Late Brenda Crowder Honored with PRCA Secretary of the Year Award
LAS VEGAS – Brenda Crowder’s impact on the sport of ProRodeo was felt far and wide. Her dedication to rodeo dates back to 1974 when she began her PRCA career as a longtime secretary and timer.
Crowder passed away Aug. 21 at 69 years old. Her legacy lived on Dec. 2 at the 2021 PRCA Awards Banquet at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. She was posthumously awarded the 2021 PRCA Secretary of the Year, an honor that left her family speechless.
“This is something that honestly she worked her entire life for,” said Brenda’s son Billy Jack Ray. “She started being a secretary at rodeos at a really young age and that’s all she ever wanted to do. It showed because it wasn’t just a job to her it was a passion to her.
“It didn’t matter what she was going through. It didn’t matter if she was hurting or tired when it was time to rodeo, she was ready to get out there and work.”
Crowder was a timer at the National Finals Rodeo in 2001 and was named the 2019 PRCA Secretary of the Year and 2020 Timer of the Year. Her connection with the athletes went far beyond the arena.
“She truly loved those guys, they could call her at 2 a.m. and say they needed sheets for a rodeo, and she would get up and do it,” said Shawna Ray, Brenda’s daughter, a PRCA timer. “She never hesitated because she knew they needed it and they knew they could depend on her.”
Brenda worked the RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo for years and was most recently working as a secretary and timer for Stace Smith Pro Rodeos. Her death stunned the rodeo community from top to bottom, but the overwhelming support shown to the family is something they will never forget.
“All the Facebook posts and messages honoring her when she passed were truly remarkable,” said Shawna. “The love that the rodeo family showed us you can’t describe it,” Shawna said.
PRCA announcer Mike Mathis, a friend of Brenda’s for more than 30 years, praised what she did in the rodeo business during an interview with ProRodeo.com on Aug.21.
“I know of no one who loved rodeo more than Brenda,” Mathis said. “It was her life. She was not only an amazing secretary and timer, but she loved every aspect of rodeo, and was fiercely loyal to cowboys and cowgirls. She did so many things for me from fixing programs to finding information for me. She was an amazing friend. She was so dedicated to this sport and the PRCA.”
This final honor on the sport’s biggest stage is something the family will forever hold near and dear to their hearts.
“I’m just so glad she was able to win it and feel the joy that comes along with it,” said Shawna Ray. “It was one last hoorah to celebrate her life and what she meant to this sport.”
Below, are the other winners at the 2021 PRCA Awards Banquet.
Nutrena Horses of the Year presented by AQHA
Ima Fresnos Dee “Annie,” owned by Cody Snow (team roping heading)
Nita Win Playboy “Drago,” owned by Logan Medlin (team roping heeling)
Sort of Popular “Paraguaia,” owned by Marcos Costa (tie-down roping)
RBS Badger Tigger “Tigger,” owned by Cole Patterson (steer roping)
Dashing Haze “Tyson,” owned by Curtis Cassidy (steer wrestling)
Famous Lil Jet “Rollo,” owned by Justin and Jordon Briggs (barrel racing)
No Wimpy “Onna,” owned by Shelby Lynn Boisjoli (breakaway roping)
John Justin Standard of the West Committeeman of the Year
John Dady
Pendleton Whisky Let ‘Er Buck Stock of the Year
Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies (bareback)
Korkow Rodeos’ Onion Ring (saddle bronc)
Powder River Rodeo’s Chiseled (bull)
Media Award: Excellence in Journalism
Justin McKee, The Cowboy Channel
Media Award: Excellence in Multimedia
RFD-TV, Rural Media Group
Polaris Remuda Awards
Stock Contractor – Calgary Stampede
Rodeo Committee – Red Bluff Round-Up
Hesston Sowing Good Deeds
Burke (S.D.) Stampede Rodeo
Coors Man in the Can
John Harrison
Photographer of the Year
Robby Freeman
Music Director of the Year
Jill Franzen Loden
Clown of the Year
Timer of the Year
Molly Twitchell
Michelle Corley
Dress Act of the Year
Bobby Kerr
Comedy Act of the Year
John Harrison
Small Rodeo of the Year
Will Rogers Stampede- Claremore, Okla.
Medium Rodeo of the Year
Black Hills Roundup, Belle Fourche, S.D.
Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year
Rodeo Rapid City, Rapid City, S.D.
Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year
Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Ore.
Pickup Man of the Year
Matt Twitchell
Bullfighter of the Year
Cody Webster
Announcer of the Year
Garrett Yerigan
Stock Contractor of the Year
Frontier Rodeo
Donita Barnes Contract Personnel Life Achievement
Kay Gay
Courtesy of PRCA