Dan Taylor (rodeo)

At the 2011 Cheyenne Frontier Days, which always takes place the last two full weeks of July, his associates honored Taylor in a special ceremony. It had been nearly 10 months since his death. After rodeo slack "a time, usually late at night or early in the morning, other than during the performance when the “extra” contestants compete in the rodeo" was over that morning, the ceremony was held where friends gave speeches and showed a PowerPoint presentation focused on his life.

Taylor, age 87, died on November 3, 2010, in his residence in Doole, Texas. There was a tribute in his honor at Cheyenne Frontier Days the summer after his death. Taylor was known to many as "The Master Chute Boss".

He was the timed-event chute boss for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) for 11 years (1965–1973 and 1978–1979) when that competition was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, prior to its move to Las Vegas, Nevada. He was the chute boss for 15 years at the National Finals Steer Roping (NFSR) at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

From 1954 to 1956, Taylor was the RCA Calf Roping Director. From 1986-1987 he was the President of the PRCA.

In 1952, Dan married Berva Dawn Sorensen. Sorenson's father was the stock contractor, J.C. (Doc) Sorenson, from Camas, Idaho. Taylor lived in Doole, Texas, where he raised Brangus cattle. The Taylors had three daughters, three granddaughters and one grandson, and four great-grandchildren.

In 1948, Taylor started working Chute 9 at Cheyenne Frontier Days. In 1961, he became the Chute 9 Boss. He was involved in 64 rodeos at Frontier Days. Taylor was the chute 9 boss for 49 years from 1961 - 2009. He was also associated with the "Daddy of 'em All" as a chute boss, contestant, and judge from 1945 to 2009.

In 1942, at age 20, Taylor competed in his first Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 1950, he finished third in the world calf roping competition. In 1951, he ranked fourth in world competition.

In 1941, he joined the Cowboy Turtles Association (CTA). The organization was so new, he was issued card No. 64. He started competed in calf roping in professional rodeo. In 1942, at age 18, he was the youngest professional roper in the world. The CTA was renamed to the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) in 1947. In 1975 the RCA was renamed to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).

Dan Collins Taylor (September 2, 1923 – November 3, 2010) was an American cowboy, rodeo performer, and promoter. In 2006, Taylor was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Taylor died on November 3, 2010, in Doole, Texas.

Taylor was born on September 2, 1923, in Coleman near Abilene in Coleman County, Texas in central Texas. While Dan was still a baby, they moved to Doole, Texas. His parents were third-generation ranchers. Taylor graduated from high school in 1941.