George Fletcher got his first taste of rodeo riding as a child on a barrel attached to four ropes, and was hooked. With the guidance of the Walla Walla, Cayuse, and Umatilla horsemen with whom he lived, George learned to tame mustangs gently. He loved to ride anything that bucked, entering any competition that would allow African Americans like him, and his skill earned him a following and a reputation. At the 1911 Pendleton Roundup, George competed against two other men on half-wild horses: Jackson Sundown, a Nez Perce horseman, and John Spain, a white rancher. According to a newspaper’s coverage of the event, George was grace itself on wild Sweeney’s back, holding on as the horse bucked and reared. So when Spain was awarded first prize, the surprised and disappointed audience took matters into their own hands, selling pieces of George’s hat and raising more money for him than Spain’s prize was worth. Wild West lingo and motion-filled oil paintings complement the narrative. Extensive back matter includes information about the author’s challenging research process. (Ages 6–10)

"Nelson plaits her narrative with Western lingo and homespun similes. . . . James' painterly oils swirl with energy, visible daubs creating the dusty, monumental landscape and equally monumental horses and humans. . . . A champion indeed." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
The true tale of a cowboy's epic rodeo ride from acclaimed author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Caldecott Honoree Gordon C. James.
In 1911, three men were in the final round of the famed Pendleton Round-Up. One was white, one was Indian, and one was black. When the judges declared the white man the winner, the audience was outraged. They named black cowboy George Fletcher the "people's champion" and took up a collection, ultimately giving Fletcher far more than the value of the prize that went to the official winner. Award-winning author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson tells the story of Fletcher's unlikely triumph with a western flair that will delight kids—and adults—who love true stories, unlikely heroes, and cowboy tales.