The Late Mustang Wrangler Also Founded The Texas Cowboy Hall Of Fame
Following a battle with esophageal cancer, rodeo entertainer Bobby Kerr, who was known for his skill with mustangs, died on September 5 at the age of 67.
For over 50 years, Kerr trained horses, with mustangs being featured prominently in his act.
His obituary notes that Kerr, who was born in Ontario, “ran away from home in Canada to pursue his dream of becoming a cowboy in America” at the age of 14 after seeing a Roy Rogers film.
As an entertainment act, audiences were often delighted by the tricks he had mustangs perform, with his act seeing horses do everything from ride in a car with Kerr and a pair of cow dogs to jumping through fire.
One particularly memorable part of his rodeo act found Kerr leading his horse to chase a dog with the horse taking on the movements and mannerisms of a dog. That can be seen, here, along with his full 2019 set:
In 2021, Kerr was first diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and he detailed some of his journey battling cancer in a 2024 Facebook post, writing:
“I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in the spring of 2021, we went through six weeks of chemo and radiation, we rocked along pretty good for a while, and I decided not to do the surgery so I could continue with our way of life. Then it spread to my liver we addressed that with high dose radiation, which got rid of the first mass , but then it came back … In 2023 … It also showed up in my lungs. I went on full-time chemo Flying home every other week for chemo infusions.”
Speaking with his doctor, Kerr decided to continue with his scheduled rodeo performances despite his diagnosis and the complications that came with it.
Kerr won the PRCA Specialty Act of the Year Award fives times, and won the 2012 Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover as a fan favorite.
In 2021, Kerr was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, which was created by Kerr and his wife, Susan, in 1997.
The organization wrote of the passing of its founder:
Due To his illness, Kerr was surprised by his induction into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and was quoted by PRCA as saying the following of being honored:
“It was unbelievableI wasn’t even rodeoing then. I knew a lot of cowboys because I used to build Western furniture. I never dreamed of being in it myself. It was a really special night.”
Kerr is survived by his wife of 41 years, Susan; two children; and one grandchild.
Learn more about the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame at its official website.