HISTORY OF TENNESSEE HIGH SCHOOL RODEO ASSOCIATION

     In 1972, 17 year old Terry Boyd, son of Mr. & Mrs. Miles E. Boyd of Whitehaven, wanted to high school rodeo, so he joined Mississippi High School Rodeo because that was the only association nearby. He qualified in bull riding and cutting for the National High School Rodeo Finals that year in Denver, Colorado, representing the state of Mississippi. That year his father, Miles Boyd went to work to get Tennessee High School Rodeo established. By June of 1973, he achieved his goal and the first competition was held for members of THSRA!  Prior to helping start Tennessee High School Rodeo, Miles Boyd had been involved in high school rodeo for 6 years. His goal was to get more of the youth in Tennessee involved in high school rodeo and to make Tennessee one of the largest states in the National Finals. Miles was also on the Executive Committee of Handicapped, Inc, who was a sponsor of High School Rodeo.  Rob   McCarter, who was from Big River Ranch in Memphis, TN, was also instrumental in establishing THSRA.   Mr. McCarter was the first president and charter member of the Mid South Quarter Horse Association and on the National High School Rodeo Inspection Team. He was a member of the National Youth Advisory Board, working with 28 states and 2 Canadian provinces.  He had been active in High School Rodeo for several years prior to the birth of THSRA.  Rob McCarter became our first Tennessee National Director and served in that capacity from 1973 until 1982.  Rob's brother Tom McCarter from Jackson, TN, served as our first president, & Tom's wife Gloria was our first secretary.   Tom served THSRA in that capacity for six years, at which time Miles Boyd then served as our President.  We are proud to be members of the National High School Rodeo Association which began with Claude Mullins in   1949 as the National Championship High School Rodeo. Each year it grew in number of states and when Tennessee joined its ranks in 1973, it consisted of 28 states and two provinces of Canada, and boasted 900 contestants at the National Finals.  The number of events have increased throughout the years and the number of qualifiers each year from each state in each event is now 4, which accounts for over 1,500 contestants at the National Finals each year, coming from 44 states, 6 provinces of Canada,   Australia, and Mexico.  We give many thanks to our founders, two of whom are Miles Boyd and Rob McCarter.  These two men had the vision and dedication to bring High School Rodeo to the state of Tennessee.