All Inductees
Nancy Gault Mayes

Nancy Mayes

Women Contestant

My horse career doesn’t start like most rodeo cowboys or cowgirls.  My Parents were dairy farmers and had no interest or need for horses.  I wanted to be a cowgirl from the first time I saw a horse.  I finally got my first horse when I was 9 years old.

My learning about horses came mostly from trial and error especially through high school.   I learned from watching and emulating what my friends did.  I entered a few youth rodeos with limited success but managed to qualify for the 1965 NHSRA finals in breakaway roping.  It was Wanda Bush who stepped into my life and started me on the right path to winning and in 1979 I purchased a nice horse and won the Texas Barrel Racing Association Finals that year  By 1983 I joined the WPRA and qualified for the NFR that same year.

From 1984-1997 Bobby and I traveled with our 2 successful rodeo kids.  Jim Bob who qualified for the NFR 2X’s in Calf roping and Mitzi who qualified 4 years in Barrels, Breakaway Roping and Goat tying for the National High School Rodeo Finals and 3 years for the College Rodeo Finals. I directed my attention to raising and training Barrel and Pole horses which I continue today.

Since 1997 I have continued rodeo with the Texas Senior Pro Rodeo Association where I run barrels and rope. Some highlights from TSPRA include 2012 Champion barrel racer, numerous Reserve and Finals Barrel Championships, 2012 and 2015 “Barrel Horse of the Year” and a very special 2014 Finals Ladies Breakaway Championship.  I enjoy the competition and comradery of this organization and I’m blessed to be able to continue with the sport I love today.