Honorees & Memorabilia

Area 4-Wall 1-Honoree Wall
On the left side of the room is what we call the Honoree Wall. We have 8X10 photos of our
honorees and tribute persons we have made films of since 2004. Each photo has 2 photos, one
of action and one of a bust. Also on the photo is the year and the reason they are honored.
Persons honored could be ranch hands or movie stars during the time era that made the
World’s Championship Rodeo possible from 1937-1959.
Area 4 Wall 2-New York Photos & Glass Case
Area 4-Wall 2
On this wall are parade photos of New York City, a photo of Gene Autry and Everett Colborn
with sponsor girls, a photo of Everett Colborn and early partner Bill Clements on horses. Next is
a nightclub group photo sitting at a table with Everett Colborn. A group photo showing cowgirls
with Tad Lucas and Rosemary Colborn wearing her Lightning C chaps on the city hall steps of
New York City.
Area 4-Wall 2-glass case
Top of Glass Case is a certificate for Honorary Texas Ranger for Everett Colborn dated 1942
Area 4-Wall 2-Glass Case 1 st Shelf
Top left shelf of the glass case is the western shirt that belonged to Everett Colborn. I point to
wall where the photo is where he is wearing that same shirt in a group photo with Gene Autry
and the sponsor girls. Next on the shelf is western union correspondence with invoices, samples
and letters sent to Carolyn Colborn from Ben the Rodeo Tailor. Rodeo Ben designed the first
pair of Wranglers. Wranglers hired him to make a more comfortable jean for the cowboys. They
would use the cowboys at Madison Square Garden to try them out. At the end of the top shelf
is Charlie Ben’s quadrille shirt that was also made by Rodeo Ben.
Area 4-Wall 2-Glass Case-2 nd Shelf
A little pair of Lightning C boots is sitting on the 2 nd shelf with a photo of the little boy that wore
them. I say Everett Colborn would give away boots every year to kids and this happens to be
the son of a foreman of the Lightning C ranch at that time. Some of these boots were used to
decorate the store windows when the rodeo came to town. Next is the bronze of Casey Tibbs
that the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Spring CO gave Everett Colborn. In front of the
statue is Ava Colborn’s silver & gold necklace with the Lightning C brand on it. Next is the gold
watch the Dublin Citizens gave Colborn when he retired in 1959. Next is a plaque standing up
that is of the Rodeo Cowboy Association (now called Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association) for the
deep appreciation of Colborn for the sport of rodeo dated 1961. In front of the plaque is his
lifetime gold membership card of the RCA and beside that is his gold lifetime membership of
the Houston Fat Stock Show. In front this is his bolo tie that has his private brand on it and
alongside that is his silver collar tips with his private brand on it. Next comes the medallion from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City OK. The last is a
ribbon for the Boston parade contest.
Area 4 Wall 2- Glass Case-Bottom Shelf
On the left is a pair of Everett Colborn’s brown boots, green Madison Square Garden Patches, a
leather belt with the name Sue on it, a copy of the letter from Everett Colborn to Gene Autry
asking for Champion’s son for his daughter’s 16 th birthday. Last is a pair of Colborn’s boots that
has Colborn private brand on the front.