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Roy Cooper, the ProRodeo Hall of Famer known as the “Super Looper,” tragically died at age 69 when his North Texas home was engulfed in flames on Tuesday evening.

The fire occurred near Decatur, Texas, with the Wise County Fire Marshal confirming details the following day.

“Wise County EMS Rescue-1 and Decatur Fire Department arrived on the scene approximately seven minutes [later] and observed a single-family residence heavily involved in fire,” said Wise County Fire Marshal Jeff Doughty in a press release.

“They immediately started to extinguish the fire and were notified that a victim may still be inside the residence.”

Cooper's body was discovered after firefighters put out the flames. The Tarrant County Arson Task Force and Texas Rangers are currently investigating the fire’s cause. No other injuries were reported.

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Roy Cooper: A Career of Rodeo Greatness

Cooper’s rodeo career was legendary. He burst onto the scene by qualifying for his first National Finals Rodeo as a rookie and quickly became a world champion.

• Eight World Championships, including:
  • Six tie-down roping titles
  • One steer-roping title
  • One all-around championship (1983)

In 1983, Cooper achieved the rare “triple crown” of professional rodeo by winning three gold buckles in a single year—a feat accomplished by only 10 athletes.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) named Cooper its Rookie of the Year in 1976.
He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.

He also earned spots in the National Rodeo Hall of Fame, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.

A Legacy Passed to His Sons

Cooper’s passion for rodeo continued through his family. After moving to Childress, Texas in 1990, he mentored young ropers and hosted a junior world roping championship each Fourth of July weekend.

In 2010, Cooper experienced a proud father’s dream.

“One of my greatest memories is when Tuf, Clint, and Clif all qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in the same year,” Cooper said. “That was the triple crown for me.”

His son Tuf Cooper is a four-time PRCA World Champion, holding three tie-down roping titles and an all-around title from 2017.

Tributes from Family and Friends

Tuf confirmed his father's death in a heartfelt post:

“It is with great sadness that our family shares the passing of our dad, The Super Looper, Roy Cooper,” he said. “We're all in shock and at a loss for words from this tragedy at the moment.”

Country music legend George Strait, a long-time fan, shared his grief on X:

“We lost our good friend and my hero, Roy Cooper, yesterday.”

Cooper once shared that he met Strait shortly after a rodeo win in the early 1980s, before his triple crown triumph.

More coverage is available via MSN and People.