Hall of Fame inducts Outhier
Weatherford native, four-time champion honored with exhibit
Hall of Fame inducts Outhier

By Brian Sandalow

Published: July 12, 2007

SHAWNEE — Even though Mike Outhier said he hadn't been to the IFYR in a decade, it seemed as if he had never left Shawnee.

Before the dedication of the IFYR Hall of Fame and the induction of Outhier as the first member, the four-time all-around champ mingled with fans at a reception. Outhier greeted each well-wisher with a smile, a hardy handshake and a conversation.

"I probably should've (come back). I rodeo for a living now, and it's hard to take off and go and watch. I should've watched,” said Outhier, who donated his 1994 all-around champion's buckle among other memorabilia to the exhibit. "All the volunteers in the city of Shawnee should be in the Hall of Fame instead of me.”

Outhier smiled modestly as the exhibit at the Shawnee Expo Center was unveiled. In his brief speech, he thanked organizers of the event, giving them credit for helping to start his career. The Weatherford native said the $2,000 he won in 1993, his first of four consecutive wins, was the biggest check he had seen.

Even though he has won much more money since turning pro, Outhier said he was "overwhelmed” by the reception he got Wednesday.

"I don't look at myself as any different than anybody else,” said Outhier, who is a three-time winner of the IPRA World Champion All-Around Cowboy title. "If you put hard work into anything you can be good at it.”

During the brief ceremony, the fans viewed him like a star. Many young cowboys, some who weren't born in 1993, appeared to be star-struck at the sight of Outhier.

"This rodeo is the biggest youth rodeo in the world and to come here and win the kind of money you can is unbelievable for a high school kid,” Outhier said. "It's pretty big.”

After the ceremony was complete, Outhier took time to look at the exhibit honoring him. However, Outhier didn't have much time to relive whatever memories went through his head. Within seconds, fans were converging to get pictures and autographs. Outhier didn't mind.

"This place is kinda like my home away from home,” Outhier said.