Gordon Thornock
Gordon and Dana Thornock moved to Cokeville in 1974. They moved to Cokeville from Morgan, Utah, where Gordon was a school teacher. After the move, Gordon continued to teach in Randolph for 2 more years before they bought the ranch they currently own and operate to this day.
Gordon was very actively involved in the Cokeville Rodeo when the church was running the program. He was a pickup man for 8 years, and supplied much of the rodeo stock they used for the rodeos. He supplied the yearlings for the Calf Riding, horses for the Bareback and Saddle Bronc, and he even brought in some bulls for the Bull Riding.
When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was running the Pioneer Day Celebration, much of the organization of the event fell upon the presiding Bishoprics. Gordon was Bishop of the Cokeville 2nd Ward, and he mentioned how much help his counselors Richard Cornia and Richard Roberts provided to him. He said, “They helped me out tremendously and I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Gordon recalled one particular moment in Cokeville Rodeo history that was quite the entertainment for the crowd. One of the years he was a pickup man, he decided to bring a younger colt along as his pickup horse. He figured the colt was far enough along that he could handle the job. Gordon said that the very first Bareback horse and rider that came out of the chutes headed straight for his newly-broken horse, and then HIS horse started bucking. So the Bareback rider was spurring his horse, and Gordon was doing his best to stay in the saddle. Finally, the rider finished his ride, but Gordon’s rein broke which ended with him on the arena floor.
Finally, Gordon mentioned how people used to come to the Texaco and were in need of gas. He would tell them, “Well…we’ve got a rodeo arena that could use some trash picked up and some weeds pulled. If you go down there and fill a garbage bag of trash…I will give you some gas.”
What a cool story that was!
Every contribution to the Cokeville Rodeo made a difference. Every person left their mark. Gordon, we remember the mark you left and everything you contributed to the Cokeville Pioneer Day Celebration.
Thank you.