Russell “Pinky” Walters was raised on a farming/cattle operation outside of Lingle. He participated in 4-H and FFA throughout his school years. He started riding bulls at the age of 16, much to his parent’s disapproval. Pinky attended Eastern Wyoming College for a while, but chose to pursue professional rodeo instead. Pinky worked at the Torrington Livestock sale barn in order to pursue his passion of bull riding. He also worked for the Joel Teeters Ranch, west of Lingle, calving out heifers. After getting married in 1975, Pinky continued to ranch, farm, and raise cattle. He did day work for several ranchers in the area and also continued to work at Torrington Livestock. He has worked in sale barns, five different feedlots riding pens, sorting and doctoring cattle, and managed several ranches, including a registered Hereford ranch in northern Wyoming and a Brangus cow ranch in eastern Texas, and for
Oppenheimer Cattle Co. as a livestock inspector. He also served as the rodeo coach for Laramie County Community College. He was a founder of the WCHF.