Rodeo
Contrary to what most people believe, Barrel Racing was not the beginning of women in rodeo. Where it all really began was in 1885 with Annie Oakley in the Buffalo Bill show. Annie was the very first female wild west star, and she helped open rodeos to women everywhere.
Rodeo thrived until events such as the Great Depression, World War I, and the mechanization of farming drove rodeo nearly to extinction. For a while, rodeos only continued in the Boston Gardens Rodeo and the Madison Square Gardens Rodeo.
In the 1920's, Col. William T. Johnson brought rodeo back to life when he took over Madison Square Gardens Rodeo and began producing indoor rodeos throughout the east. These rodeos proved to be a profitable career for women.
However, women's ability to participate in rodeos was taken away very quickly when a tragic accident took place in 1929. Rodeo rider Bonnie McCarroll was killed while riding a bronc at the Pendleton (Oregon) Roundup. Because of this, women to this day are not allowed to compete on "rough stock" at the Pendleton Roundup. As a result of this decision, many other rodeos discontinued their women's events, and the Rodeo Association of America (RAA) was formed to create the haphazard rules of the rodeos. Then in 1939, Marie Gibson was killed in a freak bronc riding accident. This tragic occurrence only furthered the belief that women should not compete in rodeo.
Col. Johnson decided to ignore the RAA and continued holding women's events in his rodeos in the east until 1936. In the same year, the cowboys went on strike at the Boston Gardens Rodeo and ended up forming the Cowboy's Turtle Association (CTA), which also did not allow women's events.
In 1931, the very first rodeo queen contest took place. To add "femininity" to their rodeo, the Stanford Cowboys Reunion asked ranches to send young women to compete in a sponsor contest. They were judged with the following criteria: the best horse, riding ability, and prettiest outfit. This became very popular and other rodeos began to hold this contest as well. The contest for Rodeo Queen later came to the Madison Square Gardens Rodeo. It is believed that since the women's bronc riding was still banned from the Madison rodeo, the barrel racing grew up out of the Rodeo Queen contests in place of it.
In 1948, women finally formed their own professional rodeo group, the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA) which later evolved into the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA). Women began to bronc and bull ride again, as well as roping, but only in their own rodeos put on by the GRA. Today, rodeo is a huge part of American culture, and is often a symbol of the American Wild West.
Rodeo thrived until events such as the Great Depression, World War I, and the mechanization of farming drove rodeo nearly to extinction. For a while, rodeos only continued in the Boston Gardens Rodeo and the Madison Square Gardens Rodeo.
In the 1920's, Col. William T. Johnson brought rodeo back to life when he took over Madison Square Gardens Rodeo and began producing indoor rodeos throughout the east. These rodeos proved to be a profitable career for women.
However, women's ability to participate in rodeos was taken away very quickly when a tragic accident took place in 1929. Rodeo rider Bonnie McCarroll was killed while riding a bronc at the Pendleton (Oregon) Roundup. Because of this, women to this day are not allowed to compete on "rough stock" at the Pendleton Roundup. As a result of this decision, many other rodeos discontinued their women's events, and the Rodeo Association of America (RAA) was formed to create the haphazard rules of the rodeos. Then in 1939, Marie Gibson was killed in a freak bronc riding accident. This tragic occurrence only furthered the belief that women should not compete in rodeo.
Col. Johnson decided to ignore the RAA and continued holding women's events in his rodeos in the east until 1936. In the same year, the cowboys went on strike at the Boston Gardens Rodeo and ended up forming the Cowboy's Turtle Association (CTA), which also did not allow women's events.
In 1931, the very first rodeo queen contest took place. To add "femininity" to their rodeo, the Stanford Cowboys Reunion asked ranches to send young women to compete in a sponsor contest. They were judged with the following criteria: the best horse, riding ability, and prettiest outfit. This became very popular and other rodeos began to hold this contest as well. The contest for Rodeo Queen later came to the Madison Square Gardens Rodeo. It is believed that since the women's bronc riding was still banned from the Madison rodeo, the barrel racing grew up out of the Rodeo Queen contests in place of it.
In 1948, women finally formed their own professional rodeo group, the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA) which later evolved into the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA). Women began to bronc and bull ride again, as well as roping, but only in their own rodeos put on by the GRA. Today, rodeo is a huge part of American culture, and is often a symbol of the American Wild West.