He follows in family’s hoofprints
When the Silver Spurs Riding Club convenes again on Oct. 3 at the Silver Spurs Arena for the next installment of Boots, Bulls and Barrels, the whole operation, run by a few longtime area ranching families, will seem like a family reunion.
For incoming Rodeo Big Boss Henry Thacker, it truly is a family tradition. His parents Clarence (2000-01) and Jo Thacker (2015-16) are past Big Bosses, and his aunt Patsy Heffner was the first lady Big Boss in 1993. According to the club, Henry is the first Big Boss whose mother and father both previously served that role. His grandfather, Murray Overstreet, was named the 2001 Coca-Cola Cowboy, and his sisters and brothers-in-law are all active Silver Spurs members.
“We’ve got so many volunteers who’ve done what they done for years, so there’s a new Big Boss but, if I do my job, everything stays the same,” says Henry, who’s day job is as a construction manager with Balfour Beatty. He also served on the Toho Water Authority Board of Supervisors with Rayelynne Ketchum, this year’s Little Boss (who becomes the Spurs’ fifth Lady Big Boss next year). “The volunteers are lined up, and we work with Heather (Burns, the Spurs’ only full-time employee).
“So much of being Big Boss is what people don’t see. Tell me where the problem is, and we’ll hide ‘em in the back.”
Thacker has regularly traded his construction hard hat for a cowboy hat; he’s served on the Spurs’ club board since 2019, including five years as its treasurer (“Old Bossy”).
“As treasurer, I made sure we’ve been financially sound, and as Big Boss I want to so what I can to ensure we keep selling out performances. The dollars we don’t have to spend, we get to give back. We’re putting $100,000 back into the community helping other nonprofits.”
During the rodeos he’s traditionally worked with timing of events. “Now I’ll be making sure things are going well everywhere,” he said. “October will be a good event to test my training wheels.”
It should feel familiar, as Henry says his earliest memories of the rodeo go back to the old open-air arena that predates the current Silver Spurs Arena.
“Seeing how much the community gets involved has always stuck with me,” he said. “It’s about keeping the principles of what that’s all about. My sons (Jon and Murray) are now 4 and 2, so we get to teach another generation about the respect for our heritage and giving back to the community.”
