The Adventures of Champion (TV series) of Champion". The radio serial told of young Ricky West (rather than Ricky North), who was raised on a ranch by his adoptive Uncle Sandy. Ricky was often accompanied by his German Shepherd, Rebel. Beginning in 1950, "The Gene Autry Show", a western/cowboy television series, aired for 91 episodes on CBS. "The Adventures of Champion" was a prime time spinoff for the 1955-1956 season. In real life, the Wonder Horse, Champion, was owned by Gene Autry who over many years owned a succession of celebrity horses bearing the same name. The horse starring in "The Adventures of Champion" was known
Gene Autry his Service Pilot rating in June 1944, serving as a C-109 transport pilot with the rank of flight officer. Assigned to a unit of the Air Transport Command, he flew as part of the dangerous airlift operation over the Himalayas between India and China, nicknamed the Hump. In 1942, at the height of his screen popularity, Autry had a string of rodeo stock based in Ardmore, Oklahoma. A year later, he became a partner in the World Championship Rodeo Company, which furnished livestock for many of the country's major rodeos. In 1954, he acquired Montana's top bucking string from the