July 19, 1961 -
IGRA# 4861
First attended a gay rodeo in 1992
Involved in gay rodeo through 2008
Inducted 2016
Dennis Terrell was born in Tyler, Texas in 1961, and grew up in a town close by called New Day, Texas. Dennis has an older brother James, also known as "Scoot", who competed in International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) events briefly during the mid-1990s. His father worked on large ranches and the family spent half the year in Texas, and the other half in Oklahoma.
Dennis didn't participate in junior rodeos or high school rodeos like many rodeo stars, but began competing in rodeos during college. After proving his worth, Dennis received a scholarship to continue to rodeo for Sam Houston State University. Dennis competed in the bull riding and steer wrestling events, even though his passion was for cutting horses. During his college years, Dennis met Paula Sage, who introduced him to team roping, and he found a new sport which he quickly mastered.
During the 1980's, Dennis won many Central Rodeo Association (CRA), Texas Rodeo Association (TRA), and other rodeo association awards, including: event wins, Rookie of the Year, and All-Around titles. He was a two-time Texas State and two-time National Champion in the American Cowboy Team Roping Association, which later developed into the United States Team Roping Championships (USTRC), where he won several Event Championships and two Regional Championships. Additionally, he won the coveted Windy Ryon roping event held in Saginaw, Texas and many other top team roping championships. Dennis and Andy Anaya, his long-time best friend and team roping partner, traveled the U.S. winning team roping events all across the country. While in Phoenix in 1992, they met Kris Eisenhut at a local roping event and he offered them a place to overnight their horses. That place ended up being Greg Olson's place.
Greg quickly introduced Dennis and Andy to the IGRA rodeos. Dennis trained his good rope horse, Twist, to do the three IGRA speed events: Barrel Race, Flag Race and Pole Bending. Dennis also participated in many of the other IGRA rodeo events so that he would be able to qualify for the title of All-Around Cowboy.
Dennis' first IGRA rodeo was the 1992 Road Runner Regional Rodeo. Dennis earned 500 points and came in Second Place for All-Around Cowboy, behind Greg Olson, who earned 610 points. Dennis competed in all 12 IGRA rodeos that year, including the IGRA World Gay Rodeo Finals in Phoenix. He was the All-Around Cowboy at eight of those rodeos: The Los Angeles Rodeo, Pikes Peak United in Colorado Springs, Saguaro in Tucson, Great Plains Regional Rodeo in Oklahoma City, Rocky Mountain Regional Rodeo in Denver, Bay Area Regional Rodeo in San Francisco, Great Plains Regional Rodeo in Wichita, and the Atlantic States Rodeo in Washington, D.C.
From 1992 through 2008, Dennis went on to win hundreds of rodeo event buckles. At the annual World Gay Rodeo Finals, Dennis won a total of thirty-two event buckles, and seven All-Around Cowboy titles.
In addition to his highly skilled performances in the rodeo arena, Dennis has a magical singing voice, which he has shared with rodeo audiences throughout the IGRA circuit on numerous occasions, often performing the National Anthem, or accompanying the Ceremony of the riderless Horse.
Though Dennis held no official office for any of the associations he was a member of, he always helped teach new or existing contestants to better their skills, and still does so today. At the time of his induction into this Hall of Fame, Dennis resides in Wills Point, Texas, where he trains team roping horses, gives roping lessons, and continues to rope professionally.
IGRA Finals Titles
1994 All-Around Cowboy
1994 Calf Roping on Foot
1994 Breakaway Roping
1994 Team Roping Header
1994 Steer Decorating
1995 All-Around Cowboy
1995 Chute Dogging
1995 Barrel Race
1995 Wild Drag Race
1997 All-Around Cowboy
1997 Breakaway Roping
1997 Team Roping Header
1998 All-Around Cowboy
1998 Barrel Race
1998 Wild Drag Race
1999 Flag Race
1999 Wild Drag Race
2000 All Around Cowboy
2000 Calf Roping on Foot
2000 Breakaway Roping
2000 Team Roping Heeler
2001 Team Roping Header
2002 All-Around Cowboy
2002 Flag Race
2002 Calf Roping on Foot
2002 Breakaway Roping
2002 Team Roping Header
2002 Steer Decorating
2002 Wild Drag Race
2003 Breakaway Roping
2003 Team Roping Header
2003 Goat Dressing
2004 Team Roping Header
2005 Breakaway Roping
2005 Team Roping Header
2007 All-Around Cowboy
2007 Breakaway Roping
2007 Team Roping Header
2008 Team Roping Heeler