Danell Tipton Named Cowboy of the Year
Inaugural Men of Color Expo Honors Oklahoma Titans
A black-tie affair to celebrate and to honor exceptional men who uplift communities, break barriers and lead with excellence. took place Thursday, June 12, at The Bryant Center in Oklahoma City.
The inaugural Men of Color Expo as part of Juneteenth Music and Arts Festival – presented by Tinker Federal Credit Union and Perry Publishing & Broadcasting – was an initiative by The Black Chronicle. The newspaper called upon the community to shine a spotlight on the outstanding men making a difference. Community members were encouraged to nominate deserving men in public service, education, business, family, religion and other areas.
The Black Chronicle newspaper, a weekly periodical servicing the Oklahoma City metro area's African-American community, has grown into one of the largest paid weekly newspapers in Oklahoma. Currently, the publication serves the entire state of Oklahoma, including Tulsa, Lawton/Ft. Sill and Oklahoma City.
Top honors went to Oklahoma City Chief of Police Ron Bacy as Man of the Year, while Lifetime Achievement Awards went to . Hasan K Jeffries, an author, history professor at Ohio State University and brother of Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, served as the keynote speaker. Black Rodeo USA's own Danell Tipton was recognized as Cowboy of the Year.
About Danell Tipton
Danell Tipton (or Tip to his friends) was born and raised in Spencer, Oklahoma, into a family active in rodeo life. Danell – inducted into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas in 2015 – has a sign in his hometown that reads: “Welcome to Spencer, home of World Championship Bull Rider Danell Tipton.”
The professional bull rider – who participated in as many 130 rodeos a year at one time – has been involved with rodeos since he was 2 years old. Jumping on his first junior bull at the East Side Round Up Club in Choctaw, he lasted seven seconds. Then, the course of his life changed forever. Beginning his career of bull riding at 11, he entered the professional world of bull riding in 1992 – at 19 – when he became a member of the International Pro Rodeo Association. The following year, he made the finals finishing seventh in the world. By 1995, he earned the title of World Champion Bull Rider, making him only the second African American in the world to achieve this title. When he joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1998, he took home Rookie of the Year and Bull Riding World titles.
He joined the police force to combat what he was seeing happening to youth upon his return from traveling the rodeo circuit. He encouraged teens to see harsh reality of a life of poor choices by touring the state penitentiary and even funeral homes. Eventually, it led to opening a sports facility for youth and the community.
Inspired by his mentor by Jesse Guillory, Danell continues to be a trailblazer in the rodeo world as well as in his community as he works to uphold his hometown’s cowboy legacy that has existed since the early 1850s. He is highly sought after across the United States to produce and judge all levels of rodeo. Danell is founder of Another Rodeo Production (anotherrodeoproduction.com) and Danell Tipton Youth Rodeo Camp, as well as a co-founder of The National Black Cowboy Rodeo Awards & Gala (thebcras.com). He appears in the documentary films Riding Legacy: An Oklahoma Black Cowboy Story (2023) and Shut Up & Ride (2022,) and a television episode of “Stateline” (2014).
