‘Ultimate Cowboy Showdown’ Contestant Jackson Taylor Dies In Rodeo Accident

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Jackson Taylor, a contestant on Season 2 of “Ultimate Cowboy Showdown,” died Saturday (July 22) following a rodeo accident.

Jackson Taylor, 33, was competing in the Working Ranch Cowboys Association-sanctioned Estancia Valley Ranch Rodeo in Moriarty, New Mexico, when he fell during a bronc ride. The fall resulted in Jackson landing wrong, causing him to suffer neck injuries. He later died.

Taylor, a Lockney, Texas, native, was a contestant on the popular INSP channel reality competition, “Ultimate Cowboy Showdown,” in 2021. The competition, a cowboy-themed elimination show hosted by Trace Adkins, finished filming its fourth season, an all-star season, earlier this year. Jackson appeared on the all-star season that is scheduled to debut September 6.

 

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Doug Butts, Executive Vice-President of Programming at INSP, said in a statement that the season will air as scheduled.

“Jackson was the quintessential cowboy. He was an exceptional horseman, rugged, talented, aggressive, experienced, a maverick, a tough competitor, and a devoted friend. Everyone at INSP feels a profound loss and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the cowboy community as you grieve his death and remember his life,” Butts wrote.

“Since season four completed filming in the spring of 2023, Jackson plays prominently throughout numerous episodes. We feel that airing the season, as planned, beginning Wednesday, September 6^th, is the most fitting way to honor him and provide viewers and the cowboy community with a moving tribute to the man and his legacy.”

Other cast members and host Trace Adkins took to social media to remember the cowboy who died doing what he loved. See some of the tributes below.

 

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Who is Jackson Taylor?

Jackson Taylor was a fifth-generation Texas panhandle cowboy. Known as an experienced ranch hand, Taylor worked on some of the largest operating ranches in Texas, New Mexico, and Montana. A daredevil by nature, “Jackson’s wild personality wasn’t just talking; he walked the walk.”

Jackson Taylor will be laid to rest at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, July 29, 2023, at the Grey Mule Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 28, 2023, at Moore-Rose Funeral Home in Lockney, Texas.

See Jackson Taylor talk about life after “Ultimate Cowboy Showdown” in the clip below. And tune into INSP in September to see Jackson Taylor compete on Season 4 of “Ultimate Cowboy Showdown.”