They called themselves girls!
They were daughters of the West, lovers of challenge, and mothers of women's competitive role in the modern sport of rodeo.
When doors closed on their rodeo dreams, they opened a new door of their own and rode right through it.
The Girls Rodeo Association was established in San Angelo, Texas, in 1948. Known today as the Women's Professional Rodeo Association, it is the oldest women's professional sport association in America.
One man, James Cathey, championed the young GRA and helped ensure its success and long-lasting legacy.
Powder Puff and Spurs, written by Craig W. Cathey and Gordon Cathey, tells the inspiring story of the legendary giants of the early GRA. James Cathey's historical photographs take you into the rodeo arenas of the late 1940s and early 1950s, where these fascinating women made rodeo history.
Many of the GRA founders are now honored members of the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame. For his lifetime contribution to the sport, James Cathey was posthumously inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2018.
By Craig W. Cathey and Gordon Cathey