Chick was born in Knippa, Tx. and grew up in Bell County. He graduated from Salado High School and attended Tarleton State University. He started rodeoing at the age of 14, riding bulls and bareback horses. He entered amateur rodeos for several years and then joined the PRCA in 1971.
Chick qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in Bareback Riding for 6 consecutive years (1975 through 1980). He narrowly missed winning the world title at the National Finals Rodeo in 1976 by a few secondsand finished 3rd in the world standings for 1976 and 1977. He was known for his consistent style that made Bareback Riding look smooth & easy. In 1978 he was the Bareback Riding Champion at Calgary Stampede, Canada.
Other rodeos where Elms won the Bareback Riding were Belton 4th of July Rodeo, Dodge City, Waco, Colorado Springs, San Antonio & Sikestan, MO, to name a few. He competed in the 1983 Presidential Rodeo in Washington D.C. honoring President Ronald Reagan.
He served on the Board of Directors for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn. in 1983-1984 and also in1983 won the Stephenville Chamber of Commerce Ambassador-At-Large Award for bringing recognition to the Cross Timbers area.
1996 he was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in Belton, TX. He served several years on the Board of Directors for the Erath County Livestock Assn.
Chick currently resides in Stephenville, TX and is owner of Chick Elms Rodeo Shop and Grand Entry Western Store.
