| Margie's Notes |
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-President, Margie Earlywine
I was born and raised in a railroading family in Cheyenne,
Wyoming. As fate would have it, my "Girl Reserve Troup" was
asked to usher at Cheyenne Frontier Days. I volunteered, even
though I had no idea what CFD was about.
It was at Cheyenne Frontier Days that I saw the miracle of
miracles: women riding and racing horses. I watched them fall
off, then fearlessly mount again. I saw their horses break from
the cowboy handlers, before the cowgirls were even in the
saddle. I was awe stricken as these athletic women vaulted back
on their racing mounts. I could not believe what these beautiful,
talented women could do.
I became absolutely mesmerized by these rodeo cowgirls. For
the next six years, I was the first usher on the bus headed to
Cheyenne Frontier Days in July.
Later, I married into a ranch family and started riding horses,
became a barrel racer, and competed locally. I fell in love with
the sport of rodeo. CFD no longer had the women's relay race
and had also stopped the women's saddle bronc riding event.
However, I never forgot those "Magnificent Cowgirls" that broke
so many barriers: social, athletic, and even gender.
Cowgirls were the platform on which rodeo stands today. When
wild west shows left the circus arenas and transpired into
rodeos, the only thing lacking was those beautiful, performing
women. Enter the women bronc riders, bull doggers, horse
racers, trick riders, and ropers.
We owe it to those magnificent cowgirls to preserve the history,
spirit, and passion of that short, yet colorful era. That is why the
Mabel Strickland Cowgirl of the West Museum.
In 1995 when the dream of establishing this museum began to
unfold, the enthusiasm was contagious. The Cheyenne Frontier
Days Rodeo was where so many of the old-time cowgirls had
gained their fame and recognition, and Wyoming being the
Equality State.....A Women's or Cowgirl Museum in Cheyenne
was simply a given!
We need your annual membership to preserve this time in
western history. You'll have access to an extensive library of
western research materials and a museum dedicated purely to
those cowgirls. Won't you help preserve this timeless era in
women's history with your tax deductible contribution?
I was born and raised in a railroading family in Cheyenne,
Wyoming. As fate would have it, my "Girl Reserve Troup" was
asked to usher at Cheyenne Frontier Days. I volunteered, even
though I had no idea what CFD was about.
It was at Cheyenne Frontier Days that I saw the miracle of
miracles: women riding and racing horses. I watched them fall
off, then fearlessly mount again. I saw their horses break from
the cowboy handlers, before the cowgirls were even in the
saddle. I was awe stricken as these athletic women vaulted back
on their racing mounts. I could not believe what these beautiful,
talented women could do.
I became absolutely mesmerized by these rodeo cowgirls. For
the next six years, I was the first usher on the bus headed to
Cheyenne Frontier Days in July.
Later, I married into a ranch family and started riding horses,
became a barrel racer, and competed locally. I fell in love with
the sport of rodeo. CFD no longer had the women's relay race
and had also stopped the women's saddle bronc riding event.
However, I never forgot those "Magnificent Cowgirls" that broke
so many barriers: social, athletic, and even gender.
Cowgirls were the platform on which rodeo stands today. When
wild west shows left the circus arenas and transpired into
rodeos, the only thing lacking was those beautiful, performing
women. Enter the women bronc riders, bull doggers, horse
racers, trick riders, and ropers.
We owe it to those magnificent cowgirls to preserve the history,
spirit, and passion of that short, yet colorful era. That is why the
Mabel Strickland Cowgirl of the West Museum.
In 1995 when the dream of establishing this museum began to
unfold, the enthusiasm was contagious. The Cheyenne Frontier
Days Rodeo was where so many of the old-time cowgirls had
gained their fame and recognition, and Wyoming being the
Equality State.....A Women's or Cowgirl Museum in Cheyenne
was simply a given!
We need your annual membership to preserve this time in
western history. You'll have access to an extensive library of
western research materials and a museum dedicated purely to
those cowgirls. Won't you help preserve this timeless era in
women's history with your tax deductible contribution?
