Gary Levi Myrup has been an example of the traditional western cowboy lifestyle all of his life. His life has been one of public service and community involvement. From his cowboy hat, his ostrich boots, and his silver buckle to his deep cowboy drawl, his tales of by gone day, to his mischievous sense of humor, he is all country.
He was born an unlikely cowboy, but cowboy was in his genes. His father died when he was nine months old when a horse fell on him. Too soon gone was the influence which would probably have lead him into the cowboy world. His mother, of course, did all she could to discourage his love of horses and all things cowboy. By the time he was four or five years old, however, his fascination with and love for horses was not to be denied in any way. Until he got his first horse at twelve years old, he begged, borrowed, and all but stole any horse he could get his hands on to ride and to play with anytime and anywhere.
His mom and stepdad were finally worn down by the time he was twelve. For Christmas, his stepdad sold an antique gun to buy Gary a black, two year old filly he named Midnight. It was love and adventure from then on. Midnight had been started and their path had been determined. The two of them went everywhere all the time. She was his girl. He got jobs to pay for feed and upkeep. All of the responsibility was Gary’s and he rose to each challenge with enthusiasm. The Midnight and Gary team participated and competed in 4-H and FFA. She was only four years old when she got out and got hit by a truck late one December night. Friends came to the rescue as best they could. After she finally recovered from the accident, she could no longer be ridden so Gary bred her and raised seven foals which he started and sold. During this time he acquired several other horses all of which were his sole responsibility.
Sego Lily was-the next great love of his life. He bought her from an elderly man whose horses Gary fed, trained, and cared for. Sego Lily was one of a kind for Gary. She ran on the race track, competed in 4-H shows, won events at riding club competitions, and was a great calf roping horse which was a passion for the two of them. Gary can tell stories about practicing on goats in the field and competitions they were in for hours.
Gary attended school in Gunnison, Utah. He was active in 4-H and FFA (Future Farmers of America), and held local and state offices and leadership positions. He was a member of the Utah State Horse Program Championship 4-H Team, represented Utah at the American Youth Foundation Leadership Camp in Michigan. He was awarded the Standard Oil of California Scholarship to the college of his choosing. Gary was an Eagle Scout, FFA State Farmer, member of the livestock judging team, Chairman of the Parliamentary Procedure Team, and a representative to the National FFA Convention.
Gary attended Dixie College, Snow College, and Utah State University. He participated in College Rodeo. He is or has also been a member of RMRA (Rocky Mountain Rodeo Association), NIRA (National Inter-Collegiate Rodeo Association), UPOA (Utah Peace Officers Association), AQHA (American QuarterHorse Association), USWRCA (Utah State Western Riding Club Association). He received Certificates of Appreciation/Recognition from County and State fair boards, a Pride Award for outstanding service to CUCF, the Snow College Distinguished Alumni Community Service Award, and various other certificates and recognitions over the years. He loves to tell the details of these accomplishments.
In l971, at just 21 years old, he was the Gunnison City Police Chief with all of the responsibilities of small town law enforcement. About five years later, in 1976, Gary took a position at Burns Saddlery in Salina, Utah. He did tack and saddle repair and leather goods manufacturing; working his way up to Assistant Manager. During this time he was also a farrier all around Central Utah often working until after dark. When getting a horse shoer when he needed one became difficult, Gary began shoeing his own horses. He continued shoeing horses on the side for about 30 years. Dan and Donna Burns became like family to him. Gary trained, cared for, and shod many of Dan’s race horses and they had many adventurers together with those horses. Gary still tells stories about their escapades and about horses he shod at the race track and for certain individuals all over Central Utah.
In 1980, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Sanpete County Fair. During the 14 years of this assignment, he introduced the Demolition Derby which is still a huge event in the county, added the Junior Livestock Auction to benefit the youth of the County, brought in major country music stars to the Fair, Snow College, and KMTI, the local radio station, made many positive changes, facility improvements, and made the fair a profitable enterprise for the first time ever. During this appointment; Gary became associated with rodeo producer, Clegg Championship Rodeos. Danny and Georgia Clegg and their kids became family as well. From broncs to bulls, from fighting bulls to grand entries, from triumphs to tragedies. Gary was a rodeo judge, a stock handler, and even a pick up man. They were in it all. There are stories upon stories Gary still loves to tell.
Success with the Sanpete County Fair led to an appointment to the Utah State Fair Board for two terms by Governor Norman Bangerter and again by Governor Mike Levitt. During those nine years his assignments covered the Junior Livestock Show & Sale, PRCA Rodeo, the Horse Shows, and Grandstand Entertainment. It was one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences in Gary’s life. He loves to tell stories of his experiences and people he met and knew.
In 1993, Gary was hired by Weber County to be the Director of the newly constructed Golden Spike Arena. As with many government positions, he fell victim to politics and returned to Gunnison to become the Assistant Manager for IFA in Salina, Utah, where he remained until 1999 when he became a Correctional Officer at the Central Utah Correctional Facility from where he retired in 2011. Since then, he has kept riding with his wife and friends as much as he can and still cares for his horses every day. Gary is an encyclopedia of knowledge about the rodeo world and rodeo competitors. He has had season tickets for the NFR, National Finals Rodeo, and has not missed a performance in 37 years. At ten performances a year, that is 370 nights of rodeo. He has also helped hundreds of people since 1985 to attend the NFR. He can tell stories all day long about rodeo.
Gary is a story teller among story tellers. He knows more trivia about rodeo, classic country music, and classic country music stars than could be stored in several books. There are no strangers in his life. He can start a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime. He can recite Baxter Black cowboy poetry for hours. He is a man of integrity, compassion, and heart.
Among the blessings in his life, Gary counts his children, step children, grandchildren great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He counts his wife, Rita, twice. He loves his dogs, horses, and many friends. Life has sometimes been rough, but it has turned out to be well worth it. Yep. From his hat to his boots and all the way through the middle, Gary Myrup is what the western lifestyle and cowboy way is all about.