern California. Won the Wrangler Champions Challenge (Logandale, Nev.), with Aaron Tsinigine He tells the boys to get ready to leave and starts to walk away, ignoring Watts' calls to stop. Remaining pint-sized for several years, Clay could be found in pleasant but typical Disneyesque fare throughout the 1970's before he left acting and returned to cowboying full-time, where his undisputed talent truly lies. Having a partner has always been part of team roping. Pro Rodeo Hall of fame - Team Roping Inducted 1997 Movie star, television actor, accomplished tie-down roper, premier team roping heeler, multiple world champion - Clay O'Brien Cooper has led a charmed life. WYO Rodeo, with Chad Masters Its what I loved to do and what I wanted to pursue, so thats the direction I went, he said. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Team Roping: 1981, 2006, 2012, Deadwood Days of 76 Rodeo / Deadwood, SD The best thing is being able to make a living for me and my family doing what I always wanted, Cooper said. 23,485 people like this. Clay O'Brien Cooper - Gardnerville, Nev. 29-time WNFR qualifier 7-time World Champion 4-time RNCFR Champion 10-time RNCFR qualifier 4-time WNFR Average Champion Clay O'Brien Cooper's career would make the Energizer Bunny cringe. Clay O'Brien - Biography. He was the same guy, he said. Clay O' shares a team roping tip in this bonus episode of "The Short Score," brought to you by the WCRA. David Dortort, best known for Bonanza, The High Chaparral, and The Restless Gun, produced the series. Photos. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Western Heritage from the Texas Trail of Fame, 2019 Texas Trail of Fame Induction Ceremony Awards Banquet PAGE 1, 2019 Texas Trail of Fame Induction Ceremony Awards Banquet PAGE 2, Texas Trail of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner, 2022 TTOF GRAND PRIZE RAFFLE OFFICIAL RULES. John Wayne thought Clay OBrien Cooper was too small to play one of The Cowboysuntil the pint-sized nine-year-old lassoed and dumped him on the set. And vice versa. Wayne did not hesitate to appear in The Cowboys, despite the fact that "no actor in his right mind, would try to match the antics of eleven kids on screen," but for him it became "the greatest experience of my life."[8]. As a child actor, . Making a Play with Clay O'Brien Cooper. 2014: Won Round 6 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in a time of 4.0 seconds with Aaron Tsinigine and then placed in rounds 7-10 to finish third in the average standings and jump from 14th place to fifth in the final world standings with $145,766. Team Roping: 1989, 1999, 2003, Dodge City Roundup / Dodge City, KS In the morning, Nightlinger and Homer rejoin to the group and find the boys tending to Andersen, who is near death. It was recently reported that Tommy Lee Jones will write and direct a remake of The Cowboys.. For the 2015 film, see, "William Dale Jennings; Pioneering Gay Activist", "William Dale Jennings, 82, Writer and Gay Rights Pioneer (Published 2000)", http://www.emanuellevy.com/comment/the-cowboys-the-making-of-john-waynes-western-1/#sthash.bIL1BRPV.dpuf, "AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores Nominees", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Cowboys&oldid=1134248446, Alfred Barker, Jr. as Clyde "Fats" Potter, Glenn Randall, Jr. (credited as J.R. Randall), This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 18:55. Following Andersen's burial, the boys overpower Nightlinger and seize the box of firearms stored in the chuck wagon, planning to avenge Andersen's death and finish the cattle drive. I was a little kid with starstruck eyes. Considering Cooper made his NFR debut in 1981, the year before Davis was born, he probably has a hat or pair of boots thats older than Davis. Theres a pretty good chance of that since he made the NFR 27 times and Im only 31, said Davis, competing in his first NFR. Ive been blessed with the opportunity to do what Ive always loved and enjoyed doing. As a heeler, he teamed with Jake Barnes to win a record seven world team roping championships. In addition to seven world titles, O'Brien Cooper has appeared in 27 Wrangler National Finals Rodeos with total career earnings of $2.5 million. When not roping. Top titles Latest Filmography 1987 1975 1974 1973 1972 1969 1954 Connections Waylon Jennings Joan Hackett Billy Green Bush Genres New Releases Marshal (www.imdb.com/name/nm0639475/#Actor) and One Little Indian I was blessed to have the opportunity to work with some really cool people, (including) John Wayne and James Garner. Cooper helped Chad Masters win the team roping header world title last year and they plan to team up again next year. O'Brien Cooper, who turned 10 during the shooting of the movie, played a boy named Hardy Fimps and relished the opportunity to work with Wayne. Western Heritage from the Texas Trail of Fame 2023. Standing a respectable 6 feet, Clay and his wife, Beth, have two daughters, Bailey and Quinn. Team Roping: 1981, 1983, 1988, Cheyenne Frontier Days / Cheyenne, WY PRCA Career Earnings: $2,912,435.00 Events: Team Roping (Heeling), Steer Roping Born: 5/6/1961 Ray, Ariz. Gallager found driver who refuses to lose in Gragson, Golden Knights acquire forward from Penguins, Raiders add new assistant coach to defensive staff, Injured Knights goalie still nowhere near being on the ice, Raiders considering Jarrett Stidham at quarterback, Raiders draft could be altered by arrest warrant for Jalen Carter, Raiders GM Dave Ziegler: Davante Adams in the loop on QB, Lady Rebels rally to complete perfect run through Mountain West. World Championships: 7 (1985-89, 1992, 1994) Born May 6, 1961 in Ray, Arizona Clay learned to ride at an early age and had started to rope by age of five. The pair won the NFR average title in 2012, the same year O'Brien Cooper helped Masters win the header world title. Riding in among a stampede of horses, the boys kill all of the rustlers except Watts, whom they find pinned beneath his horse with a foot entangled in a rope. Clay O'Brien's income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. Home. All-Around: 1992 Whisler has been a reporter and copy editor at the Express-News since 1995. [4] It was the feature film debut of Robert Carradine. There were fifteen kids involved, all who knew each other from Junior Rodeo, with several chosen for acting roles. We get along really good. Born Clay O'Brien Cooper on May 6, 1961, and best-known as the pint- sized "Hardy Fimps" in the western coming-of-age film, The Cowboys (1972); Clay O'Brien became a favorite with John Wayne, who appreciated a real cowboy when he met one. Clay's rodeo achievements are impressive by any standard and this mini-bio can not even begin to cover them. Moved to San Antonio in 1979. So, how much is Clay O'Brien worth at the age of 61 years old? The seven-time world champion has almost $4 million in ProRodeo's earnings, but it's been his steady demeanor, paired with his monthly presence in The Team Roping Journal and our predecessor, Spin To Win, that's made him one of the most beloved names in all of team roping. This article is about the 1972 film. [citation needed], The Cowboys has earned somewhat mixed reviews from critics. UNLV stormed back in the fourth quarter to beat UNR in Reno and finish off an 18-0 season in the Mountain West. Team Roping: 1991 Caped Crusader Clay O' Brien Cooper to the Rescue. Colorado Springs, CO. 80919. By the age of seven, Clay started Junior Rodeo and has been competing and winning ever since. Clay qualified for his first WNFR in 1981. By continuing to browse or by clicking I Accept Cookies you agree to the storing of first-party and third-party cookies on your device and consent to the disclosure of your personal information to our third party service providers or advertising partners to optimize your experience, analyze traffic and personalize content. He might qualify based on his age alone. He turned to roping calves. It seems like my life has been a fairy tale the whole way along, he said. 7 talking about this. Clay OBrien Cooper was born May 6, 1961, in Ray, Arizona. Movie star, television actor, accomplished tie-down roper, premier team roping heeler, multiple world champion Clay OBrien Cooper has led a charmed life. 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