{"id":807954,"date":"2020-05-30T18:10:47","date_gmt":"2020-05-31T00:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=384185"},"modified":"2020-05-30T18:10:47","modified_gmt":"2020-05-31T00:10:47","slug":"after-induction-into-colorado-state-rodeo-wall-of-fame-george-culbreath-reflects-on-a-life-of-summit-county-ranching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/after-induction-into-colorado-state-rodeo-wall-of-fame-george-culbreath-reflects-on-a-life-of-summit-county-ranching\/","title":{"rendered":"After induction into Colorado State Rodeo Wall of Fame, George Culbreath reflects on a life of Summit County ranching"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rodeo Wall of Fame inductee George Culbreath is photographed at his Heeney ranch on May 30.<\/strong>
Liz Copan \/ ecopan@summitdaily.com<\/em>
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HEENEY \u2014 The near 80-degree sunshine reflected off George Culbreath\u2019s belt buckle Saturday at his ranch north of Silverthorne. Now in his ninth decade in Summit County, Culbreath has been selected as a 2020 inductee into the Colorado State University Rodeo Wall of Fame.<\/p>\n

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Photographed on his Heeney ranch on May 30, George Culbreath wears a trophy belt buckle for winning the 1961 Nebraska State Stampede championship for saddle bronc.<\/strong>
Liz Copan \/ ecopan@summitdaily.com<\/a><\/em>
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Culbreath won the buckle nearly six decades ago. After learning the ropes at the old town of Dillon\u2019s rodeo grounds out behind the Lucky Horseshoe bar, he departed Summit to become a star at Colorado State (then known as Colorado A&M). In 1961, Culbreath rode through a stellar competitive rodeo season all across the great plains region, being named top All-Around Cowboy for the region that year and earning a trip to the national finals in Sacramento, California.<\/p>\n

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Standing with one of his trophies and championship belt buckle, Rodeo Wall of Fame inductee George Culbreath is photographed at his Heeney ranch on May 30.<\/strong>
Liz Copan \/ ecopan@summitdaily.com<\/a><\/em>
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En route to the great plains championship \u2014 which included mastery in saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding and bulldogging disciplines, Culbreath won the saddle bronc competition at the Nebraska State Stampede in Chadron, Nebraska. It\u2019s the victory from which he earned the belt buckle he wore Saturday morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was very competitive,\u201d said Susy, Culbreath\u2019s wife since 1961. \u201cI would watch him and when he rode I would hold my breath a little bit because I was scared. But he was good at it and I enjoyed watching it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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