Hall Of Fame Bronc Rider ‘Cody’ Bill Smith Remembered As Rodeo Legend

The rodeo world is mourning the death of Hall of Fame bronc riding legend “Cody” Bill Smith at age 83. He loved Cody, Wyoming, so much he adopted it as his hometown and nickname.

Smith, a three-time Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) saddle bronc riding champion, died June 1. He was 83.

His wife Carole said she’s grateful for an outpouring of love and memories from the rodeo community and others.

She said that Bill would have been pleased to see that his legacy was about his rodeo days and not about the horse sales the couple had hosted for more than two decades in Thermopolis, Wyoming.

“He told me that everybody now remembered him as the horse sale guy,” she said. “But he would much rather be known as the bronc rider that he was.”

His younger brother Rick Smith remembers Bi