Bill Pickett

Bill Pickett. . , Bill Pickett was born December 5, 1870 in Williamson County, Texas. He was an American rodeo cowboy who introduced bulldogging, a modern rodeo event that involves wresting a running steer to the ground. Pickett was descended from American Indians and black slaves in the southwest. He grew up in west Texas, learning to ride and rope as a boy, and become a ranch hand he performed simple trick rides in town on weekends. In 1900 he became a showman, sponsored by Lee Moore, a Texas rodeo entrepreneur. In 1907 Pickett signed with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show, becoming one of its star performers and assuming the status of a legendary figure for his masterful handling of both wild and domestic animals. For bulldogging, or steer wrestling, he perfected a technique of jumping from his horse, grabbing the steer around the neck or horns, sinking his teeth into the animal's lip, and pulling it to the ground. Pickett's most-grueling performance came in 1908 in a bullring in Mexico City, where he wrestled and rodeo Mexican fighting bull for seven minutes before a riotous audience enraged at this original interpretation of the Mexican pastime of bullfighting. Pickett performed until about 1961, working as a cowhand and rancher thereafter. He later appeared in the silent films "The Bull-Dogger" (1921) and "The Crimson Skull" (1922). He died after being kicked by a horse in April 1932.