July 20, 1962 -
IGRA# 4860
First attended a gay rodeo in 1992
Involved in gay rodeo through 2008
Inducted 2016
Andy Anaya was born in 1962, and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. Andy has an older brother and sister, as well as a younger sister, Sandra, who also competed in IGRA events, before she passed away in 2013. At a young age, Andy became interested in the sport of rodeo and asked his dad to help him. At the junior rodeos, your parent could be your partner, so Andy's dad Mike competed with him. With his Dad's guidance, they did quite well as a team. While in High School in Tucson, Andy excelled at team roping and with his partner, won the High School National finals in 1980. After high school, Andy attended Pima Community College in Tucson, where he began competing in college rodeos. In 1982, Andy and his partner won the College National Finals Team Roping event.
After college, Andy moved to Texas in 1982, where he worked as a trainer at "Dixie Quarter Horses." While there, Andy worked at perfecting his team roping skills even more. At the end of 1982, Andy and his partner won the Team Roping event at both the Texas Rodeo Association (TRA) and Central Rodeo Association (CRA) championships. Andy decided it was time to join the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He won the Team Roping event at his first pro rodeo, which was in Pecos, Texas. Andy won the 1989 PRCA Rookie of the Year Award for Team Roping. Andy also competed at the PRCA's National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
Andy continued to rodeo the next few years, and while at a roping competition in Phoenix, Arizona, he met Kris Eisenhut. Kris invited Andy, and his team roping partner Dennis Terrell, to overnight their horses at his friend Greg Olson's place. Everyone became fast friends and Greg and Andy began their relationship. Greg quickly introduced Andy to the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) rodeo circuit. Andy competed under the pseudonym of Lloyd Carroll the first few years because of the fear he would be outed on the Pro Rodeo circuit. Andy trained his rope horse, Frito, to do the three Horse Speed events: Barrel Race, Flag Race, and Pole Bending. Andy also began competing in many of the other IGRA events so that he would be able to qualify for the title of All-Around Cowboy at each of the rodeos.
Andy's first IGRA rodeo was the 1992 Road Runner Regional Rodeo. Andy earned 490 points and came in Third Place for All-Around Cowboy, behind his Life Partner, Greg Olson, who earned 610 points, and his Team Roping partner, Dennis Terrell, who earned 500 points. Andy competed in 11 of the 12 IGRA rodeos that year, including the IGRA World Gay Rodeo Finals in Phoenix. He was the All-Around Cowboy at both the Zia Regional Rodeo in Albuquerque, and the Greater San Diego Rodeo. At the IGRA World Gay Rodeo Finals, it was One, Two, Three for the title of All-Around Cowboy: Greg Olson, Andy Anaya, and Dennis Terrell.
On March 26, 1995, Andy's partner Greg passed away. Greg left Andy his rodeo horse Zan, and with his roping skills, Andy excelled at IGRA rodeos, winning hundreds of rodeo buckle titles. At the World Gay Rodeo Finals between 1992 and 2008, Andy won forty-one event buckles, and eight All-Around Cowboy titles.
Though Andy 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, Andy resides in Canton, Texas, where he trains roping horses, gives roping lessons, and still competes as a top roper in several rodeo associations.
IGRA Finals Buckles Won by Andy
1992 Calf Roping on Foot
1992 Breakaway Roping
1993 All-Around Cowboy
1993 Calf Roping on Foot
1994 Team Roping Heeler
1994 Steer Decorating
1995 Team Roping Header
1995 Wild Drag Race
1996 All-Around Cowboy
1996 Barrel Race
1996 Pole Bending
1996 Flag Race
1996 Calf Roping on Foot
1996 Breakaway Roping
1996 Team Roping Header
1996 Wild Drag Race
1997 Pole Bending
1997 Team Roping Heeler
1998 Calf Roping on Foot
1998 Breakaway Roping
1999 All-Around Cowboy
1999 Wild Drag Race
2000 Pole Bending
2000 Team Roping Header
2001 All-Around Cowboy
2001 Barrel Race
2001 Pole Bending
2001 Calf Roping on Foot
2001 Team Roping Heeler
2002 Steer Decorating
2003 All-Around Cowboy
2003 Pole Bending
2003 Team Roping Heeler
2003 Goat Dressing
2004 All-Around Cowboy
2004 Barrel Race
2004 Pole Bending
2004 Flag Race
2004 Calf Roping on Foot
2004 Team Roping Heeler
2005 All-Around Cowboy
2005 Flag Race
2005 Team Roping Heeler
2007 Pole Bending
2007 Team Roping Heeler
2008 All-Around Cowboy
2008 Pole Bending
2008 Flag Race
2008 Team Roping Header