Eula Gene (Hinson) Thomas was born in Coryell County, Texas on September 20, 1924. At the age of 10 her parents took her to the Belton Fourth of July Rodeo. It was there that she saw her first barrel race. The next day Eula Gene began her career as a barrel racer. The fact that no barrels were available didn’t stop her. She set up three rolls of net wire and practice began signaling the start of a barrel racing family.
Eula Gene’s first show was in Lampasas in 1939 and she rodeoed full-time for the next seventeen years. Some of her greatest wins included a saddle at Ranger in 1941, a diamond watch at Coleman in 1941 and Buckles at Eagle Pass in 1940, Waco in 1945 and Taylor in 1953. She considered Waco her greatest win. During seven of these years she rode the same little mare, “Trixie”.
Eula Gene married a celebrated cowboy Orval Thomas in June 1946 and moved to Bell County. There she made her home until 1952, when the family transferred its roots to San Angelo, Texas where she still lives.
