Mabel Strickland Woodward facts for kids

Mabel Strickland Woodward was an amazing rodeo star. She was born in 1897 and passed away in 1976. Mabel was so good that she was honored in many halls of fame. She competed in lots of different rodeo events.

Mabel's Early Life and Rodeo Start

Growing Up with Horses

Mabel DeLong was born in 1897. Her family lived near Wallula, Washington. Her dad owned a shoe shop. When Mabel was just three years old, her father introduced her to horses. From then on, she spent a lot of time training with them. She was a natural with horses.

Learning Trick Riding

A trick rider named Bill Donovan lived nearby. He taught Mabel how to do amazing tricks on horseback. In 1913, Mabel entered the Walla Walla Stampede. This was a big rodeo event. She won the trick riding competition three years in a row! She won in 1913, 1914, and 1915.

Joining Wild West Shows

After her wins, Mabel joined Drumhellers Wild West Productions. She performed her incredible trick riding for audiences. Later, she met a famous rodeo champion named Hugh Strickland. They got married in 1918 and had one daughter.

Mabel's Amazing Rodeo Career

Competing with the Best

Mabel started her professional rodeo career in 1916. She competed against men for 25 years! She was skilled in almost every rodeo event. The only event she didn't do was bulldogging, which is now called steer wrestling.

Winning Big at Cheyenne

Mabel was a true champion. One year, she went to Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. This is a very famous rodeo. She won the all-around title there. This means she was the best overall competitor. The very next year, she returned to Cheyenne. She won every single event she entered!

Performing for Crowds

Besides competing, Mabel continued her trick riding. She won many trick riding events. She even performed several times at Madison Square Garden in New York City. People loved watching her amazing skills.

Mabel's Legacy and Honors

Later Life and Passing

Mabel Strickland Woodward passed away on January 3, 1976. She died in Phoenix, Arizona. She had lived near there, in Buckeye, Arizona, for 27 years. She had moved there with her second husband, Samuel Woodward. At the time of her death, she was a director for the Appaloosa Horse Club.

Becoming a Hall of Famer

Mabel's incredible rodeo career earned her many honors. She was inducted into several halls of fame:

• In 1971, she joined the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame.
• In 1981, she was honored in the Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
• In 1992, she became a member of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.
• In 2002, she was inducted into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame.

Mabel Strickland Woodward will always be remembered as a true rodeo legend.