Queens of the Rodeo

Cheyenne, Wyoming (1924)

 

A black and white postcard from 1924 of seven women standing in a row, photograph by Ralph Russell Doubleday. 

 

*These cowgirls were some of the original women of the rodeo. Pictured from left to right are Rene Hafley, Fox Hastings, Rose Smith, Ruth Roach, Mabel Strickland, Prairie Rose Henderson and Dorothy Morell. Raised out West where women worked in ranches alongside men, these early rodeo stars learned many of the same skills, from trick riding and bronc busting to sharpshooting. In the early 20th century, cowgirls started competing in the rodeo circuit — including the famous Cheyenne Frontier Days, the world’s largest outdoor rodeo. Known as the “Queens of the Rodeo” and praised for their courage and talent, Rene, Fox, Ruth, Mabel, and Prairie Rose went on to earn their places in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.

 

Vinyl picture printed and placed in public display on 107 S. Chadbourne with permission by the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth, Texas. 

 

*Greeting card found in Santa Barbara, California with edited photo to black and white and names removed. Avanti Cards, 2020, Queens of the Rodeo. ​​​