Bob Bessey

1940 -
Riverton

Bob Bessey was born June 27, 1940, in Riverton. His dad, Lyle Bessey, was a livestock trucker who brought mustangs home for Bob to break and train. This was the beginning of Bob’s true passion, riding and training horses. At 13-14 years old, he shod his first horse in exchange for payment to the local veterinarian for a cast he had put on one of Bob’s horses. This took all day as Bob had to ride his horse there and back while carrying his shoeing tools, including a small anvil. One of Bob’s first jobs was in the Big Horn Mountains. In 1961, Bob went to work at the CM Ranch in Dubois. While there he married Rayola Weber. This year they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Together they have three children, Barbara, Brad, and Jeanne. For the next 54 years Bob would be in the saddle working on various cattle and horse ranches as well as hunting outfitters from Dubois to Lysite to Atlantic City. Among the ranches where he worked were Davison Brothers, Croft Sheep Company, Woolery Quarter Horse Ranch, Fairfield Ranches, Lazy TY Cattle Company, Campbell Cattle Company, and Red Canyon Cattle Company.