Tad Lucas (September 1, 1902–February 23, 1990) is a

ProRodeo Hall of Fame The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy was opened in August 1979 as a museum designed to "preserve the legacy of the cowboy contests, the heritage and culture of those original competitions, and the champions of the past, pr ...

cowgirl inductee.

Life

Tad Lucas was born Barbara Inez Barnes on September 1, 1902. She was born the youngest of 24 children on a pioneer ranch in

Cody, Nebraska Cody is a village in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 154. History Cody was platted in 1886 when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named for Thomas Cody, a railr ...

in the sandhills country. Lucas starting riding at an early age. By the age of 20, she was a professional cowgirl. She soon met cowboy James Edward "Buck" Lucas and married him. She started competing in

trick riding Trick riding refers to the act of performing stunts while horseback riding, such as the rider standing upright on the back of a galloping horse, using a specially designed saddle with a reinforced steel horn, and specialized kossak loops for h ...

, soon reaching the top. When World War II arrived, many women's events were ended. In 1948, the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA) (now the

Women's Professional Rodeo Association The Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) is one of the largest rodeo sanctioning bodies in the world and is open exclusively to women eighteen years of age and older. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Association curren ...

) was created and stepped in to restore women's roles. Lucas's charter membership and fame assisted.

Career

During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, she rode bulls in main streets in Cody to raise money for the

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. In 1921, she was a bronc rider with California Frank's Rodeo Company in Mexico. After she had learned trick riding, she performed with the

Tex Austin Tex may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tex (nickname), a list of people and fictional characters with the nickname * Joe Tex (1933–1982), stage name of American soul singer Joseph Arrington Jr. Entertainment * ''Tex'', the Italian ...

Rodeo in the

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. Then she spent many years performing in several events with C.B. Irwin's rodeos. She also performed at

Cheyenne Frontier Days Cheyenne Frontier Days is an outdoor rodeo and western celebration in the United States, held annually since 1897 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It bills itself as the "World's Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration." The event, claimed to be one ...

, winning the trick riding there eight consecutive times. In 1933, at the Chicago

World Fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...

, she crushed her arm while trick riding. Her arm was in a cast for three years. It did not stop her from performing permanently. She was 62 years old when she rode her last bucking horse in 1964. After that, she sat on the boards of the PRCA board of directors and the Rodeo Historical Society board of directors. During the 20s and 30s, Lucas was widely known, winning in events such as bronc riding,

, relay racing, and

all-around The All-Around is an award given to a rodeo competitor who is most successful in two or more events. Most individual rodeos and championships determine the winner of this award at the conclusion of the other events or championships. Championship ...

cowgirl at major rodeos. She toured with some Wild West shows. She also assisted with the GRA and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) by serving on their Board of Directors. The Rodeo Historical Society had the assistance of having her on their board.

Honors

* 1968

Rodeo Hall of Fame The Rodeo Hall of Fame was established by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1955. Located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., the Hall was created to celebrate the contributions of cowboys and cowgirls from around the world. The h ...

of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum * 1978

National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is located in Fort Worth, Texas, US. Established in 1975, it is dedicated to honoring women of the American West who have displayed extraordinary courage and pioneering fortitude. The museum is an edu ...

* 1997

Texas Trail of Fame The Texas Trail Hall of Fame is a cowboy hall of fame in Fort Worth, Texas. Established in 1997, the building is located at 208 N.W. 24th Street, in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District of the city. The hall honors individuals w ...

* Tad Lucas Award - The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum created an award named after her in her honor * 2002 Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame * 2007

Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, a western, historical museum in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, "honors those men and women who have shown excellence in the business and support of rodeo and the western lifestyle in Texas." The Hall of Fame ...

References

External links

Women's Professional Rodeo Association

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lucas, Tad 1902 births 1990 deaths People from San Angelo, Texas Sportspeople from Fort Worth, Texas Bronc riders All-Around Trick riding American female equestrians Cowgirl Hall of Fame inductees ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees