Billy Ray Rosewell, 86, an NCHA Hall of Fame Rider and World Champion, passed away on Monday, February 18, 2019.

Born and raised near Mt. Pleasant, Tex., where his father raised cattle and farmed, Billy Ray began training cutting horses in 1967 and had won three Appaloosa World titles before he hooked up with Show Biz Sandy and her owner Starkey Smith. Rosewell began showing Show Biz Sandy for Smith in 1992, when the Son Ofa Doc daughter was five.

In a historically close race, where less than $500 separated the top three contenders for 1993 NCHA Open World Champion, Show Biz Sandy and Rosewell prevailed with $42,812; Commandicate and Kenny Patterson earned the reserve championship with $42,385; and Red White And Boon and Kobie Wood placed third with $42,314.

“Kenny (Patterson) was like thirteen dollars ahead of me on Saturday night,” Rosewell pointed out, following his win on Sunday, during the World Finals. “I ended up winning it by not very much.

“I love the weekend shows,” added Rosewll, who compiled NCHA career earnings of $576,013, showing primarily in weekend competition.

Billy Ray Rosewell’s’s survivors include three sons and one daughter-in-law, Billy Rosewell, Jr. of Cookville, David and Maria Rosewell of Kilgore, Texas, and Tommy Joe Rosewell of Mt. Pleasant; one daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and John of Reno, Nevada; one brother and sister-in-law, Jerry and Katy Rosewell of Cookville; one sister Betty Ann Phillips of Mt. Pleasant; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements have been made with Harrison Funeral Home, 500 Hwy 67 West,  Naples, Texas. The family will receive friends on Thursday, February 21 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be on Friday, February 22nd, at 10:00 a.m, Interment will follow at Omaha Cemetery in Omaha, Texas.