Fort Worth, Texas — The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame is offering a glimpse of what’s ahead as it prepares to unveil its expanded museum this fall. “Gravity Defied: Trick Riders of The Cowgirl,” will spotlight the daring athleticism and remarkable stories of Cowgirl Hall of Fame Honorees when the expansion opens November 7.
The photography exhibition will explore the history of trick and fancy riding through photographs from the Museum’s archive featuring Cowgirl Honorees who helped define the sport. From women who became superstars during trick riding’s competitive heyday to those who carried the tradition forward decades later, the exhibition places their athleticism, innovation, and influence at the center of the story.
An extreme sport long before the term existed, trick and fancy riding found a national audience in the United States through Wild West shows. Women were active participants in those shows and became instrumental in the development of the discipline, redefining existing techniques, inventing new tricks and introducing the sport to new audiences.
“I am in awe of these women, all Honorees, whose athleticism often goes unnoticed,” said Associate Executive Director of Exhibits and Education Diana Vela, PhD. “The risk is clear, the difficulty is clear, and yet you can feel the sheer joy emanating from these photographs in their broad smiles and wind-whipped hair.”
At the heart of the new exhibition are the women themselves. “I think most revealing was reading their oral histories held in our archives when they talk about learning to trick ride or inventing tricks,” said Vela, who was the principal investigator and curator. “The one moment captured on film belies a multitude of stories behind it.”
Among the images featured is a striking 1949 photograph of Cowgirl Honoree Faye Blesing at the Santa Rosa Rodeo in Vernon, Texas, executing a Hippodrome Stand. Photographed by James Cathey and preserved through Nancy Binford’s scrapbook, the image embodies the interconnected history held within the Museum’s collections.
Additional photographs include Cowgirl Honoree Faye Blackstone executing the Flyaway, one of three tricks she invented, and Tad Lucas performing the suicide drag at the 1948 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. Lucas, widely regarded as one of the greatest rodeo cowgirls of all time, dominated women’s rodeo during the 1920s and 1930s.
As the first new exhibition announced for the Museum’s expansion, the exhibition signals a broader commitment to making the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and its Honorees even more central to the visitor experience. By drawing upon photographs, oral histories, and other materials held in the Museum’s collection, the expanded Museum will create new opportunities for visitors to encounter the individual women behind the honors—and to understand the skill, creativity, courage, and influence that earned them a place in the Hall of Fame.
GRAVITY DEFIED: Trick Riders of the Cowgirl will open November 7 at 10 a.m. to members and 12 p.m. to the public as part of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame’s expansion. Additional details about the exhibition and expansion will be announced at a later date.
About the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame
The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame is where history meets horsepower, and fearless women take center stage. Located in the heart of Fort Worth’s Cultural District, it’s the only museum in the world that celebrates the grit, grace, and guts of the women who shaped the West — and those breaking boundaries today. Through immersive exhibits, interactive galleries, and powerful storytelling, The Cowgirl highlights artists, ranchers, rodeo champions, activists, and trailblazers from all walks of life. It’s not just about looking back — it’s about inspiring the next generation of unstoppable women.
Currently, the museum’s archives house more than 4,000 artifacts, with more than 260 women enshrined in its Hall of Fame.
Learn more about The Cowgirl at cowgirl.net or on all social media channels @cowgirlmuseum.
