Rodeo Daily

How the Jerry Ann Taylor Award Keeps Fashion Alive for Barrel Racers

The ladies of the NFR barrel racing are competing for another special award, highlighting their style.
Teal Stoll|
Tricia Aldridge in Ranch Dressn
Tricia Aldridge in Ranch Dressn | Nathan Meyer Photography

In the early days of rodeo, the ladies of the barrel racing were more of a side-show attraction. There may not have been any money to win, but they rode fast horses and they looked pretty. What crowd would not go crazy over that? Thankfully, we have had many great trailblazers grow barrel racing into a respected part of the sport.

While professional barrel racers today can compete for equal money alongside their male counterparts, there are certain aspects of "yesteryear" worth honoring. One of those is the pride these ladies take in their appearance. Legends like Martha Josey come to mind when we think of fashionable barrel racers over the years.

Who Was Jerry Ann Taylor?

Jerry Ann Taylor was a legendary trick rider and is now a Hall of Fame Cowgirl. Known for her sense of style and keeping rodeo classy, Taylor left a massive impact on the sport. When she passed away in 2012, her family felt the best way to keep her memory alive was through a fund to inspire future generations.

The Jerry Ann Taylor Award was born, to recognize the cowgirl with an undeniable sense of style. During the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), not only are the ladies putting their best foot forward to win in the arena, they also put a lot of effort into their outfits. Since the award started, there has been a renewed sense of fun in the way these cowgirls dress.

The NFR

Each year, tens of thousands of people vote throughout the 10 days of the NFR. Based on those votes at the end of the rodeo, the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame will award a substantial cash bonus to the winning cowgirl.

Fallon Taylor is known as the fashionista of rodeo and she has won the award three times. Cowgirls dressed in her line, Ranch Dressn, have also taken home the award previously. This year, she has outfitted some of the top 15 cowgirls, once again.

Past Winners

Fallon Taylor
Fallon Taylor | Fernando Sam-Sin
  • 2012 NFR: Mary Walker
  • 2013 FWSSR: Kendra Dickson
  • 2013 NFR: Fallon Taylor
  • 2014 FWSSR: Jane Melby
  • 2014 NFR: Fallon Taylor
  • 2015 FWSSR: Kendra Dickson
  • 2015 NFR: Fallon Taylor
  • 2016 FWSSR: Shelly Anzick
  • 2016 NFR: Michele McLeod
  • 2017 FWSSR: Kathy Grimes
  • 2017 NFR: Kimmie Wall
  • 2018 FWSSR: Sadye Simpson
  • 2018 NFR: Jessica Routier
  • 2019 FWSSR: Stevi Hillman
  • 2019 NFR: Jessica Routier
  • 2020 FWSSR: Jimmie Smith
  • 2020 NFR: Tiany Schuster
  • 2021 NFR: Molly Otto
  • 2022 FWSSR: Sissy Winn
  • 2022 NFR: Margo Crowther
  • 2023 FWSSR: Sissy Winn
  • 2023 NFR: Sissy Winn
  • 2024 NFR: Tiany Schuster

If you have been tuning in on the Cowboy Channel each night to see how beautiful these ladies look, you can cast your vote here. Who will take home the award in 2025? These cowgirls have put together some stunning outfits.

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Teal Stoll
TEAL STOLL

Teal Stoll is a lifelong Wyomingite from a working ranch family of several generations. Both sides of her family have deep roots in rodeo, as contestants and stock contractors. Teal grew up horseback and actively competes in rodeos and barrel races. She has degrees in both business and accounting, which she uses operating her own bookkeeping service. Teal enjoys spending time with her horses, training colts, and maintaining her string of athletes. When she isn’t at the barn, she can be found reading, doing yoga, or on her paddle board at the lake. Teal lives with her fiancee and a plethora of animals, because she can’t say no to a displaced critter with a sad story. When she isn’t on the road running barrels, she spends her time helping with day to day operations on the family ranch.

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