Butch Knowles is a part of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2023. If you ask him, it will take some time to get used to that fact.
One of many highlights in Knowles’ career was the Short Round of the Pendleton Roundup in 1991. He would win his second Pendleton Roundup title on Mike Sankey’s Abilene.
“If I think back on that particular day, my biggest concern that day was don’t let her jerk all the rein out of my hand on the second jump. And she did… But when you think of everything that’s transpired after that, you know Marty, I look back at kind of the way everything fell together,” Knowles said.
An entire career of saddle bronc riding that turned into so many different open doors for Knowles.
One thing about it, the bronc riders are like family.
“I will say, and I think every generations the same, the friends you make during the time you’re competing and in the sport, that’s what it’s really all about. The World titles are great and the championships at certain rodeos, they’re amazing. My phone just lit up after the word got out that I was going to be inducted, guys that I haven’t heard from in forever, all of a sudden, boom, just like that. It’s like we saw each other yesterday. That’s what’s pretty special about the whole thing,” he said.
Knowles career was unforgettable in the arena and he has continued to shine outside of the arena and is now adding another page to the history books.