From female saddle bronc riders to horseback librarians, the 2024 class of Cowgirl Hall of Fame Inductees is a historic one.
Since its inception in 1975, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame has honored over 200 artists, activists, philanthropists, horsewomen, and more for their prowess and perseverance. On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, four more trailblazers will join the prestigious ranks during the 48th Cowgirl Hall of Fame Annual Induction Luncheon and Ceremony.
“Every year, we are in awe of the talent and tenacity that our honorees possess, and the 2024 Inductees are no exception,” said museum executive director Patricia Riley. “Each of them has made impactful contributions to their respective fields, and we are honored for them to join the Cowgirl family.”
Get to know the Cowgirl Hall of Fame class of 2024.
Beth Cross
While growing up around horses on her family’s farm in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Beth Cross developed a love for Western and equine sports and saw an opportunity to improve on the traditional riding boot. After receiving her MBA from Stanford University, she set out to improve on the sports and culture she loved the most. With the help of Stanford classmate Pam Parker, Beth Cross co-founded Ariat International in 1992.
By integrating athletic footwear technology into boots for equestrian athletes, Ariat revolutionized equestrian sports. The Western fashion company has since shot to the top of the industry, becoming known as the largest Western and English footwear and apparel brand in the world, with around 1,200 employees worldwide. Ever-ambitious, Cross has continued expanding Ariat’s wide selection to encompass apparel and denim, further enhancing the Western tradition.
JJ Hampton
Born and raised in Stephenville, Texas, JJ Hampton competed in her first rodeo when she was just four years old. It was there that she caught the roping bug and began her journey to making history. She competed in roping at Tarleton State University while studying criminal justice. After college, Hampton hit the ground running, racking up earnings for her unmatched roping abilities.
JJ Hampton has since made a big splash, becoming a 17-time Women’s Pro Rodeo Association world champion and 25-time national champion. She has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo three times and has earned $469,859 since her 2022 season, making her 13th in World Standings as of her 2022 season.
Eager to share her success, Hampton has begun producing the annual Johnny Wayne Hampton Memorial Roping in honor of her late father. These roping events benefit scholarship funding for Tarleton State University students, providing Texas students like her with more educational opportunities. She has also broken into the real estate game, opening up JJ Hampton Realty in Erath County, Texas. She was inducted into Tarleton’s Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2014 and is a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the Cowboy Capital of Texas Walk of Fame.
Kaila Mussell
Hailing from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canadian bronc riding extraordinaire Kaila Mussell has been making history since the moment she first hopped on a horse. With parents and grandparents that raised and ran Quarter Horses, Mussell became acclimated to the world of horses at a young age. At age 10, Mussell’s father, recognizing her natural talent as a horsewoman, had her starting colts for clients. Around the same time, Mussell began barrel racing and trick riding, performing her trick riding routine at the Calgary Stampede. However, at age 16, Mussell discovered her true passion — saddle bronc riding.
As saddle bronc riding is a traditionally masculine sport, Mussell had a mountain of odds to beat. She competed in her first saddle bronc riding event in 2002, placing among the top male performers. That same year, she became the first woman to win a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) sanctioned saddle bronc riding event in Oregon. She then went on to fulfill her PRCA and Canadian Professional Rodeo Association permits (CPRA), making her the first woman in history to hold professional status as a saddle bronc rider since the formation of the PRCA and CPRA.
The trailblazer still calls Chilliwack home. However, she spends half of the year in Arizona or traveling across the States for work. She is an equine sport therapist, continuing her work in the industry she helped shape.
The Pack Horse Library Project
This Inductee is not a singular woman, but a group of trailblazing women who brought literacy to the state of Kentucky during one of the toughest time periods in American history. At the height of the Great Depression, rural areas such as eastern Kentucky no longer had reasonable access to library materials. As a result, illiteracy became an epidemic in rural and geographically isolated areas. The Works Progress Association (WPA) responded to this issue in 1936 with the creation of the Pack Horse Library Project.
With reading materials donated by a local Presbyterian minister in Leslie County, Elizabeth Fullerton headed a group of women on horseback — often called “book women” or “packsaddle librarians” — who made bi-monthly treks across rugged terrain to deliver books to folks affected by the Great Depression.
The Pack Horse Library Project’s fierce women delivered books to various communities across eastern Kentucky from 1936 to 1943, assisting in the West’s post-Depression rehabilitation.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Cowgirl Hall of Fame
HEADER IMAGE: Attendees of the 2023 Cowgirl Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon and Ceremony (Courtesy of Walt Burns)
