April 15, 2025
Considered one of the greatest steer wrestling horses that ever lived, the Cassidy family’s RTR Little Willy, best known simply as Willy, will be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2025.
Owned by Greg Cassidy of Donalda, AB, Willy helped cowboys collect well over $3 million in earnings throughout his amazing career. The big bay gelding carried four cowboys, Rope Myers, Lee Graves, Luke Branquino and Jason Miller to world titles and was also the equine partner for six Canadian championship wins: Greg Cassidy, Curtis Cassidy, Cody Cassidy (back to back Canadian Championships on Willy) and Lee Graves who won two Canadian titles on the four-legged superstar as well. Myers added an Olympic Gold Medal in 2002 while aboard Willy.
Voted CPRA Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year six times, Willy was also recognized as the AQHA-PRCA Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year in 2008 and was inducted into the Canadian Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2020.
Looking back over the two decades that Willy dominated, Greg (Cassidy) recalled a couple of his favorite memories of Willy, “Well maybe the year I rode him to a Canadian title but honestly it was just watching (sons) Cody and Curt ride him and win on him.”
Greg’s oldest son, Curtis also praised the horse that helped hundreds of cowboys win in the rodeo arena as well, “You know they set an arena record on Willy for the fastest ten steers thrown at the NFR, not once but twice. He was your horse for the average title. He was just that consistent.”
In 2020 Willy passed away at 34 years of age, a world traveller and champion on the rodeo trail.
* Information and quotes courtesy of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and the CPRA.
… more information about Willy here: https://www.canadianprorodeohalloffame.org/2020
Congratulations to all 2025 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees. Click here for full list and details.
The 2025 PRORODEO Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. (MT) July 12, 2025 at the PRORODEO Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo.