Boots, grit and glory: Pink Mountain cowboy rides into Hall of Fame

Daryl Mills of Pink Mountain was honoured at the Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo on Sunday, April 20, alongside Gene Allen of Kispiox, and the late Mervin (Merv) Churchill of Falkland who were inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Submitted photo

A write-up for Daryl Mills was provided to the Alaska Highway News.

Daryl Mills was inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame in the category of a Cowboy who has done well in Cowboy Sports and contributed to the betterment of rodeo or other horse-related sports.

In 1987, the BC High School Rodeo Champion in bull riding and bareback, Daryl Mills, began his rodeo career as he represented B.C in Pueblo, CO, at the National High School Finals Rodeo.

Mills achieved the NRA and FCA Bull Riding Champion title in the amateur leagues in 1989, before he rode his way in 1990 to the professional rodeo world in the CPRA.

In his first year pro, he received the award ‘Rookie of the Year’ as he walked away the Canadian Bull Riding Champion.

Mills was forced to step away in 1991 due to an injury but made a big return in 1992 when he asserted himself as the CPRA Bull Riding Champion as well as a qualifier for the NFR in Vegas.

Mills won the bull riding average at the NFR in 1993, setting a record for the most money won at the time ($74,112) in the bull riding event according to nationalcowboy.org

But it was in 1994 at the NFR where Mills won the bull riding world title and following the 10th round at the NFR, Mills retired as a competitor as he had achieved his rodeo goals.

His contributions to the founding of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Association were recognized as he was awarded the PBR Ring of Fire in 2002 and was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2006 for his excellence in rodeo.

The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, and Mills’ children became rodeo competitors themselves, which inevitably brought Mills back into the rodeo world.

For more than a decade, he has been key in growing and building the BC High School Rodeo Association while holding such positions as National Director and President before retiring in 2024.