Mike Tabor: the artist behind the Texan Rider

BY THOMAS ENGELBERT / Associate Producer

Tarleton State University’s campus is home to many cherished statues and landmarks, but few are as iconic as the Texan Rider, now standing proudly outside the Memorial Stadium. This powerful bronze figure, symbolizing school spirit and pride, was brought to life by renowned artist and Tarleton alumnus, Mike Tabor. 

The Texan Rider statue, now a focal point on campus, was a deeply personal project for Tabor. 

“We’ve never had kind of a life-like representation of the Texan Rider. It’s always been presented as a graphic,” Tabor said. “I told the university, I see that, this stadium is absolutely beautiful, but we need a, we need a rider out front of it. We need to make a statement.”

Tabor approached the project with a deep respect for tradition while embracing growth, all while managing a leukemia diagnosis from over eight years ago. Through daily medication, he continues to create and pursue his artistic vision.

 “I didn’t wanna reinvent the wheel,” Tabor said. 

Knowing what the Texan Rider had always looked like, he translated the familiar image into the lifelike figure that now stands on campus. Creating the statue was more than just a professional commission for him, it was an honor.

 “It means a lot to me, and then this being my alma mater, I really wanted to do something special,” Tabor said.

Before fully embracing his artistic career, Mike Tabor spent years managing a ranch in central Texas, Tabor had a brief job as a teacher and coach. He worked for the Calico Cattle Company, serving as a consultant for absentee landowners and managing his family’s ranch. His responsibilities ranged from livestock sales and pasture management to construction and fence design.

It was during his time as a rancher that Tabor would spend Sundays drawing cattle, a hobby that ultimately sparked his professional journey in art. 

“I would draw on Sunday afternoons just for entertainment. And my wife said that if you’re gonna do these drawings, well, you should try to sell them,” Tabor said. “And, so, I took a drawing I had done of a well-known big master bull up to the Fort Worth Stock Show. And that kinda led to doing some drawings for beef kettle publications and really got me into the professional art business.”

Tabor’s passion for art began in elementary school, where he discovered his love for visual arts, particularly pencil drawings. His early talent led him to sell a drawing of a well-known Beefmaster bull at the Fort Worth Stock Show. Though he started in 2D art, his path to sculpture began unexpectedly after the death of his close friend and sculptor, Dan Coates. Tasked with completing Coates’ unfinished bronze pieces, Tabor taught himself how to sculpt, launching a successful career in 3D art—something he initially found challenging but eventually embraced.

“And, so when I got started, I really had a lot of doubt and self-doubt,” Tabor said. “Anyway, it took me a long time to get to where I felt confident and comfortable with what I was doing.” Tobars wife pitches in “You’re also on a timeline of being a teacher.” “Yeah. At that time, I was still teaching and trying to meet deadlines in the sculpting business. It was a new experience for me,” Tobar said.

Despite his successful career, Tabor has faced personal health challenges in the past years with determination. 

“Everyone has something they have to deal with, and this just happens to be mine,” Tabor said. “It’s not easy, but it hasn’t stopped me from doing what I love.”