Cody Lambert, a pioneering figure in rodeo, was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame during the 9th annual induction ceremony and reunion on May 20 in the Fort Worth Stockyards.
The Bowie cowboy was part of the class that includes Cody Snyder, Dickey Cox, Kenny Wilcox, Rickey Lindsey, Rick Chatman, John Gloor, R.C. Bales, Bernis Johnson, Ronnie Bowman and bull O18 Cowtown.
The Bull Riding Hall of Fame is located at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth. Its goal is to honor all of the bull riding champions, as well as preserve the history of bull riding, housing inductee exhibits, accomplishments, photos, videos and personal effects. It has four categories: Bull riders, bull fighters, bulls and legends.
Lambert makes his home outside of Bowie with his wife, Leanne. They met on the circuit as she was a barrel racer and they married in May 1982. They welcome son Riley four years later.
He grew up in the rodeo with two grandfathers who competed, so it was no surprise when he fell in love with the sport. His father was a successful racehorse jockey winning the first All American Futurity and he went on to be a top trainer.
Lambert began bronc riding at the high school level, before attending Sul Ross University where he won the Men’s All Around at the 1982 National Collegiate Rodeo Association Finals. In a March 2021 interview in the North Texas Farm and Ranch, he recalls when he went professional the only two events that made sense were saddle bronc riding and bull riding.
He qualified to compete in the National Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc riding in 1981, 1990 and 1991. in bull riding he would make an appearance in the finals in 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989 and 1991-1993. He also became a Texas Circuit Finals Champion twice in saddle bronc, twice in bulls and three years as All Around.
“Looking back on it, I don’t know that bull riding was my best event. I think I worked a lot harder at the bull riding It was a different kind of challenge, so I think I put more into it,” Lambert told NTFR.

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