Submitted by Lita Nicholson at the Rim Country Museum in Payson

Most of us would agree that cowboys are a different breed. We hear about cowboy humor, cowboy po­etry, and most of all, the cowboy’s code which advises “Talk straight, shoot straight, never break your word….” (Jinx Pyle, Rodeo 101, p. 62)

So, no one will be surprised to learn that Payson cowboy Harry Shill, in his many years as a bull rider, shook up the rodeo world and redefined the ways in which a cowboy could find adventure.

Born in Mesa in 1939, Shill came to Payson as a teenager and attended high school here. While work­ing as a carpenter, he followed the rodeo circuit on weekends. Not only did he survive forty-five years as a bull rider, he found a unique way to bring attention to rodeo. Eight times Harry parachuted into the arena before riding bulls as part of the rodeo competition. From Payson to Alaska, rodeo audiences were treated to the amazing sight of a cowboy dropping from the sky to land in front of the cheering crowd.

With a sense of showmanship like that, it was a given that Harry would get to Hollywood at some point. He worked as an extra in The Greatest Story Ever Told and The Rounders.

After he retired from bull riding in 1991, he real­ized that when their careers ended, rodeo cowboys stayed home and missed out on seeing each other and telling their stories to the next generation of riders ‘n ropers. So he volunteered to take over the leadership of the Payson Rodeo Reunion—a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing old timers back to attend the August Rodeo events. Once a year everyone gets together to relive “the good old days” and assess the current crop of rodeo contenders.

In 2009, Payson Mayor Kenny Evans appointed Harry Shill to be the official Payson Rodeo Ambas­sador. Shill is also president of the Arizona Cowboy Hall of Fame & Museum, an organization devoted to preserving the excitement and history of rodeo in our state. When the Rim Country Museum decided to create a Rodeo exhibit, Harry Shill donated the clothing, belt buckle and bull rope for the rider on the fence by the gate. He also made the menacing “bull” behind the gate, just waiting to burst out and toss another cowboy into the dirt. His voice in the audio unit tells visitors about his life as a bull rider.

Yes, cowboys are a different breed—and they are a big part of what makes Rim Country special. Visit the Rim Country Museum’s Rodeo Exhibit and check out the story of Arizona Charlie Meadows, too. He and John Chilson began the Payson Rodeo, which is the oldest continuous rodeo in Arizona. While the Payson Rodeo began in the dust of Main Street, at today’s “August Doin’s” you can watch in comfort at the Event Center near the edge of town. While you’re there, don’t forget to check the sky. You never know when Harry Shill might decide to make it 9 parachute jumps into the arena!

To learn more about the Rim Country Museum, please contact Lita at 928-472-7952.