RMR December 2011 Article - National Cowgirl Hall of Fame

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Two Northwest Women Inducted into

National Cowgirl Hall of Fame

December 2011 issue

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth , Texas , added eight new honorees to its Hall of Fame during the 36th Annual Induction Luncheon ceremony on October 26, 2011 at the Round Up Inn. These inductees included two women who hail from Washington and Montana .

Mary Lou LeCompte
Washington

Mary Lou LeCompte, Ph.D., is recognized as the leading scholar on rodeo cowgirls. She wrote the book, Cowgirls of the Rodeo: Pioneer Professional Athletes, now in its second printing, in which more than 600 interviews were conducted with female rodeo competitors. Additionally, LeCompte has published several articles, contributed to books, and has been awarded many research grants for her efforts. She composed all of the sports entries for the Handbook of Texas, several of which helped ultimately ensure that the cowgirls and the sport of rodeo were appropriately recognized. After composing her foundational book, Cowgirls of the Rodeo, she donated her archive of research material to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. This historian taught at the University of Texas at Austin for 36 years and has dedicated her career to preserving and recovering cowgirl history.

Marie Gibson
Montana 1894-1933

In 1917, Marie Gibson entered her first rodeo competition at the Great Northern Montana Stampede; there she met her future husband, Tom Gibson, a Canadian bronc rider. Marie competed in rodeos from 1917 to 1933, participating all over Canada and in every major rodeo in the United States . In 1924, she won first place in Ladies Bronc Riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days. She continued to win or place in rodeos throughout her career. In 1927 she won her first World Championship in Ladies Bronc Riding at Madison Square Garden and won her second World Championship in 1931.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is the only museum in the world that is dedicated to honoring and celebrating women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience, and independence that helped shape the American West.

The museum is located at 1720 Gendy Street in the Cultural District of Fort Worth, TX. For information about hours and admission, visit www.cowgirl.net.

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