Casey Duane Tibbs (March 5, 1929 – January 28, 1990) was an American professional rodeo cowboy, and actor.

Life and career

Tibbs was born to John F. Tibbs (1886–1948) and Florence M. Tibbs (1889–1974) in rural Orton, northwest of Fort Pierre in Stanley County in central South Dakota. He was of English descent. As a rodeo cowboy, he competed in the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) and held the "World All-Around Cowboy Champion" title twice, in 1951 and 1955. He won in 1949, 1951–1954, and 1959, the world saddle bronc riding championship and in 1951 world bareback bronc riding championship. He was featured on the October 22, 1951 cover of Life magazine. He moved to Ramona, California, in 1976 to raise and breed horses. After battling bone cancer and then lung cancer for about a year, he died at his home in Ramona, while watching the 1990 Super Bowl. He is interred at the Scotty Philip Cemetery in Fort Pierre, South Dakota.

Selected filmography

After his successful rodeo career, Tibbs became a stunt man, stunt coordinator, technical director, livestock consultant, wrangler, and actor for the film industry. He wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the film Born to Buck.

Tributes

Honors

In popular culture

The song Casey Tibbs, also known as Casey the Rainbow Rider, by Ian Tyson. The song Tibbs by cowboy singer/songwriter Matt Robertson. Also mentioned in Robertson's Bronc Star. Mentioned in the film Smokey and the Bandit (1977). While discussing their different interests, Bandit asks Frog, "Do you know who Casey Tibbs is?"