Pioneer Rodeo Figure. She is recognized as one of the first woman to pursue the sport of rodeo full-time, and becoming a multiple champion, according to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. She was raised on a ranch in Union, Oregon, and learned to ride from her brothers. When she was 16 years old, she started attending rodeos and developed a serious interest in competing. She soon began competing locally as a bronco rider and was the first woman from Union County, Oregon to ride full-time. During her career, she rode in the rodeo circuit and also joined three different wild west shows. Her first big win was in 1912 at the Pendleton Round-Up championship, placing first in the cowgirl relay race, and in Great Falls, Montana, she placed third. In 1913, at the Pendleton rodeo, she won the "World Relay Racing Championship." In 1914, at the Frontier Days in Walla Walla, Washington, she placed first in relay races, and later that year she competed at Madison Square Garden. Hoot Gibson, a rodeo performer and actor, approached her while she was there and urged her to move to Hollywood to pursue acting. She declined it because she wanted to travel more, but later in life regretted not trying. In 1916, she placed third in bronc riding at the world championships in Pendleton and again placed second in bronc riding in 1918. The same year, she joined the Irwin Bros. Wild West Show and toured the country, competing in relay races, bronc riding, and trick riding. She was one of the star performers in the show, along with Prairie Rose, Florence LaDue, Lone Star May, Fox Hastings, and the Irwin girls, Pauline, Joella, and Francis. In 1922, in Union City, she won first place in bronc riding in both the men's and women's events. At the 1922 and 1923 Dallas Rodeos in Oregon, she won first place in the girls' bronc riding. From 1926 to 1932, she rode for two other Wild Wild Shows. She retired in 1932 and never once during her career was bucked off a bronco. She was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1982 and the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame in 2009.
Pioneer Rodeo Figure. She is recognized as one of the first woman to pursue the sport of rodeo full-time, and becoming a multiple champion, according to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. She was raised on a ranch in Union, Oregon, and learned to ride from her brothers. When she was 16 years old, she started attending rodeos and developed a serious interest in competing. She soon began competing locally as a bronco rider and was the first woman from Union County, Oregon to ride full-time. During her career, she rode in the rodeo circuit and also joined three different wild west shows. Her first big win was in 1912 at the Pendleton Round-Up championship, placing first in the cowgirl relay race, and in Great Falls, Montana, she placed third. In 1913, at the Pendleton rodeo, she won the "World Relay Racing Championship." In 1914, at the Frontier Days in Walla Walla, Washington, she placed first in relay races, and later that year she competed at Madison Square Garden. Hoot Gibson, a rodeo performer and actor, approached her while she was there and urged her to move to Hollywood to pursue acting. She declined it because she wanted to travel more, but later in life regretted not trying. In 1916, she placed third in bronc riding at the world championships in Pendleton and again placed second in bronc riding in 1918. The same year, she joined the Irwin Bros. Wild West Show and toured the country, competing in relay races, bronc riding, and trick riding. She was one of the star performers in the show, along with Prairie Rose, Florence LaDue, Lone Star May, Fox Hastings, and the Irwin girls, Pauline, Joella, and Francis. In 1922, in Union City, she won first place in bronc riding in both the men's and women's events. At the 1922 and 1923 Dallas Rodeos in Oregon, she won first place in the girls' bronc riding. From 1926 to 1932, she rode for two other Wild Wild Shows. She retired in 1932 and never once during her career was bucked off a bronco. She was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1982 and the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame in 2009.
Bio by: Debbie Gibbons
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