Former Northwest Rodeo Coach Receives Cowboy Keeper Award

Lawrence “Bud” Young

Longtime Northwest Mississippi Community College Rodeo Coach Lawrence “Bud” Young has been named one of this year’s recipients of the “Cowboy Keeper Award” by the National Day of the Cowboy (NDOC) organization.

Young, who retired from Northwest in 2009, coached college rodeo for 36 years. He served as the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Ozark Region director for 18 years and as NIRA National Faculty president for two terms. He started his bull-riding career in 1957 at the age of 12 and joined the International Professional Rodeo Association in 1964, where he is still an active member. He also competed in the PRCA, CRA, URA and the Deep South Rodeo Association.

He was inducted into the Northwest Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Mississippi Community and Junior College Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Young attended Northwest and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University. He came to Northwest in 1973 as an instructor in livestock management technology, starting the college’s first rodeo team that same year. During his tenure as coach, the Northwest team traditionally earned awards in local, regional and national competition. Members of his rodeo teams won championships in bareback riding, bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling and in the All-Around category.

At the time Young was inducted into the Northwest Sports Hall of Fame, he was also honored with the announcement of the Lawrence “Bud” Young Endowed Scholarship, which benefits a student in the college rodeo program. Since retirement, Young taught as an adjunct instructor and worked with high school students in the area by conducting workshops and seminars for private groups as well as for members of the Little Britches Rodeo Association.

He currently serves in a part-time position and the manager of the Northwest Arena. He spends his time helping local bull riders and will be conducting a rodeo school this October in Friendship, Tennessee.

Young is truly a Northwest legacy. His grandfather attended Northwest when it was a high school. His parents met at Northwest and he, his son and his grandson all attended Northwest. He also has two young granddaughters.

Young was recognized at the Bryant Lane Cowboy Church in Sarah on July 25.

“I am really overwhelmed by it. When you look at the other folks who received the award, I am amazed that I would have been selected,” Young said.

For more information on the Northwest Rodeo program, visit the college’s athletic website at nwccrangers.com.

Courtesy of Northwest Mississippi Community College