Longtime veterinarian Eddie Taylor keeps coming back to Tucson Rodeo

Wearing a gray vest over a crisp, red plaid button-down shirt and a black cowboy hat, 66-year-old Eddie Taylor watched Monday’s La Fiesta de los Vaqueros from a different perspective.

Taylor, Tucson Rodeo’s longtime veterinarian, sat with a friend and watched the timed events from the grandstand. As he watched the tie-down event, his eyes were on each contestant, their horse and the calf.

Taylor typically does animal blood tests, signs off on travel forms and is available for any animal-related emergencies.

During the competition itself, Taylor allows himself to be a fan.

“How could you beat this?” Taylor said of the Tucson Rodeo. “The PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) requires a DVM on site, but I honestly do very little. I’ve got the best seat in the house.”

Taylor got involved with the rodeo almost by accident. A former professor sought out Taylor in the Gilbert area in 1988, and told the new vet about the job opening at the rodeo. Would he be interested?

“I said ‘sure,’” Taylor said.

His duties grew to involve other in-state rodeos. Tucson remains his favorite — so much so that Taylor remained committed even after moving to Colorado seven years ago. This year, Taylor brought his 31-year-old daughter with him.

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Brianne Taylor, also a DVM, is seeking her doctorate degree in forensics from Texas A&M.

Brianne squeezed in some study time at the hotel before catching her flight back to Texas on Monday.

Taylor grew up in Payson surrounded by horses and cattle, but said he never really thought about animal medicine growing up. It wasn’t until a friend’s horse got hurt when Taylor was at college in Plano, Texas, that it all clicked for him.

“We were totally helpless. And then I got the bug right there,” Taylor said.

Taylor said he doesn’t know when he’ll stop, but he knows he will have to step down from being the rodeo’s DVM at some point.

“I can’t put a time limit on it,” he said. “I think I’m just going wake up some day and say, ‘You know what? I don’t want to go anymore.’”

Don’t count on that happening for a while. The Tucson Rodeo committee treats Taylor well, and the doctor has a history with many of the people working the event.

“There’s so much history with this rodeo, and this rodeo arena is just tops,” Taylor said. “It’s just the people. I love Tucson. It’s a great town. They run an exceptional rodeo and everyone that comes here to work it says that.”