Jo Ann Smith has blazed trails for women and championed family-owned farms in the agricultural industry for decades. A rancher alongside her husband in Florida, Smith saw the need for global marketing efforts for farmers to survive financially in the changing world. In 1985, she became the first female president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef...
The highest ranked woman polo player in the United States, Sunny Hale pursued a career in “the sport of kings” which was and still is greatly dominated by men. Hale began competing at age four, entered her first polo tournament at ten, was teaching polo at twelve, and was first hired as a professional player...
Eldest of the Ingalls children, Mary dreamed of becoming a schoolteacher until she was stricken with scarlet fever and lost her sight. She instead attended the Iowa State College for the Blind, graduating with high marks. Returning home, she lived with her mother and wove colorful “fly nets” for horses. She was a church organist...
Faye taught herself to trick ride to break the boredom to and from school. At a local rodeo, Faye saw Mabel Strickland ride and thought, “That’s what I want to do.” Much to the chagrin of her parents, she began riding in rodeos, eventually marrying Vick Blackstone, a Texas cowboy. Faye and Vick were rodeo...
