Gene Lyda
Encyclopedia
Gene Lyda was raised in the San Antonio, Texas
area and gained regional fame as a professional bull rider. Lyda now manages the Fort Stockton Division of La Escalera Ranch
, one of the largest Black Angus cattle ranches in Texas
.
Gene Lyda was born in the South Texas
brush country in Nixon, Texas
on June 20, 1947. Lyda competed in the bareback bronc riding, roping and bull riding
as a youth. In 1966, he won the State High School Bull Riding
Championship in Hallettsville, Texas
, the 1966 National High School Bull Riding championship in Wetumka, Oklahoma and the Levi's Award - Reserve All Around Cowboy Championship.
He immediately joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association (now the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
) and competed in the bull riding at intercollegiate rodeos while on a rodeo scholarship with Southwest Texas Junior College
in Uvalde, Texas
. In 1967, Lyda won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
Reserve Champion Bull Riding
title.
Lyda competed professionally at National Western Stock Show
Rodeo, Grand National Rodeo
, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Pendleton Round-Up
, American Royal
Rodeo, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
, Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and Calgary Stampede
. In 1967, he qualified to compete at the National Finals Rodeo
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
as one of the Top 15 Bull Riders in the nation. At the Finals, Lyda rode 7 out of 8 bulls at the National Finals Rodeo
.
When his father Gerald Lyda
acquired ranch property in New Mexico
, Lyda was chosen to manage the family cattle operations and eventually established a headquarters on the family-owned Ladder Ranch, near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
in Sierra County
.
When media mogul Ted Turner
and his then-wife Jane Fonda
purchased Ladder Ranch, rather than re-branding the 5,000 family-owned cattle, Lyda registered the brand in Texas under the Spanish word for "ladder" and relocated the cattle to a new ranch, La Escalera Ranch
, where Lyda and his family have lived since the early 1980s.
La Escalera Ranch
now extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Baylor County and Archer County. The ranch
is currently owned and operated by La Escalera Limited Partnership, a family entity controlled by Lyda siblings, Gene Lyda, Gerald D. Lyda and Eunita Jo Lyda.
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
area and gained regional fame as a professional bull rider. Lyda now manages the Fort Stockton Division of La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch consists of approximately 260,000 acre , located south of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County, with the majority of the ranch lying in Pecos County.The 100-year old ranch was acquired by building...
, one of the largest Black Angus cattle ranches in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Gene Lyda was born in the South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
brush country in Nixon, Texas
Nixon, Texas
Nixon is a city in Gonzales and Wilson Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,186 at the 2000 census.The Wilson County portion of Nixon is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
on June 20, 1947. Lyda competed in the bareback bronc riding, roping and bull riding
Bull riding
Bull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
as a youth. In 1966, he won the State High School Bull Riding
Bull riding
Bull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
Championship in Hallettsville, Texas
Hallettsville, Texas
Hallettsville is a city in Lavaca County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,345 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lavaca County. The town is home to the Texas Championship Domino Hall of Fame and also hosts a dominoes tournament every year in January...
, the 1966 National High School Bull Riding championship in Wetumka, Oklahoma and the Levi's Award - Reserve All Around Cowboy Championship.
He immediately joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association (now the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is an organization whose members compete in rodeos throughout North America, primarily in the United States. The PRCA sanctions rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo...
) and competed in the bull riding at intercollegiate rodeos while on a rodeo scholarship with Southwest Texas Junior College
Southwest Texas Junior College
Southwest Texas Junior College is a comprehensive, public, two-year college with four campuses serving eleven counties in southwest Texas.The campuses are located in unincorporated Uvalde County , Del Rio Southwest Texas Junior College is a comprehensive, public, two-year college with four campuses...
in Uvalde, Texas
Uvalde, Texas
Uvalde is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de...
. In 1967, Lyda won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, based in Walla Walla, WA, was established in 1949. NIRA sanctions more than 100 college rodeos every year in the United States, and represents over 3,500 student athletes attending more than 135 member colleges and universities...
Reserve Champion Bull Riding
Bull riding
Bull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
title.
Lyda competed professionally at National Western Stock Show
National Western Stock Show
The National Western Stock Show is held every January at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado. First held in 1906, it is the world's largest stock show by number of animals and offers the world’s only carload and pen cattle show in the historic Denver Union Stockyards.The stock show is...
Rodeo, Grand National Rodeo
Grand National Rodeo
The Grand National Rodeo, Horse, and Stock Show is one of the largest rodeo events in the United States. Held annually in the Cow Palace in San Francisco, the annual Grand National brings rodeo to an urban audience. The Grand National is also a county agricultural fair, run by the California...
, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Pendleton Round-Up
Pendleton Round-Up
The Pendleton Round-Up is a rodeo held in Pendleton, Oregon, United States, during the second full week of September each year, since 1910. The rodeo brings roughly 50,000 people every year to the city of Pendleton...
, American Royal
American Royal
The American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri is a livestock show, horse show and rodeo held each year in October and November at Kemper Arena. The Future Farmers of America was founded during the Royal and Kansas City's professional baseball team the Kansas City Royals derive their name from the...
Rodeo, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called RodeoHouston, is the world's largest live entertainment and livestock exhibition. It also includes the richest regular-season rodeo event. It has been held at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, since 2003...
, Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and Calgary Stampede
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway,...
. In 1967, he qualified to compete at the National Finals Rodeo
National Finals Rodeo
The National Finals Rodeo, organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, is the premier championship rodeo event in the United States. Wrangler Jeans is the title sponsor for the 10-day event, commonly just called the National Finals or NFR, which is also sometimes referred to as the...
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
as one of the Top 15 Bull Riders in the nation. At the Finals, Lyda rode 7 out of 8 bulls at the National Finals Rodeo
National Finals Rodeo
The National Finals Rodeo, organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, is the premier championship rodeo event in the United States. Wrangler Jeans is the title sponsor for the 10-day event, commonly just called the National Finals or NFR, which is also sometimes referred to as the...
.
When his father Gerald Lyda
Gerald Lyda
Gerald Lyda ) was an American cattle rancher, contractor and developer prominent in the state of Texas....
acquired ranch property in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, Lyda was chosen to manage the family cattle operations and eventually established a headquarters on the family-owned Ladder Ranch, near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Truth or Consequences is a spa city and the county seat of Sierra County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 7,289. It is commonly known within New Mexico as T or C....
in Sierra County
Sierra County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.6% White*0.4% Black*1.7% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.3% Two or more races*8.6% Other races*28.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
.
When media mogul Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
and his then-wife Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
purchased Ladder Ranch, rather than re-branding the 5,000 family-owned cattle, Lyda registered the brand in Texas under the Spanish word for "ladder" and relocated the cattle to a new ranch, La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch consists of approximately 260,000 acre , located south of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County, with the majority of the ranch lying in Pecos County.The 100-year old ranch was acquired by building...
, where Lyda and his family have lived since the early 1980s.
La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch consists of approximately 260,000 acre , located south of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County, with the majority of the ranch lying in Pecos County.The 100-year old ranch was acquired by building...
now extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Baylor County and Archer County. The ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
is currently owned and operated by La Escalera Limited Partnership, a family entity controlled by Lyda siblings, Gene Lyda, Gerald D. Lyda and Eunita Jo Lyda.
See also
- La Escalera RanchLa Escalera RanchLa Escalera Ranch consists of approximately 260,000 acre , located south of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County, with the majority of the ranch lying in Pecos County.The 100-year old ranch was acquired by building...
- Pecos County, TexasPecos County, TexasPecos County is a county located in Texas which is named for the Pecos River. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 16,809. The county seat is Fort Stockton....
- Gerald LydaGerald LydaGerald Lyda ) was an American cattle rancher, contractor and developer prominent in the state of Texas....
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys AssociationProfessional Rodeo Cowboys AssociationThe Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is an organization whose members compete in rodeos throughout North America, primarily in the United States. The PRCA sanctions rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo...
- National Finals RodeoNational Finals RodeoThe National Finals Rodeo, organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, is the premier championship rodeo event in the United States. Wrangler Jeans is the title sponsor for the 10-day event, commonly just called the National Finals or NFR, which is also sometimes referred to as the...
- Bull RidingBull ridingBull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
- RodeoRodeoRodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
External links
- La Escalera Ranch - Official Website
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
- National High School Rodeo Association - Past Champions
- Texas Youth Rodeo Association
- "La Escalera, Texas - The Roundup: Workin' Calves" - Over 200 digital images of typical West Texas roundup by Trey Lyda
- New Mexico Business Journal - Gene Lyda & the Ladder Ranch - May 1991