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The American tradition of rodeo is kept alive by the Silver Spurs Riding Club and its dedicated volunteers. And the members’ service doesn’t stop after they finish running the concession stands, selling tickets, or working the livestock.

Every rodeo and community event is made possible by those who take time out of their personal lives to give back. In deep thanks for all they do each year, the Silver Spurs Riding Club Board celebrates some of its most dedicated volunteers with the tile of either a Coca-Cola Cowboy or a Women’s Lifetime Achievement winner. On this blog, we’d like to introduce you to two of this year’s recipients: James “Jimmy” Chapman and Leslie Chapman.Leslie Chapman was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved with her family to Kissimmee, Florida when she was in grade school. She began her married life with Jimmy Chapman after highschool, leaving the town life for his family’s cattle ranch. There she learned to ride a horse, drive tractors, gather cattle, and work them in the pens. She raised her children to work alongside their parents on the ranch, like the Chapman family has done for generations.

Jimmy Chapman was born and raised in Kissimmee. He dedicated his life to the family industry of breeding Brahman cattle and carried on this tradition with his own family on the Double C Bar Ranch. Jimmy has served as President of the Florida Brahman Association alongside his wife, Leslie, who served as secretary and President of the American Brahman Breeders Association. As the ranch diversified several years ago to now include a blueberry farm, Jimmy and Leslie still own and operate the Double C Bar Ranch. They pride themselves on the ranch and blueberry farm being family owned and operated by their grown children (RyAnne, Denton, Gibbs, and Clifton), with their spouses (Brandon, Michelle, Tiffany, and Ashleigh), and their grandchildren.

Leslie and Jimmy carried their hard working ethic to the Silver Spurs Riding Club and Silver Spurs Rodeo, where they have been volunteering for almost 50 years. Leslie worked the “cowboy” concessions stand until it was taken down, proudly served as the Round-Up Boss Secretary in 1979 and now will volunteer at the souvenir booth during the rodeo performances. Jimmy Chapman continued his family’s heritage with hard working leadership as he served as “Big Boss” for the Silver Spurs Riding Club in 1979. This position was also held by his own father “Chappy” Chapman in 1956, and now currently by his son Clifton Chapman.

The whole Chapman family has, and still is, a large part of the Silver Spurs Riding Club and the Silver Spurs Rodeo. Leslie and Jimmy’s four children and 12 grandchildren are very involved in the club to this day. Their son Clifton, aside from his Big Boss duties, also rides in the Adult Silver Spurs Quadrille, while his sons’ ride in the Peewee Quadrille. It’s an honor to recognize Jimmy and Leslie as one of our 2023 Coca-Cola Cowboy and Women’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

Watch more of our Silver Spurs Heritage Series videos on YouTube and check out our Event Schedule to stay up to date on our events coming up this summer.