Entertainer, cowgirl and rodeo performer. She was the older sister of World Champion Calf Roper Jim Altizer and grew up on a Southern ranch in Del Rio, Texas. She began her rodeo career at a young age, competing in barrel racing, team racing, team roping, and calf roping. At the age of 16, she was one of thirty-six girls competing at the Midland Rodeo and made the top six and was awarded her first pair of cowboy boots. She competed in all of Texas' major rodeos throughout her career, often against men. By 1949, she had made appearances in rodeos throughout the northwest, including Sidney, Iowa; Burwell, Nebraska; and Oklahoma; as well as Texas. She won the Champion Calf Roper, Champion Team Roper, and World Champion Steer and Calf Roper in 1950, accumulating 1,967 points in performances for the year. The same year, she placed fourth in the Girls' Rodeo Association's All-Around Cowgirl competition. She also won the title of Champion Team Roper in 1955. She was one of 23 female founders of the Girls Rodeo Association in 1948 and was elected to the board of directors that year. The next year, the organization was renamed the Women's Professional Rodeo Association. She served as secretary from 1951 to 1958, as a supervisor for different junior rodeos, and was an advisor to the Val Verde County, Texas 4-H club. She was a member of the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame. One of her jobs was to position the barrels and closely watch over their placement during rodeos, and she sometimes worked as an announcer. She was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2006.
Entertainer, cowgirl and rodeo performer. She was the older sister of World Champion Calf Roper Jim Altizer and grew up on a Southern ranch in Del Rio, Texas. She began her rodeo career at a young age, competing in barrel racing, team racing, team roping, and calf roping. At the age of 16, she was one of thirty-six girls competing at the Midland Rodeo and made the top six and was awarded her first pair of cowboy boots. She competed in all of Texas' major rodeos throughout her career, often against men. By 1949, she had made appearances in rodeos throughout the northwest, including Sidney, Iowa; Burwell, Nebraska; and Oklahoma; as well as Texas. She won the Champion Calf Roper, Champion Team Roper, and World Champion Steer and Calf Roper in 1950, accumulating 1,967 points in performances for the year. The same year, she placed fourth in the Girls' Rodeo Association's All-Around Cowgirl competition. She also won the title of Champion Team Roper in 1955. She was one of 23 female founders of the Girls Rodeo Association in 1948 and was elected to the board of directors that year. The next year, the organization was renamed the Women's Professional Rodeo Association. She served as secretary from 1951 to 1958, as a supervisor for different junior rodeos, and was an advisor to the Val Verde County, Texas 4-H club. She was a member of the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame. One of her jobs was to position the barrels and closely watch over their placement during rodeos, and she sometimes worked as an announcer. She was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2006.
Bio by: Debbie Gibbons
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