All Inductees

Donna Hill Shiller

Women Contestant

Barrel Racer. Rodeo Cowgirl. Competitor.

Donna Shiller has been active in rodeo across eight decades. While she was born into a Texas rodeo family, the determination, devotion, and will to win she possesses is all her own.

Rodeo was all around Donna when she was growing up. Her grandfather, Tom Carson, operated an arena just off South Congress in Austin during the 1950s. Her dad, Cecil Hill, was a rodeo producer, and the family operated Hill’s Arena in Oak Hill (now part of southwest of Austin) for twenty years starting in 1957. The weekly buck-outs, practice ropings, and the rodeos hosted at the arena were a family affair for Donna, brother Alford, and mother Maxine. Donna fell in love with horses and competing.

As a cowgirl, Donna qualified for and competed at the 1961 National High School Rodeo Finals in Douglas, Wyoming. In 1963, she qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. Despite not competing at that year’s NFR, she finished 14th in the year-end standings. Then in 1964, she competed at the NFR in Dallas.

Donna was part of the pageantry that spectators love when they attend rodeos. She carried flags at rodeos produced by Tommy Steiner and posted the colors with her mom at rodeos produced by her dad. But when the grand entry was over, Donna was looking to win.

Donna married cowboy and livestock man Don Shiller in 1965, and their daughter, Dawn, was born in 1968. They were active rodeo parents, hauling Dawn to youth and high school rodeos across the state. Don and Donna spent most of their married life in Taylor, Texas, where Don owned and operated the Taylor Livestock Auction. Barrel racing remained Donna’s passion.

Over the decades, Donna has won more than a dozen saddles on multiple barrel horses. Each horse has been an important part of her life. Donna rode “Tiny” early in her career, and they qualified for both the High School and National Finals together. She trained her horse “Happy,” who she rode to numerous wins and the 1972 TRA Finals. You will still hear people talk about Donna and her horse, “Candy,” as they were always a threat at Open rodeos in the 1970s and ‘80s. When Donna bought Candy from mentor Wanda Bush, the black mare had only been on barrels for six weeks and never been in a trailer. Donna then went on to raise and compete on Candy’s foal, “Faith.” “Scout” was an important horse as Donna transitioned to Senior Pro rodeos.

If you’ve seen Donna Shiller riding down the alley with her hat pulled down tightly, you’ve seen what sheer determination looks like. She is grateful for the joy and the relationships a life in rodeo has given her.

Rodeo Highlights:

  • Active across eight decades (1950s-2020s) on multiple barrel horses
  • National HS Finals – ’61, barrels & break-away roping
  • NFR – ’63 (qualified, unable to attend), ’64 (competed)*
  • ‘72 TRA Finals
  • ‘70s-‘80s – Wins & “in the money” at countless Open Rodeos
  • Texas Barrel Racing Association (TBRA) – multiple officer/board of director positions and numerous TBRA Top 20 finishes
  • ‘92 TBRA Novice Horse Champion
  • ‘04 TSPRA Champion
  • ’15 South Central Texas Rodeo Ring of Honor (first induction class)
  • ’22 Central Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame (first induction class)

*As Donna Mullins.