story by Michele Toberer
Known as “Coop,” the Okmulgee, Oklahoma cowboy, David Reagor Jr., was once on the path to being known as a calf roper like the four generations of cowboys in his family before him. His father, David Reagor Sr., started calling him Coop, because of calf roping legend, Roy Cooper. Coop’s grandfather, David Reagor roped calves, just as his father, Coop’s great-grandfather, Sidney Reagor, did. The skill and love for roping calves extended down the line of Reagor cowboys, and Coop’s dad and grandpa trained and imparted calf roping knowledge to the young cowboy, helping him enter junior rodeos in breakaway roping when he was 12-years-old. It was during his years at Preston High School that the rodeo rush began to shift for the now 27-year-old cowboy, and his love of steer wrestling began to grow. “I stopped calf roping and really started working on steer wrestling. My dad always loved steer wrestling but didn’t have the build for it. I felt like steer wrestling was perfect for me and never really looked back.”
Having a close family friend, Clarence LeBlanc, who was a multiple-time International Finals Rodeo qualifier and had won the IPRA steer wrestling championship several times, was very helpful to Coop. Clarence traveled with another multiple-time IPRA World Champion steer wrestler, Dale Yerigan. “I asked Clarence if he’d help teach me the basics of steer wrestling, and he helped me practice for a year before I entered my first rodeo in Drumright, Oklahoma in 2008 on a horse owned by Tim Baccus, with Tim hazing for me. I won that rodeo and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
Coop has been blessed to have many accomplished steer wrestlers in his corner over the years, and in 2014 another Clarence LeBlanc protégé, Ronnie Fields, stepped in to propel Coop further down the steer wrestling path. Ronnie, also a multiple-time IPRA World Champion took steps in 2014, to ensure that Coop gave a future in steer wrestling a real shot. “Ronnie called one day to tell me he bought my IPRA card and had entered me in a rodeo. He told me to be ready, and where and when he was picking me up; and from the time I got in the truck with Ronnie, I’ve been rodeoing in the IPRA ever since.” Coop rode Ronnie’s steer wrestling horse that year, with Ronnie hazing for him; and was thrilled to qualify for the 2014 IFR, winning the Rookie of the Year title. “Ronnie and I both qualified for the IFR in 2014, he was really excited, but not as excited as me. I felt like it was a great accomplishment to qualify for the IFR my first year, and an incredible experience to rodeo with Ronnie Fields.”
Coop will be making his fourth appearance at the IFR in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in January 2019, after qualifying in 2015 and 2017 as well. He is glad that his girlfriend of 8 years, Cortney Berry, will be there with their 3-year-old son, Callan, to cheer him on. Coop is hopeful that he’ll be able to compete on his 10-year-old palomino gelding, Vanilla Ice; he’s been out of commission for most of this year as he’s recovered from a stifle injury. Coop is grateful to Tim Baccus for the use of his great horse while Vanilla Ice has been recovering. “So many great steer wrestlers have been helpful and an inspiration to me. I really love to watch Walt Sherry, the 2010 World Champion Steer Wrestler; he’s always positive and has helped me with anything I’ve asked. Anytime you can get pointers from world champions, it’s always good.”
Although Coop spends some of his time in electrical maintenance for a technology center and at the T-ball field with his young son, his main goal is to win a world champion title in the IPRA, like so many of his comrades have done. “I keep taking care of business where business needs to be taken care of, and hopefully it keeps working and one day I get to be added to that list of IPRA World Champions.”
