VIDEO: Courtesy PRCA | ProRodeo.com
A pioneer for women in rodeo, barrel racer Mary Burger became the oldest person to win an NFR world title in 2016 at the age of 68, and the following year, she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
At a young age, Burger was diagnosed with Perthes, a painful disease that causes inflammation and arthritic-like symptoms in the hips. To help with her mobility, her father suggested riding lessons — they not only helped Mary heal but also instigated her love of horses. From there, her barrel racing career was born, and Burger went on to win the first AQHA World Champion Junior Barrel Racing and World Champion Junior Pole Bending titles in 1974.
In 2016, Burger was not only the oldest person to every qualify for the National Finals, she also headed back to Las Vegas ten years after winning her first NFR world title wearing the No. 1 back number.
“I wasn’t going to go to some of the rodeos at the end of September but started thinking I really should try to win a little more to cinch that deal,” Burger told the WPRA at the time. “I didn’t really realize it until we were almost into August where we were at in that race. I thought at this point, there were a couple of rough stock riders who were gaining leaps and bounds, so to me I thought, I am just going to go to a few more of these last ones to stay right in there giving me a chance. With everything that has happened this year, I really wanted to try to stay in that No. 1 slot. It means a lot to me to have secured the No. 1 back number.”
The third woman to ever wear the No. 1 (after Charmayne James and Sherry Cervi), Burger also broke the record she set in 2006 as the oldest person to ever take home a gold buckle.
Watch the National Cowgirl Hall of Famer’s 2016 run to victory with her trusty horse Mo beginning tomorrow night during the premiere of 40 Nights of NFR.
Our new ProRodeo series kicks off Friday at 8:00 PM ET with Round 1 of the 2016 National Finals.
