Faye Blackstone (June 3, 1915 – August 30, 2011) was an American rodeo star, performer, and elected member of the

Cowgirl 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 ...

. She was known for having a hand in the starting the female sport of rodeo Barrel Racing.

Early life

Blackstone was born ''Fayetta June Hudson'' in

Diller, Nebraska Diller is a village in Jefferson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 248 at the 2020 census. History Diller was platted in 1880 when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named for Samuel Diller, a pioneer settler. Geo ...

, in 1915. She self-taught herself to perform tricks on horses after watching a woman handle a flailing

bronco A bucking horse is any breed or either gender of horse with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock. The harder they buck, the more desirable they are for rod ...

when she was eight years old.

Career

In 1978, Blackstone and her husband helped Reba McEntire, the daughter of friends, launch her career, by arranging for her to perform at a

county fair An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhibit ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. McEntire recalled the performance as a breakthrough in her career in a 2003

interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" ...

with the ''

Bradenton Herald ''The Bradenton Herald'' is a newspaper based in Bradenton, Florida, in the United States. History On September 15, 1922, Volume 1, Number 1 was published as ''The Evening Herald''. It was a merger of two weekly papers: the ''Manatee River Jour ...

'' saying, "That was my first big fair by myself. It was huge to me." Blackstone also turned her equestrian talents towards the sport of barrel racing in its beginning. She, along with others such as Dixie Reger Mosley and

Wanda Harper Bush Wanda Harper Bush (October 6, 1931 – December 29, 2015) was an American professional rodeo cowgirl. She competed in the Girl's Rodeo Association (GRA), now known as the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), and won two barrel raci ...

, were active in barrel racing in its founding. Blackstone and other cowgirls began a barrel racing event in Florida in 1950. Blackstone and Vic performed trick riding together throughout the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

during the 1940s and 1950s. She performed as far away from Nebraska as

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, and competed alongside well known celebrities, including Gene Autry. She is credited with inventing three rodeo maneuvers, the reverse fender drag, the flyaway, and the ballerina. Vic Blackstone retired during the 1950s, while Faye Blackstone continued to perform until her retirement during the late 1960s.

Personal life

In 1937, Blackstone married her husband, the

Texan Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by bo ...

rodeo performer Vic Blackstone, in a ceremony held in the center of a rodeo

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

Bladen, Nebraska Bladen is a village in Webster County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 237 at the 2010 census. History Bladen was established in 1886 when the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad was extended to that point. The community bears th ...

. The couple moved to a home on the outskirts of

Parrish, Florida Parrish is an unincorporated community in northwestern Manatee County, Florida, United States. The community is located near the intersection of U.S. 301 and State Road 62 and is part of the North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton Metropo ...

, in

Manatee County Manatee County is a county in the Central Florida portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 US Census, the population was 399,710. Manatee County is part of the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county s ...

during 1951. They worked and raised cattle at a nearby ranch.

Death and legacy

Faye Blackstone was elected into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1982, the same year that her husband was inducted into the

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 ...

. The Blackstones became the namesakes of Blackstone Park in

Palmetto, Florida Palmetto is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was listed as 13,323. It is part of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. History A post office called Palmetto ha ...

. Faye Blackstone died in Bradenton, Florida, aged 96, from cancer, on August 30, 2011. Her husband died in 1987.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackstone, Faye 1915 births 2011 deaths People from Jefferson County, Nebraska People from Manatee County, Florida Deaths from cancer in Florida Trick riding Women stunt performers Cowgirl Hall of Fame inductees