WOLF POINT, MT – Designated by the Montana State Legislature, the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame preserves and passes forward the state’s rich cultural heritage through the celebration of inductees and their notable contributions that have shaped the collective Montana Western heritage.
Most of the inductees in the Hall of Fame are not individuals who made headlines or would be considered famous – rather, many are organizations, places, animals, and other relevant symbols of an extraordinarily diverse culture that makes Montana truly “the last best place.”
Among this years slate of inductees are Thomas Ray Larsen and George Albert Pitman.
Living Inductee Thomas “Tom” Ray Larsen
Thomas Ray Larsen was born in Belle Fourche, South Dakota to TK “Red” and Alice Larsen on September 29, 1947, the second of three children. He was raised on the family ranch on the North Fork of Thompson Creek between Alzada and Ridge, Montana where Tom has lived his entire life.
For as long as Tom can remember, he wanted to be a cowboy. There are home movies of him breaking his first horse, a pony, at four years old. At a young age he often went with his dad trailing or gathering stock.
Tom rode to school four miles one way across country, opening and closing two wire gates, with his sister, and later his brother. He rode some pretty green horses to school through snow, rain, or sunshine, every school day.
Tom was no stranger to hard work and tough conditions, At the age of ten, he got a job lambing for a family friend, which gave him the opportunity to perfect his roping skills.
Tom’s dad passed away when Tom was 15, therefore, he and his siblings had extra responsibilities. He grew up putting up loose haystacks, and has never owned a baler. He learned to shear sheep with both blades and a machine, and has worked on a shearing crew.
Tom started rodeoing at a young age. He was the National High School Rodeo Champion Saddle Bronc rider in 1964, and was on the Casper, Wyoming College Rodeo Team when they won the National Championship. Tom worked both ends of the arena, riding saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, and also as a pickup man.
Tom worked for Butler & Cervi, Korkow, Sutton, and Gunville Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) stock contractors as a pickup man while he rodeoed.
In 1973, Tom was selected pickup man for the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He even rodeoed at the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City, where he was a part of bringing Western culture to the big city.
Tom was asked to work for Rodeo Far West in Europe. They put on rodeos all over Europe for one season, where he competed and ended up All Around Cowboy.
The next two seasons, Tom worked, advertising for the Phillip Morris company (Marlboro) driving stage coach throughout Europe. He later turned down another opportunity to go back to Europe because he wanted to stay home and ranch.
Tom was inducted into the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall & Wall of Fame in Billings, Montana and is a PRCA Gold Card Member.
Tom has broke his share of horses. People would bring him horses that were a little long in the tooth or had some age on them and set in their ways, because Tom would put miles on them, as he does everything on the ranch horseback. Even today he calves in a large pasture, and rides to check his cows; no four-wheeler for Tom. He rides for neighbors in rough country where a four-wheeler can’t go. Tom goes in those canyons, cracks his bullwhip, and cattle come trailing out.
Tom and his wife Cheryl raise Highland cattle, and at one time, were the largest breeder of those in the United States. They were honored with the American Highland Cattle Association Hall of Fame award one year, based on good breeding and stewardship.
Tom began supplying roping stock for local stock contractors and roping clubs, and branched out into raising a few rodeo bulls. His bulls have won numerous awards with the South Dakota Rodeo Association (SDRA) and Northwest Ranch Cowboys Association (NRCA). Some of the top rodeo bulls of today can be traced back to Tom’s bulls.
Tom wears many hats: horse breaker, sheep shearer, truck driver, stock contractor, stagecoach driver, rodeo competitor, pickup man, rancher, and last but not least, husband, father, and grandfather. As he looks back on his life, he wishes he could change a few things, but one thing he would never change is being raised where he continues to live, with a wonderful upbringing, around some of the best neighbors in the country. He has met some great people through his travels, rodeoing, and his association with Highland cattle.
Tom continues to ranch along with his wife and grandson. His daughter, son-in-law, and remaining grandkids help when they can. He still rides for neighbors, gathering those big pastures, and still shears his own sheep, sometimes having to rope and shear them in the pasture. Tom Larsen is the true definition of a tough cowboy, and will give the shirt off his back to help others.
Legacy Inductee George Albert Pitman / 1897-1976
George Albert Pitman was born on January 4, 1897, in Middleboro, Massachusetts, to George and Etta (Norveille) Pitman. Though an East Coast native, George’s lifelong passion for horses and the cowboy lifestyle led him west, where he became a celebrated figure in Montana’s ranching and rodeo communities.
At just 15, George worked his way to Cuba on a steamship, where he lived and labored on a ranch, sharpening his cowboy skills. After a year, he moved to Alzada, Montana, to work as a ranch hand. His dedication and skill propelled him through various ranch jobs across Montana, eventually becoming a line rider and stock superintendent for the Northern Cheyenne tribe.
George’s rodeo career began with saddle bronc riding, calf roping, and bulldogging at regional events. Photographs from the 1919 Rosebud County Fair show him riding broncs, but it wasn’t until the 1923 Madison Square Garden Rodeo in New York City that he discovered trick riding and trick roping. Inspired by these performances, he decided to pursue this exciting new path.
In 1922, George built what is believed to be the first two-wheeled one-horse trailer in the western U.S., enabling him to travel extensively with a well-rested horse. By 1937, he upgraded to a custom-designed two-horse trailer built in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Unlike modern trailers, it combined horse transport by day with fold-down furniture for sleeping by night.
In 1924, George escorted Northern Cheyenne tribal members to South America to perform in a Wild West show under the 101 Ranch’s auspices. His passion for travel and performance saw him win trick riding and roping competitions at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and the World’s Contest in Pendleton, Oregon, the same year. This success led to his participation in the 1934 Tex Austin Rodeo in London, England, attended by the King and Queen, where he was honored as Reserve Champion.
George was a pioneer in trick riding and roping, inventing feats such as a headstand on the saddle horn, the backward one-foot slick stand, and a true somersault on horseback. He enhanced the Crupper Rollup maneuver (while mounted, the rider reaches back and grasps the crupper strap that loops under the horse’s tail to prevent the saddle from slipping forward) and was known for his flamboyant rodeo attire. His custom shirts ranged from bright colors and polka dots to ribbon-made designs, including a patriotic red, white, and blue shirt for the Fourth of July. He also designed the first Eisenhower jacket from a Pendleton blanket, making him a rodeo style icon.
In 1938, George married Anna Grace Burns of Lame Deer, Montana, whom he taught trick riding. Together, they performed until 1945. George retired from performing with the belief that one should step down before declining. He remained active in rodeo as Arena Director for the Black Hills Roundup in South Dakota, directing their mounted quadrille for 14 years, and coordinating rodeos on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.
Transitioning to full-time cattle ranching, George innovated livestock marketing and logistics. He built a landing strip for small planes to bring buyers directly to ranchers and constructed a livestock scale with a multi-level loading chute, revolutionizing cattle transport from the region.
George and Anna Grace lived and ranched in Lame Deer until his death on October 28, 1976. His ashes were scattered over the hills he loved. His legacy is honored with a permanent exhibit at the Rosebud County Museum in Forsyth, Montana, celebrating his contributions to trick riding, roping, rodeo, and ranching.
See all inductees below.
District 1
Betty Lorraine (Blair) Steele
William C. “Billy” Knorr
District 2
Jordan Matched Bronc Ride
Judd Twitchell
District 3
George Albert Pitman
Thomas Ray “Tom” Larsen
District 4
Edmond C. “Ed” Solomon
Ervin George Watson
District 5
Charlotte (Johnson) Barry
Walter “Blackie” Wetzel (Siks-A-Num)
District 6
Charlie Russell Chew Choo
Gerald R. “Jerry” Petersen
District 7
John Will Small
Paul L. “Spike” Van Cleve III
District 8
Edward F. “Ed” Lamb & George W. Lamb
Ron Mills
District 9
Brainard Ranch
Jock & Jamie Doggett
District 10
Majestic Valley Arena
T.E. “Buddy” Westphal
District 11
George Gogas
Marvin F. Bell
District 12
Montana Mad Hatters
William F. “Bill” Murphy
