A LIVING LEGEND

Rodeo Hall of Famer continues legendary career

Considered to be one of the greatest rodeo performers in the history of the sport, Leon Coffee has etched a legendary career, capturing numerous awards while being inducted into the Rodeo Hall Fame.

Though Coffee began his career in bull riding, he eventually found himself as the one protecting the cowboys from the said bulls.

“I started off riding bulls when I was nine years old,” Coffee said. “I did the little britches rodeos and the high school rodeos before I went off to the army. When I came back, a friend of mine asked me if I could fight these bulls. We tried that and he told me all I had to do was run fast and act goofy. They used to kick me out of school for that, and now I get paid doing it.”

Finding a career in bullfighting, Coffee became known as the “Disco Bullfighter” and “Boogie Man,” for his ability to literally dance in front of the bulls.

His work as a bullfighter became so well known that Coffee worked at the most prestigious rodeo in the world, known as the National Finals Rodeo in 1979 and 1984, while being named PRCA Rodeo Clown of the Year in 1983.

Despite finding his stride as a bullfighter–a style not to be confused with either the Spanish or Mexican traditions with a matador, injuries eventually caught up to Coffee, which limited his mobility.

But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise when Coffee was put into the barrel.

“I have been doing this since 1969, so at a certain age of time you decide that you are not going to have the physical ability to do it,” Coffee said. “I ended up breaking my leg, along with dealing some other injuries, so at a rodeo in Denver, they put me in the barrel. They said I did such a good job that I was going to stay put there, which was fine by me, so that’s how it got started … It’s been a long hard trail but one I have enjoyed.”

Now working as the “Barrel Man,” Coffee’s career was extended, and he became just one of the three performers to work the NFR–both as a bullfighter and as a Barrel Man, working NFR in 1991, 1994 and 1997.

With the duties of barrel man, Coffee not only helps out his fellow bullfighters, but also brings his style of entertainment.

“The job is to just entertain the people in the stands,” Coffee said. “That is the number one priority. But it is also an island in a sea of sharks. If those bullfighters need someone to come, too, I can be there for them.”

But as fun as the job can be, being a bullfighter is perhaps one of the most dangerous occupations to work in.

“The Bible says there is no greater feat than laying down your life for your brother,” Coffee said. “That is what we do out there. These guys are trying to prevent injuries to the cowboys. Once someone has either been bucked off or gotten off the bull following the eight seconds, that person is disorientated, so we have to go out there and grab that bull’s attention to move him away from the cowboy. We are not like a Mexican matador who has a cape, so we have to offer ourselves up. To do that is a great feat of courage and determination, because physically, you are not supposed to do that. That bull has four feet compared to two and he is eight feet long and you are a little bitty, so you’re going to lose. It’s all about maneuvering the bull to get where you need to be. That is the artistry of this–to be where you need to be.”

Though Coffee has worked on some of the biggest rodeos in the world, including being the barrel man at Rodeo Houston, considered to be one of the biggest rodeos in the world, this legend still makes time for the one rodeo that kick-started his career.

“I worked this rodeo years and years ago when I was an amateur,” Coffee said. “When you got to the Wimberley Rodeo in the amateur ranks, you had arrived. This was one of the more prestigious rodeos in the state of Texas in the amateur ranks and it still is. I worked this rodeo during the 70s and I ended up returning 31 years later. Next year will be 20 years of me working the Wimberley Rodeo.”

cmcwilliams@sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc