December 19, 1938
James (Jim) Alworth was destined to be a Cowboy, growing up and living in the Sandhills of NE most of his life. He has been a rancher, rodeo cowboy, horse trainer, team roping producer/ competitor, pick up man and lives the western way of life. He is still competing in team roping and still ropes at the Garden County Fair and Rodeo every year with his daughter, Teri.
Jim was born to Neal and Pearl (Wolford) Alworth in Emmet, ID. Shortly after his birth his family moved to Rushville, NE where he spent his entire youth. Jim graduated from Rushville High School in 1956. On May 14, 1960, he married Catherine (Tuts) Cuddy. They have three children, Shelli Arensdorf, Teri Alworth and Larry Alworth. Tuts passed away October 12, 2016, of pancreatic cancer. Jim continues to reside north of Oshkosh, where he raises a few horses.
Jim’s grandfather, James Wolford came to Nebraska from Oklahoma, via the Chisum Trail. He was a huge influence to him while growing up and taught him to break colts, harness and drive a team of horses. With the knowledge his grandfather taught him, Jim would break ponies on the U Cross Ranch south of Rushville all summer when he was in grade school, living in the bunk house with the hired men. Jim worked for the Marcy Ranch, at Hay Springs and for the Robin’s family at Rushville, ranching and breaking horses.
Jim is a self-made entrepreneur. Over the years he has built everything from grain bins, houses, barns, arenas and additions. Just recently he built a tack room with stairs, saddle racks, etc. He is a self-taught mechanic, leather craftsman and auctioneer. He has trained cutting horses, calf roping horses and team roping horses and continues to put time on his young colts in the round pen.
For almost 20 years Jim was employed at Rush Creek Land and Livestock. He started out working on the ranch north of Gordon and then transferred to the ranch north of Lisco. In 1968, Jim was promoted to the manager of the King Ranch at Angora where he resided until another promotion as manager to the headquarters, Southside Ranch at Lisco in 1979.
While living in Morrill County, he was on the Angora School Board, and a member of the Morrill County Fair Board. He was a 4-H leader. Jim also was a pick up man at the rodeo of the 4th of July in Bridgeport for several years.
While working on the ranch he learned how to do cesareans and AI. After leaving he ranch he continue to help neighbors with these services.
In 1983, Jim left the ranch and started his own business in Oshkosh, J BAR A Supplies and Feed where he sold clothing, feed and had a leather and boot/shoe repair business.
After selling the business, Jim and Tuts moved out of NE to Longmont for a couple years, where he and Gene Olson started Mountain View Auction Service. Jim also built a couple arenas and enjoyed his time team roping.
Jim continues to raise a few horses and recently got out of the cattle business. He continues to spend a lot of his time driving his semi, hauling hay and a few cattle but still squeezes in time to team rope.
Jim loves the chance to help the young kids interested in the western way of life. He has helped many individuals in the area learn to rope, fix a problem horse in the box and even helped a high school bull rider practice by putting his bull rope on his cutting horse bareback so he could learn to ride well with his legs. His own children and grandchildren have had successful rodeo careers due to his influence.
James has won numerous saddles, breast collars, trophies and buckles. He is a past member of the Western Nebraska Cutters Association, Nebraska Auctioneers Association, Nebraska State Rodeo Association, PRCA, NOTRA, USTRC, ACTRA and WSTR.
In 1967 James spent many nights riding 30 miles a night training two horses to compete in the Deadwood to Sidney Endurance Race. He won the six-day race with a total time of 24 hours 30 min. 40 sec. Time for each of the six days of racing was added for the total.
Jim has been a past NSRS finals champion and runner up state champion in the team roping. He has also won the average at the National Old Timers Assoc Finals.
He has qualified for the Prairie Circuit Finals, the World Series TR Finale in Las Vegas, the USTRC finals in Oklahoma City and the World Championship Feedlot Roping Finals.
Jim continues to team rope, so he may not be done winning titles yet!