Hall of Fame


The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring and celebrating women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience, and independence that helped shape the American West, and fosters an appreciation of the ideals and spirit of self-reliance they inspire. It is the legacy of legends.

The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to preserve the history and impact of western women living roughly from the mid-1800s to the present -- the pioneers and trailblazers, the artists and writers, the entertainers, the ranchers and rodeo cowgirls. Today, there are 181 amazing women who have been inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame since 1975.

2007 National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Inductees
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is proud to announce the 2007 Hall of Fame inductees. They were honored during the 32nd Annual Induction Luncheon Ceremony on Friday, November 9, 2007 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 2007 Inductees are as follows:

Nellie Cashman (1845-1925)
Nellie Cashman, an Irish-born pioneer, secured her place in American history as one of the few female business-owners in the arduous American West. Cashman owned and operated boarding houses and restaurants throughout her life, from Alaska to Arizona, miners had restful quarters and good meals thanks to her. As a philanthropist, she started hospitals and handed out free meals to destitute prospectors. Her unwavering commitment to the mining community led her to fund and lead a 77-day rescue operation through the snow amassed Cassair Mountains in British Columbia where a group of miners were stranded by severe weather earning her the nickname “Miner’s Angel.”

Kalyn Brooks (1978-2001)
Known as the “Miracle Barrel Racer,” Kalyn Brooks defied all odds against her physical limitations, living an accomplished life in and outside of the rodeo arena. She was born with numerous birth defects: abnormalities of hands and legs, profound deafness and growth hormone deficiency. However, Brooks’ drive to win kept her going. In her short life, she intensely worked on her barrel racing techniques, became Miss NPRA (Northwest Pro Rodeo Association) in 1997 and continuously traveled the rodeo circuit up and down the West coast. This feisty and ferocious competitor made her last run in 2001 and passed away leaving behind a lasting memory full of tenacious determination.

Donna Howell-Sickles
In the Western art genre, Donna Howell-Sickles has taken the image and idea of the cowgirl beyond charcoal lines and into reality. Donna has explored the layers beneath the cowgirl’s engaging exterior for more than 30 years. A vintage postcard featuring a cowgirl with ruby red lips atop her horse instilled in Donna a fascination with the cowgirl spirit. The cowgirl was at once both familiar and unreal. This dichotomy is the idea that has fueled Donna’s artwork, and inspired her to create images of women that are both real and myth. Donna’s artwork encapsulates the camaraderie and the timelessness of the cowgirl spirit.

Terry Stuart Forst
Terry Stuart Forst, a rancher and innovator, manages the oldest family ranch in Oklahoma – the 7S Stuart Ranch. Under her leadership, her family’s ranch has become one of the most profitable ranches in the Southwest, one of the best North American Quarter Horse ranches in the nation and given the AQHA Best Remuda Award in 1995. Terry turned the ranch around by making radical changes in the cattle operations which dynamically impacted the ranch’s bottom line. She graduated first in her class from Texas Christian University’s Ranch Management Program and serves on numerous industry boards giving insight and leadership to the ranching industry.