CLN’s PRCA Celebrity of the Month: Hal Earnhardt

Cowboy Lifestyle Network’s Official Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Celebrity of the Month is a Pro Rodeo champion team roper, Hal Earnhardt.

Hal started team roping with his father, Tex Earnhardt, when he was very young. In fact, he and his father still rope at the same property today in Chandler, Arizona.

Hal started competing in Jr. Rodeo when he was 5 years old. Meanwhile, Hal and Tex started roping in Arizona Junior Rodeo Association (AJRA) sanctioned rodeos.
Overtime, he gradually progressed up the ranks as he learned from the very best in the sport of rodeo.

At the age of 22, Hal had to take a break from his roping career for about 15 years or so to work for an extremely prominent business in Arizona his father Tex founded 63 years ago, Earnhardt Auto Centers.

During this time, their business had a few economic slides, especially with the war and the 1973 oil crisis.
Subsequently, Tex needed help as business started to change and Hal stepped up to the plate and worked extremely hard to push through an uncertain economic time in America.

Hal then married the love of his life and started a family with four beautiful children.

Today Hal has helped elevate Earnhardt Auto to the #1 dealership in Arizona with 17 locations, 15 brands and 1,000’s of vehicles.

“When you got the likes of Jake Barnes and Corey Petska, along with Derrick Begay and Cesar de la Cruz, and the rest of them in the Turquoise Circuit, it’s a really tough environment, said Hal Earnhardt.”

As a result, Hal has had a profound team roping career as a header along with his partner, Victor Aros (Heeling).

Hal Earnhardt and Victor Aros have walked away with victories at Pro Rodeos, such as, Payson Rodeo and they even made it a couple years ago to Las Cruces, New Mexico for the Turquoise Circuit Finals Rodeo and placed amongst the top four.

It is very apparent that Hal loves what he does and gives everything he does 100%.
Indeed, the reason Tex and Hal do what they do because they absolutely love the sport, they love animals and specifically because it is instilled in their business.

“Work is still being around rodeo. Every time we go to a function, we end up glad-handing our people about a car or truck. We sell vehicles to the cowboy fraternity all over the country. I handle a lot of these cowboys. They will fly in from all around the nation just to come in and deal with us because we give them that world-class service, which they deserve.” – Hal Earnhardt

For instance, Hal Earnhardt sold Erich Rodgers another truck last week. Also, he has sold trucks to Cesar de la Cruz and Corey Petska.
Similarly, Earnhardt’s provide hands-down, the best service in the world and it is no secret amongst those in the Western industry.
As a result, cowboys and cowgirls always look to Earnhardt’s for the very best customer service, vehicle maintenance, parts and accessories.

CLN’s Exclusive interview with Hal Earnhardt:

Aaron: Have you always been a Header?

Hal: “Yes sir. I have heeled quite a bit too, but I tend to head. I roped calves and team roped early on and I probably got my bad back from trying to ride bareback horses and stuff. But yeah that’s basically my thing, there is nothing like it.”

Aaron: When did you partner up with Victor Aros?

Hal: “Around 5 years ago. The year before, Victor went to the National Finals Rodeo. In fact, back then he used to travel and rope with the Indian Cowboy and PRCA champion Team Roper, Derrick Begay, for a couple of years.”

“Outside of the rodeo arena our teamwork is also very effective. Since I have to have flexibility to conduct business and work, Victor is able to help do the things I can’t do when I am at the office, such as, maintaining the ranch.”

“It makes it nice that if I need to be in Yuma today because if we are up tonight and I am working here at the dealership, Victor will drive the horses to the rodeo grounds. Meanwhile, Tex and I can fly down if we are on a time crunch. We’ll rope, then he will drive the horses back at two in the morning.”

Aaron: Where’s the next rodeo stop going to be for you and Victor? 

Hal: “Payson rodeo. Being here in Arizona, there are two Payson rodeos, one in the spring and one in the summer. We won the summer rodeo in 2011 and we were 2nd place the year before last.”

Aaron: What is your favorite PRCA rodeo that you have competed in?

Hal: “Cheyenne Frontier Days. It’s the Daddy of Em’ All, the score, the cattle and everything there, plus there is 30,000 fans in a rodeo arena like you’ve never seen.”

“We went there 3 years ago and did very well. Even though we didn’t win we placed, it was an amazing experience and I would love to go back.”

“But I can’t count out California Rodeo Salinas and I love going to the ones here in Arizona. In Payson, I have a residence there so its kind of a hometown deal, so it was a treat to win Payson Pro Rodeo.”

“And I love Prescott in the summer too, Prescott Frontier Days is just a great rodeo with tons of history.”

“In fact, Tex has some friends that are involved in the World’s Oldest Rodeo committee, such as, 1981 World Champion Bareback Rider J.C. Trujillo.”

“And now we are in business there in Prescott with Earnhardt Liberty Kia.”

Aaron: Would you say Cheyenne Frontier Days is your favorite memory as a team roper?

Hal: “Yeah, Cheyenne is great because of the conditions, all of the history there and the town itself, its just history galore. I am kind of a history buff too.”

Aaron: What is your favorite buckle that you have won?

Hal: “I would have to think back, because the best of anything always has to do with family. Tex and I won multiple buckles back in my Jr. Roping days and I would have to say it is that. Because you just can’t take away those memories.”

“And another buckle that is nice, which brings back sad memories to a point, is a memorable buckle that I won from World Champion and Hall of Fame Bull Rider Charles Sampson’s event that benefited his son’s severe health condition. I still have it and every time you pick it up that buckle you think of that. It’s the same thing as family with that unique and irreplaceable buckle.”

Aaron: Lastly, what are some of your horse names?

Hal: “Little Casino, Lari, Christina Ale Vera and Bader, who I actually named after my son-in-law and UFC star, Ryan Bader.”

The CLN community would like to thank Hal Earnhardt for keeping the cowboy lifestyle alive by supporting rodeo as much as he does and for giving back to all the rodeo associations that he continues to participate in.

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