“Highest Honor You Can Have”: 77-Year-Old Pickup Master, Dubbed as ‘Invisible Man’, Gets Inducted to Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame

The world of rodeo is full of accomplished cowboys who fight death every day. However, the sport is also made up of unseen professionals who form the backbone of rodeo. One such category is the pickup men. A pickup man is one of two mounted cowboys who swoop in after a rough stock ride to assist the participant to disembark from the bucking animals weighing thousands of pounds. They risk their lives every day to ensure the cowboys return home safely. Recently, one such man was given the recognition he deserves after decades of service.

The 77-year-old Kenneth Clabaugh, also known as Kenny in the rodeo circle, was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame class of 2023. He was named as a Hall of Famer in April. Recently, he also had a meet and greet with his fans to celebrate the achievement. Known as the ‘Invisible Man’ for his humility, when Kenny was told about the achievement, he could not believe his ears.

Pickup veteran gets inducted into Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame

Hailing from Gillette, Wyoming, Clabaugh has always been the kind of person to humbly excel in the shadows. In the rodeo community, he has been described as someone who does not like to take too much credit. Nonetheless, his achievements have finally borne fruit after his induction. According to Gillette News Record, when he received the news of his induction, Clabaugh said, “I was shocked.”

He further added, “You don’t ever think you get that high. It’s the highest honor you can have in rodeo.” Even as a collegiate, Kenny was always interested in rodeo. He started his career when he was studying at Casper College, however, he was initially unsure of his skills. Yet, when the college team needed pickup men, Kenny volunteered. That was the beginning of decades of dedicated work for the cause.

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His first National Finals Rodeo came in 1983, and he proceeded to be a part of them for six more years in the future. His career at the National High School Finals Rodeo spanned up to 2 decades and he worked dozens of other rodeo events before he retired in 2001. After being named a Hall of Famer, Clabaugh had a meet and greet in his honor. Even though it was a celebration of his very own achievement, Kenny, in his typical manner, made it all about his friends. This humility comes as no surprise, despite his amazing record.

The legacy of a perfect pickup man

After being selected for the National Finals Rodeo seven times, the efforts put in by the 77-year-old pickup veteran did not go unnoticed by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame selection committee. Kenneth Clabaugh was selected to work at the NFR in 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, and 1994. The recognition of his work came on March 27, 2023, when the inductees were announced. This year, Clabaugh became only the second pickup man ever to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He shared this accolade only with Charles “Lefty” Wilken, who was inducted in 1999. According to a source, U.S. Senator from Wyoming, Cynthia Lummis herself congratulated the legendary cowboy.

She said, “Congratulations to Arvada native Kenny Clabaugh on being named a Class of 2023 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee! Rodeo has long been a tradition of Wyoming and throughout the west, and Kenny is rightfully being recognized as one of the best to ever do it.” Even though he traveled throughout the country, he majorly worked with the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo, where he partnered with Steve Sutton for 30 years. He might not like to take credit for it, but the ‘Invisible Man’ finally got what he deserved.

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