Neal & Kay Gay - 2003

Rodeo Champions, Rodeo Producers of Mesquite Championship Rodeo

Neal Gay’s professional rodeo career began as a contestant in Atoka, Okla., in 1945. Born June 25, 1926, in Dallas, Gay rode bulls, saddle broncs and barebacks and wrestled steers. His contestant years have since been overshadowed by his stock contracting and rodeo production skills. In May 1958, Gay put Mesquite, Texas, on the map with the opening of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo in partnership with several other cowboys. Gay was named managing director, a title he still holds. That first year the rodeo operated with borrowed stock. Today, the Mesquite Rodeo has its own stock and performances are seen worldwide via cable television. Gay’s rodeo contemporaries point to his early experience in the production and financing of small rodeos in Texas as an excellent example of what small communities can do. “I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t love it, but this is all I ever wanted to do. I’ve never gotten up a day in my life dreading to go to work,” he said.

Kay Gay earned her rightful place in the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, The Cowgirl Hall of Fame and was the recipient of the Tad Lucas Award in the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Her lifes work of 7 decades in the rodeo industry began in 1956 when she married Neal Gay and became an instant mother to his two young sons. Kay also gave birth to their third son, Jim. All three sons have made their marks in professional rodeo. 

While Neal continued to work several jobs and take on more partners in order to keep the Mesquite Championship alive, Kay designed shirts and chaps for the pickup riders and glittering costumes for the flag girls. Kay’s duties include training barrel racing horses, horse breeding, and overseeing the stable of gentle riding horses essential in the operation of weekly rodeo operations. During Mesquite’s six-month season, for more than 4 decades she was also the rodeo’s secretary and timer.

Kay was an incredible artist, designer, and seamstress  her western paintings and pottery are legendary  She created all of the colorful outfits of the flag bearers at their rodeos, and the opening Grand Entry at Fort Worth Stock Show was named Kay Gays Palomino Parade