For the past 24 years, rodeo legend Jim Shoulders has been remembered with the Living Legends Rodeo held each Labor Day weekend. Before that, there were other rodeos but one stands out because it brought together a virtual Who’s Who in the sport.
July 4m, 1947 saw the Henryetta Range Riders hosting the event at the old rodeo grounds at Nichols Park.
It is remembered today through one of the landscape photographs from Joe Hardin studios.
The rodeo producer was a professional bull rider, steer wrestler, and announcer, Marvin Shoulders, brother to the late 16-time World Champion, Jim Shoulders. Some of the champions competing in the rodeo became internationally known and played a role in the professional evolution of the sport and became lifetime members of what is now the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).
The Henryetta Range Rider rodeo held on July 4, 1947 just happened to be the birthday of Norma Holmes, a native Henryettan born on July 4, 1924 who later married Marvin Shoulders.
As a young cowgirl she performed trick riding in rodeos near Henryetta. At the age of 14, she performed at a major rodeo in Ada. Her skills as an unusually talented and daring trick rider drew the attention of the Tulsa Stampede organizers. Two years later she was the star of Gene Autry’s Flying “A” Rodeo Company. Her career skyrocketed and she was one of the only female trick riders to be selected to perform at 52 of the scheduled Flying “A” Rodeos at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Norma Holmes Shoulders went on to perform on rodeo’s largest stages and graced the front covers of rodeo programs and magazines across the country such as Who’s Who in American Championship Rodeo. Norma was a member of the original Cowboy Turtles Association (#1235); a lifetime Gold Card member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (#2682); and a nominee for the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.