Charly Crawford is a 10-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo header who won over $1.4 million in his professional rodeo career. He’s shifted gears the last few years, and is now focusing on his family and rodeo business beyond the arena, including roping clinics, and the Liberty and Loyalty Foundation. Charly and his wife, Jackie, who live in Stephenville, Texas, have three kids, Kaydence, 20; Creed, 8; and Journey, 4.
Q: Can you rattle off your NFR partners for us real quick, please?
A: Yes. I roped with Richard Durham at my first NFR in 2005; Cody Hintz in 2006; Britt Bockius in 2007; Russell Cardoza in 2009-10; Jim Ross Cooper in 2012; Ryan Motes in 2013; Shay Carroll in 2014; Joseph Harrison in 2017; and Logan Medlin at my last one in 2020.
Q: Was there one easiest partnership?
A: The one that was probably the easiest one for me was with Logan in 2020. We were good friends, and I really respected his family. Logan helped rejuvenate my career. He was such a good, motivating encourager. He fired me up, and I didn’t have to watch my back. He always did a good job of communicating, and was just all-in for our team. Logan’s a great wide receiver, and was very fun to rope with.
Q: How many years did you rodeo before you made the NFR, and what was the difference that got you into the NFR for the first time?
A: I got my PRCA permit in the fall of 1995, after I lied about my age on my application. I was 17, but they didn’t make you show a birth certificate, so I got to go to a few circuit rodeos in the Northwest (Charly’s from Canby, Oregon) a little earlier. I spent such a long time trying to figure out what the Top 15 had that I was missing. Heeling’s harder to learn, but once you get to a certain level, there’s just so much to heading. I had a lot of little moving parts to learn. And when Speedy (Williams) showed up, it all got faster.
Q: Do you have one defining career moment that still stands out above all the rest?
A: Doing a dirt angel in the head box at my first NFR is something I’ll never forget. I went in early, because I’d never been to the Thomas & Mack. That little kid in me was just such a fan, and I’d always told myself that if I ever made it, I’d do a dirt angel in the NFR head box. So I did. I’d spent 27 years of my life dreaming about that moment, and had been totally mesmerized about making the NFR. I’d finally made it.
Q: Talk about your decision to pull up from the rodeo trail five years ago.
A: It was just time. The hard part was I had one of the best partners who fit me with Logan. But breakaway roping was taking off, and I felt like I’d gotten to do more than I’d ever dreamed of. It was Jackie’s turn. It really wasn’t a hard decision for me. With kids, both of us being out on the road was not realistic.
Q: Have you had any regrets about calling it a career coming off of another NFR?
A: Not one whatsoever. I enjoy doing what I’m doing. I love the clinics. I love doing my podcast. I love supporting the industry and giving back. And getting to be home with my kids, well, my #1 greatest responsibility in this life is to be a father. The limelight is a false idol, and is not my God.
Q: In May, Jackie became the first female rodeo roper to earn more than $1 million in her career. What’s your take on that?
A: It’s bittersweet, in my opinion. I think it’s great that milestone has been reached. It’s just sad how long it took. Riley Webb was able to do it before he could legally drink a beer. It took Jackie into her 40s. It’s great that she got it done. It’s just sad that her event was so far behind.
Q: As dad to two daughters, how does the recent boom in women’s rodeo look to you?
A: I think the future looks bright, I really do. I think it’s great that Calgary stepped up (the Stampede has added breakaway with equal money this summer). That was a huge step up for women. And from a producer’s side, it’s smart. Women buy all the stuff.
Q: Is there such a thing as a typical day in the life of the Crawford family?
A: No. It’s constant chaos all the time. I love that I have the freedom to take Creed to school and pick him up after school every day, and that I’m able to jump on the trampoline and swim with Journey. We all ride together all the time. I love our life.
Q: How much do you and Jackie find yourselves going different directions these days?
A: I’d say 98.3 percent of the time, even though it’s more like 99.7. There’s no way I could rodeo right now. None whatsoever. And that’s fine.
Q: What did you consider the key to success in your career?
A: I would have to say work ethic and consistency.
Q: Why do you think Jackie’s won so much?
A: She is extremely talented, and has a work ethic most men couldn’t keep up with. She also has an attitude that you can’t get her down, no matter what.
Q: Who had to work harder for their first million?
A: Definitely her. Mine was a huge milestone for me. To make the NFR once was a dream. To make it 10 times was unbelievable. Jackie had to scratch and claw, and rope for $150 day moneys for the longest time.
Q: What is the Liberty and Loyalty Foundation, and why is it so important to you?
A: Jackie and I started doing free clinics at our house in 2014 for anyone who’d ever served in the military. It was just our way of saying thank you. By 2020, we were getting hundreds of phone calls. Trey Johnson started helping me with it, and now it’s mostly team roping. Trey brought his ministry, and it became more than just a roping clinic. In 2020, we started having a team roping jackpot, the American Heroes Celebration, for military and first responders. We’ve raised almost $1.2 million for military and first responders and their families, and have helped build five homes. We help people learn to rope and stay safe.
Q: What do you miss most about rodeoing for a living?
A: I’m just so grateful for the things I got to experience. I literally feel like I left everything on the table. And since walking away from it, I still get to see my buddies, because we live in Stephenville. Rodeo’s all about the people. I love those guys I rodeoed with.
Q: How much do you get to rope these days?
A: Not much. I usually have a couple horses coming up, so I rope in some futurities every once in a while, and with some of my military buddies who come by the house. I season the young ones, and will hopefully see them at the NFR one day.
Q: What’s your goal in life at 47?
A: To serve the Lord better. Being anything God needs me to be is my goal. If that comes first, everything else should take care of itself, including being a better husband, father and friend.
—TRJ—
