Featured Exhibit
Discovered rolled in paper tubes and hidden away on shelves were 124 panoramic and oversized photographs. These photographs date between 1912 and 1957 – rodeo’s golden age. They feature some of rodeo’s earliest superstars – Jim Shoulders, Casey Tibbs, Gene Autry, and many more. With your help, we are continuing the Hall’s mission to bring rodeo’s history into the present. This exhibit features those photographs that have been conserved with help from a Save America's Treasure's Grant administered by the Institue of Museum and Library Services.
Cowboys and Cowgirl Contestants Before
When discovered in the collections, many of the photographs looked like this. They were tightly rolled inside of paper tubes or held by a rubber band. Some were so fragile that they could not be unrolled without damage to the image. To help save these images, the Hall applied for a Save America's Treasures Grant through the National Parks Service.
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Cowboys and Cowgirl Contestants
During the grant writing process, the Hall identified three categories of photograph - Good, Fair, and Poor. These categories were determined by the amount of treatment they would need. A majority of them fell into the Good to Fair category. This image is an example from the Good category. This photograph was sent to the conservation center tightly rolled, but with little other damage. To view the image, only a small portion was visible at a time. The tightnes of the roll made it difficult to study the image for any length of time. The conservation center safely unrolled and flattened the image. Now, thanks to these efforts, we can now safely examine the image.
Identifying Cowboys and Cowgirls
With the new digital image, staff has been able to study the people in this group. To date, 53 people have been identified in this photograph - including Hall of Famers Jim Shoulders, Casey Tibbs, Todd Whatley, and Cotton Rosser. If you would like to help identify more people, send us a request through the Contact Us link at the bottom of the page.
Digital Advantages
The digital imaging of this photograph has allowed for the closer examination of these contestants. Seen here, along the back row, are Eddy Akridge (Hall of Fame Class of 1979), Bill Ward (whose ride on Sea Lion became the logo for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association), Deb Copenhaver (Hall of Fame Class of 1992), and John Hawkins (Hall of Fame Class of 1979).
Some of the Hands of the World's Championship Rodeo
This photograph is an example from the Fair category. Not only was it rolled, but it had large cracks and creases running through the image. The conservation center stabilized all of the cracks and mended the tears. They also cleaned the surface of any debris and dirt.
Unexpected Surprise
When the staff at the Hall examined this photograph, they were amazed to find familiar faces. Seven people have been identified in this image, including the three here. They are Tad Lucas (Hall of Fame Class of 1979), Reine Shelton (Champion Trick Rider), and Buck Lucas (Tad's husband and a steer wrestler and trick rider). The gentleman behind Tad and Reine remains unidentified.
Mamie and Frank Hafley
Two other people identified in this image are Mamie Francis and her husband Frank Hafley. Mamie and Frank started a Wild West Show around 1914. They traveled by train to various locations to perform feats of trick shooting, trick riding, and trick roping. Their grandson gifted an entire collection of their items to the Hall in 1983. Those items are currently featured under the Featured Collection tab. One of the items is the coat that Maime is wearing in this photograph.
Contestants, Frontier Days Celebration During
This photograph was part of the Poor category. It was sent to the conservation center without much information because it was too fragile to be unrolled. When the center did unroll it, it separated into many pieces.
Contestants, Frontier Days Celebration
Thanks to the Save America's Treasures Grant and the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, this photograph is now back in one piece and can be safely studied.
Prescott Frontier Days 1919
While no one has been identified in this photograph, it remains an important part of the collection. It was taken at one of the oldest established rodeos in the country and is one of the oldest in the collection. With the help of committee members and other rodeo fans, the Hall is hoping to discover a few more gems in these wonderful images.
Thank You
The Hall of Fame wants to thank the National Parks Service for sponsoring the Save America's Treasures grants and the Institute of Museum and Library Services for administering the grant. Without these institutions, the Hall could never have completed this project in such a short amount of time.
Grant Completed
The ProRodeo Hall of Fame wants to thank all of the rodeo committees, sponsors, and individuals that contributed to this campaign. Without your generous support, the Hall would not have been able to preserve these historic images.
On Exhibit
To celebrate the completion of the grant, the Hall opened an in-person exhibit featuring the photographs and items from collections that tie-in to the images. The exhibit opened September 28th and will close sometime in the Spring of 2023.
See More of the Photographs
The photographs have all been updated in our digital database. You can find more of them by clicking on the "Save America's Treasures Grant" button at the bottom of this page.
