74 year old, Buddy Peak, a pioneering bareback rider who competed in each of the first five National Finals Rodeo, died on Sunday August 31 at his Tucson, Arizona, home. Peak was fourth in the average standings at the inaugural NFR in 1959 and three times finished in the top five of the world standings.
His best seasons were in 1962, when he tied for second in the NFR average and was third in the world standings, and 1963 when he was second both at the NFR and in the world standings, behind John Hawkins. Peak’s career was ended prematurely in 1964 due to injuries suffered in an automobile accident and he began a career as a crane operator, joining Operating Engineers Local 428. (Courtesy of the PRCA)