FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame Announces Jean Roach and Patrick Gottsch as 2026 Jo & Holt Hickman Legacy Award Recipients
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame is proud to announce Jean Roach and the late Patrick Gottsch as recipients of the 2026 Jo & Holt Hickman Legacy Award.
The awards will be presented during a luncheon on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Hotel Drover in the Fort Worth Stockyards. The event is presented by the Norris Foundation and JJ & Bobby Norris, with Hotel Drover serving as the Luncheon Sponsor.
Established in honor of Jo and Holt Hickman, the Legacy Award recognizes individuals whose vision, leadership, generosity, and commitment to community have created a lasting impact. Through their dedication to serving others, strengthening communities, and creating opportunities for future generations, Roach and Gottsch embody the vision, generosity, and commitment to community that define the Hickman legacy.
“It is very rewarding, now in the award’s third year, to continue shining a spotlight on individuals whose generosity and commitment to Fort Worth reflect the legacy of Jo and Holt Hickman,” said Pam Minick, Vice President of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and founder of the Jo & Holt Hickman Legacy Award.
Roach is widely respected throughout Fort Worth for her visionary leadership, collaborative spirit, and lifelong commitment to service. Her impact spans education, healthcare, the arts, and philanthropy, with contributions that have strengthened organizations and created lasting opportunities for generations of families. Together with her late husband, John V. Roach, she also provided valued counsel and support during the growth of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Gottsch was a visionary entrepreneur whose life’s work transformed how the stories of rural America are shared. As founder of RFD Network, he created trusted media platforms celebrating agriculture, Western sports, country music, and rural communities. His leadership created opportunities for farmers, ranchers, rodeo athletes, musicians, and agricultural leaders while helping preserve their traditions for future generations. His impact on Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Stockyards remains significant and lasting.
Complete biographies for both recipients are included with this release.
Event Information
The 2026 Jo & Holt Hickman Legacy Awards Luncheon will be held Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Hotel Drover in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., with lunch and the awards program beginning at noon.
Proceeds from the luncheon benefit the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and support its mission to honor and preserve the stories, achievements, and lasting legacies of those who have shaped Texas and the Western way of life.
Sponsorship opportunities, reserved tables, and individual tickets are available. Seating is limited.
For sponsorship information or tickets, visit TCHOF.com or contact Andrea Ruby at andrea@texascowboyhalloffame.org.
About the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame
The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame honors individuals and organizations whose achievements and contributions have strengthened rodeo, ranching, Western business, entertainment, and the Western way of life. Since its founding, more than 200 honorees have been recognized for their lasting impact on Texas and Western heritage.
The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame is currently undergoing an extensive expansion and reimagination in the Fort Worth Stockyards. When complete, the Hall of Fame will offer new opportunities to share the stories, achievements, and lasting legacies of its honorees with future generations.
Media Contact
Andrea Ruby
Executive Director
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame
andrea@texascowboyhalloffame.org
Jean Roach
Jean Roach is an icon in the Fort Worth community, widely respected for her visionary leadership, collaborative spirit, and unwavering commitment to serving others. Guided by her belief in “leaving everything better than you found it,” she has dedicated her life to strengthening the city through meaningful and lasting contributions.
Her impact spans the arts, healthcare, education, and philanthropy, where her leadership and generosity have helped shape Fort Worth in profound ways. Among her most significant contributions is the creation of the KinderFrogs School at TCU. When approached by a group of young mothers seeking support for children with Down Syndrome, Jean recognized a critical gap in resources and boldly proposed the creation of a full-time preschool program. In less than six months, she secured a $1.5 million challenge grant and additional funding to bring the vision to life. Today, KinderFrogs School at TCU stands as a nationally recognized program, transforming the lives of countless children and families.
A lifelong member of Tri Delta, Jean’s commitment to the organization spans more than 60 years of leadership, mentorship, and service. Her influence reaches from Tri Delta’s Foundation to its philanthropic partnership with Cook Children’s, and to generations of young women at Texas Christian University. In recognition of her extraordinary service and dedication, she was awarded Tri Delta’s highest honor, the Ernestine Block Grigsby Award. She is also a Sustaining member of the Junior League of Fort Worth, where her dedication has earned her the organization’s Sustainer of the Year honor, along with continued service in advisory roles for Christmas in Cowtown and as an Honorary Chair of the Grand Entry Gala.
Known for her integrity, humility, and steady leadership, Jean is fully invested in every endeavor she undertakes—offering not just her name, but her time, energy, and insight. At the invitation of Jo and Holt Hickman, Jean and her late husband, John V. Roach, lent their counsel and support during the growth of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, contributing to its development and long-term vision. Today, Jean and her son-in-law, Tull Bailey, continue that commitment as valued members of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
Together, Jean and John have been devoted champions for Fort Worth and Texas Christian University, leaving an enduring legacy of leadership and service.
In the spirit of Jo and Holt Hickman—whose legacy is defined by vision, generosity, and a deep commitment to community—Jean Roach embodies those same values, making her a fitting and distinguished recipient of the Hickman Legacy Award.
Patrick Gottsch
Patrick Gottsch was a visionary entrepreneur whose life's work transformed how the stories of rural America are shared. As the founder of RFD Network, he built trusted media brands that celebrated agriculture, western sports, country music, and the people and values that define rural life.
Raised on his family's farm in Elkhorn, Nebraska, Patrick's firsthand understanding of rural America shaped a lifelong mission: to ensure the people, traditions, and industries that sustain rural communities were seen, heard, and valued. His experience in agriculture and later as a commodity broker gave him a unique perspective on the needs of farmers and ranchers, ultimately inspiring his vision to create a national media platform dedicated to serving them.
In 2000, Patrick launched RFD-TV with a bold vision to create the nation's first television network dedicated exclusively to rural America. From that singular idea, he built a family of media brands reaching millions of homes nationwide, including RFD-TV, Cowboy Channel, Cowboy+, Cowgirl Channel, Rural Radio on SiriusXM, and RFD+, while remaining steadfast in his commitment to authentic storytelling and the communities he served.
Patrick's impact on Fort Worth is both significant and lasting. RFD Network has had a presence in the Fort Worth Stockyards for years, and has continued to champion the district's role as a national destination for western heritage and culture.
Through RFD-TV and numerous other ventures, Patrick created new opportunities for farmers, ranchers, rodeo athletes, musicians, agricultural leaders, and rural communities. His work preserved cherished traditions while introducing them to new audiences, ensuring they remained relevant for future generations.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Patrick believed deeply in family, faith, and community. He brought his daughters into the business early, mentoring and empowering them to become the next generation of leaders. Today, his legacy lives on through Gatsby Gottsch Solheim and Raquel Gottsch Koehler, who lead RFD Network and continue his commitment to serving rural America through authentic storytelling, innovation, and community.
Those who knew Patrick remember not only his entrepreneurial vision but also his generosity, optimism, and unwavering belief in the people and communities he served. Patrick's legacy is measured not only by the institutions he built, but by the lives, communities, and traditions he strengthened along the way. We are honored to recognize his extraordinary contributions with the Hickman Legacy Award.
