Howard Amos Harris III

Howard Amos Harris III


Howard Amos Harris III, born Dec. 21, 1931 in Woodstown, NJ, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2010 at Clarehouse, Tulsa of complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. Howard, or Baldy as he was known in his early years, was the son of Howard and Maria Salisbury Harris. He attended the University of Idaho studying Animal Husbandry and Business and founded the University’s Intercollegiate Rodeo program. While at the University of Idaho he met and married his wife Irene Smith who was attending nearby Washington State College. In 1954, he won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Championship All-Around Cowboy and returned to NJ to manage the family farms, rodeo, markets and livestock auctions.

Howard owned and operated the weekly PRCA Cowtown Rodeo for twenty-three years until handing it over to his son in 1978. In 1959, Howard was the first in the U.S. to bring television to rodeo. The rodeo was televised weekly and syndicated nationally again in 1969 and 1970 by Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate. His Cowtown Rodeo was well-known throughout the United States for the quality of its livestock and was featured in the Madison Square Garden, the Capital Centre, the Spectrum, and in a command performance for President Reagan and his administration, members of the U.S. Congress, and U.S. Supreme Court in 1983. He also led international rodeo productions introducing rodeo to Europe and Argentina, and served on the PRCA Board of Directors. In 1988, he retired to Claremore, OK. In 2005, he was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in OKC.

Howard is survived by his wife of 57 years, Irene, daughter Kathleen Harris of Tulsa, son Grant (wife Betsy) of Woodstown, NJ, sisters Henrietta Boland (Jim) of Idaho Falls, ID, Katherine Henthorne of Great Falls, MT, Blanche Harris of Culpeper, VA, and brother Bart Clennon (wife Sheila) of Wenatchee, WA, daughter-in-law Mary Ann Heaney (Rodney) along with six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by son Anderson (Andy).

A service to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday November 27, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at The Kirk of the Hills in Tulsa. The family requests donations be made to Ranch Hope for Boys, Sawmill Rd., Alloway, NJ 08001, or Clarehouse, 7617 S. Mingo Rd., Tulsa, OK 74133.
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