North Dakota rodeo great Alvin Nelson dies

GRASSY BUTTE, N.D. – To be considered a legend, one has to make a lasting impact.

Alvin Nelson did just that.

The cowboy was the first saddle bronc rider from North Dakota to win the PRCA world championship, inspired other North Dakotans at the world stage and helped revolutionize rodeo by redesigning bronc riding saddles. He eventually was inducted into four different rodeo halls of fame.

“He was looked up to by everyone,” said Brad Gjermundson, who was born in Richardton and is a retired four-time saddle bronc world champion. “He was just a great guy to always promote rodeo and do whatever he could for it.

“He didn’t say a lot, but what he said always meant a lot.”

Nelson died Dec. 23 in Grassy Butte at the age of 80 after battling stomach cancer. The funeral was Wednesday in Watford City.

Kevin Holten, the executive director of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, said the sport of rodeo has lost one of its greats.

Nelson is a member of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the South Dakota Hall of Fame and the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Holten explained how Nelson revolutionized saddles used for bronc riding. He moved the stirrups more toward the front of the saddle to help him receive more points for spurring – a method still used by saddle bronc riders today.

“Alvin redesigned bronc riding saddles and everybody copied him after that,” Holten said. “He’s revolutionary in that way. He changed bronc riding.”

Though many will remember Nelson for his accomplishments inside the rodeo arena, he made as much of a lasting impact outside of the sport.

Nelson’s wife, Kaye, said Alvin took time to talk to anyone. She was a former Miss Rodeo North Dakota and was married to Alvin for 56 years. They had one child, Louis.

“He was a very kind, sweet and caring person, and genuinely liked people,” Kaye said. “He was very well liked.”

Kaye will never forget the first time she met Alvin. The two were introduced by six-time saddle bronc world champion Casey Tibbs while Alvin and Kaye were both at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Alvin was competing in a rodeo, and Kaye was trying to become Miss Rodeo America.

“Casey asked me if I knew Alvin and I said, ‘No, but I’d like to,’” Kaye said. “He said, ‘Well, good, I’ll introduce you tonight when you line up for the grand entry.’ He brought Alvin over to meet me. Casey was from South Dakota and Alvin was originally from South Dakota. I was, of course, from North Dakota, so Casey thought that Alvin and I should meet each other. We were improving on the good neighbor policy.”

Nelson’s rodeo journey

Nelson’s journey began in South Dakota when he was 16 years old. Nelson, who was born in Mobridge, first competed in a cow riding event and won $17.

Two years after Nelson first competed, he won the National High School Finals Rodeo saddle bronc riding title in Augusta, Mont. The sudden thrust to the national stage helped blossom a 20-year PRCA career.

Nelson moved to western North Dakota in 1953 and began competing professionally with brothers Jim and Tom Tescher. Nelson, the Teschers, Dean Armstrong, Joe Chase and Duane Howard became known as the North Dakota Six Pack for their achievements in the rodeo arena. Howard is now the lone surviving member.

In addition to winning the world championship in 1957, Nelson was a reserve world championship in 1960 and claimed back-to-back average crowns at the National Finals Rodeo in 1961 and 1962.

He finished among the top 15 saddle bronc riders in the world eight times from 1955 to 1966, including five NFR qualifications (1960-62, 1964 and 1966).

Though many cowboys spend much of their time on the road by themselves or with other rodeo contestants, Nelson had the luxury of having his wife travel the country with him.

“It was really exciting,” Kaye said. “He was winning the world championship when I met him. He had just won New York, Chicago, Boston and he was winning San Francisco when I met him. It was really exciting for a little girl from Watford City.”

Alvin Nelson was also the all-around champion in 1961 and finished among the top 10 in the all-around world standings three times. He placed fourth in 1957 and fifth in 1955.

Gary Tescher, Jim Tescher’s son, remembers his father telling him stories about Nelson being one of the best-ever saddle bronc riders.

“Quite a few years before my dad passed away, he told me that ‘Alvin had more guts than any man I knew,’ ” Gary Tescher said. “I thought for Dad to say that about somebody is saying quite a bit. When (Nelson) was at his prime, he rode better than anyone ever did.”

Lasting impact

Despite being a world champion and successful saddle bronc rider in the arena, Nelson didn’t let his achievements get the best of him.

He maintained a humble attitude throughout his years, whether he was competing or after his PRCA career was over. Gary Tescher recalls many stories about Nelson and how he never had a bad word to say about anyone.

“Alvin wasn’t jealous hearted in any way,” Tescher said. “Whenever I talked to him, and I’m sure when anybody else did, he was just straight up and tried to help anyway that he could.”

Nelson’s impact on rodeo spanned multiple generations and more than 60 years.

He will be remembered as a great saddle bronc rider, but an even better person.

“Every generation looked up to him,” Holten said. “From Brad Gjermundson to Dusty Hausauer – more recently – Shaun Stroh and all those guys absolutely looked up to him. Not only because (Nelson) is a great bronc rider, but because he’s a great guy.”