Hubert Latimer “Tex” Smith (1921-2002)
2014 Legacy Inductee District 12
Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center
Hubert Latimer Smith, known as “Tex” was born January 21, 1921 at Amarillo, Texas to Hubert
L. Smith and Margaret (Williams) Smith. Tex was raised on the family’s ranch at Dillon,
Montana. He worked as a Ranch Cowboy (riding the big circle) for several Montana ranches.
His love of horses followed Tex his entire life. He was always well mounted and loved to
"match" race his favorite horse at rodeos and fairs. He trained horses and bought, sold, and
traded thousands of horses. Tex was proud to be a cowboy and practiced the “cowboy way”
throughout his life.
Tex started his rodeo career in the late thirties and continued to compete until hanging up his
spurs in 1993 at the age of 72. Tex competed in rodeos from Salt Lake City to Calgary, from
Pendleton to Omaha and many places in between....winning some and losing some. At Omaha,
Nebraska he won a go around in bulldogging and placed in calf roping. At the Calgary Stampede
he made the calf roping finals and placed there. Some of his special memories included winning
the all-around at Missoula in 1945 and the calf roping at Dillon in 1950. He won bulldogging in
Red Lodge, Helena and Dillon. Tex competed in calf roping, bulldogging and team roping. In
his younger years he rode the rough stock including the bull riding, the bareback bucking horses
and the saddle broncs.
Tex was a member of the Cowboy Turtles, the Rodeo Cowboys Association, and a Gold Card
holder with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He was a member of the Senior Pro
Rodeo Association. He was also a member of the Idaho Amateur Rodeo Association and the
Montana Amateur Rodeo Association.
Tex passed away July 8, 2002, at Dillon, Montana and is buried at Dillon.