Military Rodeo Cowboy Hall Of Fame
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Inductees
    • 2018 Ron Arrington
    • 2018 Lynn Mattocks
    • 2018 Dan May
    • 2018 David Misner
    • 2018 Caesar Ozuna
    • 2018 Freddie Waltz
    • 2019 Wayne Boney
    • 2019 Sonny Borrelli
    • 2019 Roy Madden
    • 2019 Cotton Rosser
    • 2019 Bill Stepp
    • 2019 Steve Wood
    • 2021 Jewels Borrelli
    • 2021 Bill Hiscock
    • 2021 Scott McCloud
    • 2021 Greg Richins
    • 2021 Jack Walker
    • 2022 Alan Jacob
    • 2022 Billy Brown
    • 2022 Quint Theriault
    • 2022 Jason Scott
    • 2022 Steve Stollfus
    • 2024 Jessica Beck
    • 2024 Sam Lee
    • 2024 Brad McCassie
    • 2024 Garret McCaslin
    • 2024 Chad Nicholson
  • Nominations
  • Military Rodeo History
    • Early Years
    • The MRA
    • The ERCA
    • The MRCA
    • The MBR
    • Return of the MRCA
    • Record Book
  • Scholarships
  • Ceremony Videos

Induction Ceremony Date Coming Soon

Military Rodeo Cowboy Hall Of Fame
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Inductees
    • 2018 Ron Arrington
    • 2018 Lynn Mattocks
    • 2018 Dan May
    • 2018 David Misner
    • 2018 Caesar Ozuna
    • 2018 Freddie Waltz
    • 2019 Wayne Boney
    • 2019 Sonny Borrelli
    • 2019 Roy Madden
    • 2019 Cotton Rosser
    • 2019 Bill Stepp
    • 2019 Steve Wood
    • 2021 Jewels Borrelli
    • 2021 Bill Hiscock
    • 2021 Scott McCloud
    • 2021 Greg Richins
    • 2021 Jack Walker
    • 2022 Alan Jacob
    • 2022 Billy Brown
    • 2022 Quint Theriault
    • 2022 Jason Scott
    • 2022 Steve Stollfus
    • 2024 Jessica Beck
    • 2024 Sam Lee
    • 2024 Brad McCassie
    • 2024 Garret McCaslin
    • 2024 Chad Nicholson
  • Nominations
  • Military Rodeo History
    • Early Years
    • The MRA
    • The ERCA
    • The MRCA
    • The MBR
    • Return of the MRCA
    • Record Book
  • Scholarships
  • Ceremony Videos

The European Rodeo Cowboy Association (ERCA) Years

 The story of the European Rodeo Association (ERA) and later the European Rodeo Cowboy Association (ERCA) can’t be told without telling the story of it’s founder Alan Jacob. Alan was born in San Francisco, CA but raised on a ranch in John Day, OR. He enlisted in the US Navy at 17 and served 4 years during WWII in the Pacific theater. After his service, he was a freelance journalist and traveled the world. While in France during the late 1960’s, he got the idea to bring the sport of rodeo to Europe. In 1970 he landed a boat full of rodeo stock in Livorno, Italy and started a rodeo tour that crisscrossed Europe. Due to a lack of financing, this first attempt didn’t pan out and he had to sell all the stock to pay the bills. Early in 1971 after some discussion with a couple of soldiers stationed in Germany, Alan approached the Commander of US Army Europe and they agreed to back a new venture with proceeds going to the Army Morale Fund. Stock was procured and the first European Rodeo Association event was held in Berlin, Germany on 1 July 1971 under the banner of Rodeo USA. Keeping with the times, the association gained a new name during the 1980’s and is now known at the European Rodeo Cowboy Association.


The ERA/ERCA would hold rodeos all over Germany for the next 30+ years allowing over 30,000 military rodeo contestants to compete during that time. Alan’s home ranch in Otterberg, Germany was a second home to many military cowboys during their years in Europe. He took them under his wing and taught them how to ride as well as how to work on the ranch. Many of them became almost family to Alan. The hundreds of ERA/ERCA rodeos Alan produced generated over $1.2 million for the Army Morale Fund which provided other opportunities for service members stationed in Europe. Alan and the ERA/ERCA were ambassadors for military rodeo throughout Europe until his passing in 2003. Could someone else follow in his footsteps to reestablish rodeo in Europe?  We surely hope so.

Photo Gallery

Show More

ERA/ERCA Videos

ERCA Video - AFN report

Courtesy of Jerry and Carolyn Stewart

ERCA Video 2

Courtesy of Jerry and Carolyn Stewart

ERCA Video 3

Courtesy of Jerry and Carolyn Stewart

Help Build The Hall of Fame

 If you have documents, pictures or other military rodeo memorabilia, we would love to include it in our Hall of Fame.  Please email quality scans, pictures or other information to: militaryrodeohistory@gmail.com  

Copyright © 2018-2025 Military Rodeo Cowboy Hall Of Fame, P.O. Box 883, Globe, AZ 85502, US - All Rights Reserved  

Donations may be mailed to the PO Box Listed above.

Powered by

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept