ProRodeo Hall of Fame class announced

Four rodeo contestants with a total of seven world championships and 56 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications head the 2008 induction class, which will enter the ProRodeo Hall of Fame at 10 a.m. July 12 in Colorado Springs.

Paul Tierney, all-around cowboy

Tierney, 56, was the world champion tie-down roper in 1979 and then put together an even better season in 1980 to end Tom Ferguson's six-year reign as all-around champion and become the second rodeo cowboy to surpass $100,000 in earnings during a single season.

Bobby Hurley, team roper

Hurley's four-year partnership with Allen Bach produced two world championship gold buckles, the first all alone in 1993 and the second shared with Bach in 1995 when the rules were changed to account for crowning a world champion header and heeler instead of just one award for the highest-earning team roper.

Shaun Burchett, steer roper

Burchett was PRCA Rookie of the Year in 1981 at the age of 17 and made his first National Finals Steer Roping appearance just two years later, finishing 14th in the world. He was twice reserve World Champion (1985-86) to ProRodeo Hall of Famer Jim Davis before breaking through to win back-to-back world championships in 1987-88, over Davis.

Tom Reeves, saddle bronc rider

Reeves was the 2001 World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider and 18-time NFR qualifier. Only Billy Etbauer has more NFR qualifications with 19.

Feek Tooke, stock contractor

Tooke started raising horses on the family's Montana ranch in 1936, and the breeding program he created with his son, Ernest, has produced more than 6,000 bucking horses, passed along to every top stock contractor in North America.

Trails End, rodeo livestock

The pride of the Oral Zumwalt rodeo string out of Missoula, Mont., Trails End was the 1959 Rodeo Cowboys Association Bucking Horse of the Year and was three times recognized as the top saddle bronc of the National Finals Rodeo (1959-61).

Leon and Vicki Adams, specialty act performers

For parts of five decades, the husband and wife team has been entertaining rodeo crowds with Roman riding on the backs of Brahma bulls, horses dancing on their hind legs and Brahmas leaping through hoops of fire.

Duane Howard, rodeo notable

An all-around cowboy who competed at the highest level of ProRodeo as a young man, Howard would later serve on the PRCA Board of Directors, as a PRCA pickup man and as one of the first PRCA professional judges (1982-94), working the National Finals Rodeo 11 times.

Howard competed in all three roughstock events as a professional, finishing as reserve World Champion in bull riding three times (1955, 1957 and 1960) and also as reserve World Champion in the all-around to Jim Shoulders in 1957.

Buddy Lytle, official

One of rodeo's most respected and well-liked officials, Lytle helped develop and write the PRCA's judging handbook, professionalizing the sport.

Lytle became a judge after a competitive career as a tie-down roper and steer wrestler, judging 24 National Finals Rodeos, Cheyenne (Wyo.), Pendleton (Ore.), Houston, Fort Worth and other top rodeos all over the country.

The selection committee also voted unanimously to officially induct the 16 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo committees that had been previously honored with special recognition by the PRCA and Hall of Fame.

Tickets for the July 12 induction ceremony and the luncheon that follows are $20 for nonmembers, $18 for members and $10 for children (6-12). The Cowboy Dinner & Ball will be held at 6 p.m. July 11 at a location to be determined.