WILLCOX Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees
Larrie “Rooster” Todd (129)
1957 -
-
2021 COWBOY HALL OF FAME
Larrie “Rooster” Todd was born in 1957, in Livingston Montana. He has a twin brother and two sisters. Just a footnote: Larrie is eight minutes older than Tommy. I’m not sure that is actually noteworthy, but everyone always wants to know.
He went to a small country school, called Mill Creek Flat, until the 4th grade. His mother and grandmother were the teachers. Larrie went to Gardner, Montana schools from 5th grade through high school.
Larry said, “Growing up on a ranch in Montana is different than here in Arizona.” In Montana, there was water everywhere. There were two creeks that cut through the ranch providing live water year-round. There was lots of fishing and lots of irrigating hay pastures. Every third year it was Larrie’s responsibility to do the irrigating while the others got to ride and check the cattle.
In the fall there was lots of good hunting and Larrie became a professional hunting guide as the Mule Deer and Elk were everywhere. And for one more thing to do, all the neighbors got together and built a ski run virtually in their backyard. This ski run even had a rope tow. From November through March, you could find Larrie on the downhill slopes.
One would think that Larrie’s life was full enough with the hunting, skiing, irrigating, and cattle and horses, but nope, the boys built a roping arena on the banks of Tom Minor Creek. Another footnote: Larrie said, “That if Tom Minor Creek was in Arizona, we would call it a river.” They went into the trees to cut timbers and built the entire arena out of poles.
It was here that Larrie developed his love for roping. Twice a week during the summer months you could find him roping steers along the banks of Tom Minor Creek. They even built a bucking chute and tried riding a few cows, but Larrie said, “The roping was way better.”
The Montana life was good. Working hard, having fun, and then came the icing on the cake. He met a girl. It was his horses that brought Larrie Todd and Lori Pierce together. Lori Pierce and Larrie’s sister were friends and Lori needed a horse for the queen contest. She borrowed one of Larrie’s horses. Then Lori needed a horse for a jackpot barrel race. She borrowed one of Larrie’s horses. It wasn’t long before Lori and Larrie were spending much more of their time together riding horses.
Larrie’s life was soon to change drastically when the family made the decision to leave Montana for the much warmer deserts of Willcox, Arizona. In 1980, Larrie helped move the family to Arizona. He went back to Montana to get married, and in 1981 brought his new bride, Lori Pierce, to the Warbonnet Ranch. Larrie and Lori were married 39 years and have four children, Dustin, Colter, Tayrell and Savannah.
The next 40 years have been a blur. The years have been filled with ranch work, day working for others and taking care of his family. The Todds did the Jr. rodeo thing and traveled all across Arizona ropin’ and making friends. Larrie also enjoyed the Willcox Sheriff’s Posse Tuesday night roping. He liked it because it brought ranching families together and he got to rope with some of the old timers. His love of roping that was spawned on the banks of Tom Minor Creek still burns strong in Larrie. He said, “I like to compete. I like there is no age limit. I like that it’s families roping with kids. I still ain’t got real good at it and that’s why I haven’t quit.”
Larrie Todd is a very patient man which has helped to make him an excellent horse trainer. He is a cowboy both inside and outside of the arena. He can catch wild cattle during the week and win a team roping on the weekend. He is kind, generous and always takes time to listen.
Larrie said in his 40 plus years on the Warbonnet, “Each year is different and that don’t get old.” He knows now that some grasses are good and some are toxic so you’d better be paying attention. Larrie takes his role as a steward of the land very seriously and will burn the candle at both ends just to make it work. He has always felt the Warbonnet Ranch was God’s creation and it is his responsibility to take care of it.
Being a rancher is never easy but having a life partner to share the burdens does make it better. Lori and Larrie literally worked side by side until last year. In 2020, Lori suddenly passed away, as the Lord called her home.
Their 39 years together, all on the Warbonnet Ranch, were filled with friends, family, roping, rodeos, jackpot barrel races and their love of God. Larrie Todd enjoys God’s work. He sees the everyday events on a ranch through the wonders of life prism. When you are pulling a new born calf, how does it know when to start breathing? Or how long before it gets up on their feet? He appreciates the wonderment of God.
To be selected for the Willcox Cowboy Hall of Fame is quite an honor for Larrie as he respects those who have come before him. I asked Larry how do you want to be remembered? After a long pause, He said, “I hope the light of Christ shines through my life with whatever I do.”
Larry “Rooster” Todd