by Editorial Team
Charlie Sampson was the first black cowboy to win a PRCA title. Now at 63, he is striving to inspire other cowboys to reach their full potential.
Sampson recently joined Cowboy Lifestyle Network for an exclusive Q&A.
The Beginning
We all know that the famous bull rider, Charlie Sampson, has accumulated many titles including PRCA Champion Bull Rider, PRCA Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer, Ring of Honor Pro Bull Rider, and Cowboys of Color Museum Inductee.
But how did he become such a talented bull rider? Charlie Sampson was born on July 2, 1957, and raised in Los Angeles, Calif., in a small town also known as Watts, a mere 2.12 square-mile neighborhood. As a young boy, Sampson fell in love with horses.
At the age of 12, he became involved with horses in Cub Scouts, and by 13, he owned his first steer (calf). Sampson remembers the day that he discovered a horse stable in downtown Los Angeles. He would visit the stables, sneaking through the neighborhood with cowboy clothes in his bag so that the disapproving gang members would not see what he was doing.
“I’ve always been intrigued with animals, but once I got a job at the riding stables, then that’s when I started realizing this is where I wanted to be and this is what I wanted to do,” said Sampson.
The wranglers and cowboys at the stable taught Sampson how to rope and ride. It was at this moment that Sampson and the cowboys knew that he had natural talent and real potential to become a cowboy. Consequently, the cowboys at the stable took Sampson under their wing and showed him the ropes.
At age 14, Charlie Sampson rode his first bull. Thus, that same group of cowboys and wranglers took Sampson to Oklahoma for a two-week trip. During this time, Sampson entered bull riding events in rodeos, hoping that his wins would provide enough gas money to get everyone back home to Los Angeles. After winning enough money to return home, Sampson was undoubtedly hooked and committed to becoming a world champion bull rider.
“What really helped me was going down the road with older, more experienced bull riders,” Sampson said. “I would help them pull their bull ropes and watch them ride and get bucked off. I learned from that, then I just decided that I was going to do it. The first year I rode with just my natural ability. Then after that, I went to a bull riding clinic and learned the fundamentals, what it really takes to ride bulls. Then once I learned the fundamentals, I applied myself to that and things really started taking off.”
By age 15, Sampson began high school rodeo. In his senior year of high school, the college rodeo scouts offered him a scholarship to Central Arizona College in Coolidge, Ariz.
“The college really opened up my eyes because there were so many great, young cowboys and cowgirls there that really inspired me,” Sampson said. “Once I was around them and on the rodeo team, I knew that I was supposed to be a rodeo cowboy.”
Sampson traveled all over the Southwest competing in college rodeos alongside his rodeo team. After only two years of participating in college rodeos, Sampson turned pro. He became a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and won his first PRCA professional rodeo that same year in Lovington, N.M.
“I had the belief that I could do it,” Sampson said. “I had the courage and the drive to do it. For me, I attribute a lot of my success to three things: No. 1 — the fear of the bull. No 2 — the love of the bull and riding. No. 3 — Once I got the fundamental technique, what it took to ride the bulls, then I started to take off.”
“I was a student of the game,” Sampson continued. “ I watched every bull rider, on every bull that bucked. Once I saw the bull rider attempt to ride, I envisioned myself doing it. My enthusiasm, my vision, and my fundamental knowledge that I learned helped me create a style that I call, ‘Never give up.’”
Sampson’s Rodeo Career
Sampson’s rodeo career lasted almost 20 years with 11 trips to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He ended up taking the bull riding championship title in 1982 at the NFR, making him the first-ever black cowboy to win a PRCA title and only one of six black cowboys in the association in 1983. He said if he could go back in time, his advice to a 25-year-old version of himself would be simple.
“Get more rest,” Sampson said.
Sampson is now entering a transition phase of his life.
“After 20 years of riding bulls, I’ve been transitioning to trying to find my niche in life at 63,” Sampson said. “Fortunately for me, I still love the sport, I’ve always loved horses and I’ve always loved team roping. Now that has become my new passion, but my No. 1 passion is trying to educate people that you can be whatever you want to be if you put out all the effort. My transition to team roping is predicated on years and years of being associated with this industry that I love.”
As for Sampson’s future goals in rodeo?
“I’m trying to make it to 64,” Sampson said. “I’m trying to make it to tomorrow. I’m still available to help out and educate the non-public about the sport of rodeo and to let the world know that you can do anything you want if you really want it.”
