Roy Cooper “was the equivalent of Michael Jordan in our world” one friend said about the calf roping champion.

Rodeo organizations now require all riders to wear protective equipment. The National High School Rodeo Association and Arizona Junior Rodeo Association rulebooks require contestants to wear a helmet, ...

Cooper was one of the first to dismount his horse on the right side when roping a calf, according to Sports Illustrated. He could also tie a calf in the unheard of time of eight seconds.