Late star actor James Caan was former PRCA competitor

[mahatmakanejeeves]

BY TRACY RENCK, PSN EDITOR • Jul 7, 2022

LATE STAR ACTOR JAMES CAAN WAS FORMER PRCA COMPETITOR

What fans of Caan may not realize is he was a PRCA tie-down roper and team roper. Caan earned $2,404 in his PRCA career – all in team roping.



James Caan Roping

Caan loved sports and acknowledged in stories that he found competing in the PRCA a challenge. He became interested in roping when he was on location in Nebraska, filming the movie "The Rain People," which came out in 1969. ...
"I didn't really know what I was doing in the beginning, but I'm really a good mimic," Caan was quoted saying in the 1983 Official ProRodeo Media Guide. "I worked hard at my roping and learned it."

Caan added that he thoroughly enjoyed competing with PRCA cowboys. ... "Being around the people," Caan said in a newspaper article. "I like the way they treat me. It was hard to win their acceptance and respect. At first, they figured here comes this Hollywood actor wantin' to play cowboys. I had to win to be accepted. After you win a few times, they treat you like just another guy out there competing and who can beat them sometimes. You can just be yourself. I don't know what it is. It is partly being able to act out a kid's fantasy. But I like being around them. It cleanses my brain."

In 1980, Caan, a heeler, competing with 1974 PRCA Team Roping World Champion H.P. Evetts won money at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver with a 7.3-second run.

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