Phillip Morris Lyne Obituary, COTULLA, Texas — Phillip Morris Lyne, 79, of Cotulla, Texas, passed away peacefully at his home on the Baylor Ranch surrounded by loved ones on August 14, 2026. Born January 18, 1947, in San Antonio, Texas, Lyne grew up on his family’s ranch in Live Oak County and became one of the most accomplished cowboys in professional rodeo history.
Lyne commenced competing at just four years old and continued pursuing excellence in the arena throughout his life. Before turning professional, he won youth and high school championships and captured two National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association titles while attending Southwest Texas State University in 1968 and 1969. His amateur career included five championships and 42 saddles.
Lyne joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1969 and at once made an impact by winning Rookie of the Year. His ability to compete successfully without relying on a single horse became one of the defining features of his career. During one season, he competed in calf roping events using 91 different horses, demonstrating the adaptability and skill that aided distinguish him from his peers.
In 1971, Lyne won both the All-Around World Championship and the Calf Roping World Championship. He repeated the achievement in 1972, when he also won the National Finals Rodeo averages in calf roping and bull riding. That year, he entered 126 rodeos in 12 months and established a new single-season earnings record of $60,852.
Lyne’s accomplishments extended beyond the rodeo arena. He co-starred with fellow rodeo champion Larry Mahan in The Great American Cowboy, a 1974 Disney documentary that won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film brought the world of professional rodeo and its leading competitors to a broader audience.
At 27, Lyne retired from professional rodeo and returned to Cotulla, where he focused on ranching and raising his two daughters, Amanda and Samantha, with his wife, Sarah Kay. Eighteen years later, he returned to competition and, in 1990 at age 43, won the world championship in steer roping, earning the fifth world championship of his career.
Lyne’s legacy was honored by La Salle County, which described him as a true Texas legend, a proud representative of the county and an inspiration to generations of cowboys and rodeo fans. His relatives and local area remembered not only his championships and accomplishments but also his character, determination and dedication to the cowboy way of life. He is survived by his wife, Sarah, and daughters Amanda and Samantha, along with relatives, friends and countless rodeo fans who will remember his remarkable career. The condolences of the local area go out to all who mourn his passing. Ride on, Cowboy.
Originally published at Obituary News Trendy.
