Trailblazers & Pioneers - National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame

MUSEUM UPDATES: The Cowgirl will have delayed opening Sunday, September 20, at 2 p.m. due to a private event.

Mark your calendar for the opening of the museum expansion November 7 at 10 a.m. for members and 12 p.m. to the public.

Click here to see what’s coming as the Cowgirl continues is exciting expansion! Click here to join for early access.

National Cowgirl

The artists, ranchers, rodeo champions, activists, and trailblazers who shape the West.

2026 Honorees

Cherie DeVaux

Laura Kraut

Kenda Lenseigne

A woman in a white blouse and a black skirt with white designs stands smiling by a window, resting one hand on her hip in a stylish, modern room with yellow seating and decorative pillows.

Lela Rose

Lisa Sorrell

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker

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Trailblazers & Pioneers

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker

Laura Kraut

Cherie DeVaux

smiling woman in a red quilted jacket with arms crossed, looking at the camera in a casual indoor setting

Beth Cross

Sepia-toned photo of a Black woman in a long dress, standing on a porch and holding a rifle across her arms.

Mary Fields

Smiling woman in a black cowboy hat and blue button-down shirt, wearing hoop earrings.

Kirsten Vold

Older woman in a beige cowboy hat and pink jacket stands between two saddled horses at a ranch.

Heidi Redd

Smiling older man in a white cowboy hat and purple shirt leaning on a railing outside a brick storefront with neon signage.

Lavonna “Shorty” Koger

Person in a red blazer with an American patch, black cap, resting chin on hand while holding a pen and a notebook.

Kathryn Kusner

RADM (ret.) Christina Alvarado Shanahan

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a smiling older woman with short brown hair, wearing a brown suede jacket and a necklace against a teal studio backdrop.

Jo Ann Doke Smith

Portrait of an elderly woman with short curled hair, wearing a dark blazer and patterned scarf, looking at the camera with a gentle smile.

May Owen, M.D.

Smiling woman in a black top stands beside a gray horse, holding its lead near a wooden fence.

Eleanor Green, DVM, DACVIM, DABVP

Portrait of a woman in a Victorian-era dress seated with her hands on her lap, looking at the camera (black-and-white photo).

Elizabeth “Lizzie Johnson” Williams

Black-and-white portrait of a man in a waistcoat and bow tie, looking to the left.

Anna Mebus Martin

Sepia-toned studio portrait of a woman with short dark hair, wearing a light scarf and dark top, facing the camera.

Hortense Sparks Ward

Smiling woman in a white shirt standing beside a brown horse with a blue halter in a rustic outdoor setting.

Deborah Copenhaver Fellows

Smiling woman riding a bucking horse, holding the reins as the horse rears up outdoors in a sunny, mountainous setting.

Velma B. Johnston

19th-century woman in a long white dress with a feathered hat, standing beside a wooden railing against a studio backdrop.

Nellie Cashman

Portrait of an elderly woman with light hair, wearing a small crown and a dark dress, resting her chin on her hand.

Esther Hobart Morris

Portrait of a smiling older woman in a royal blue dress, standing in a wood-paneled room with books nearby.

Sandra Day O’Connor

Historical black-and-white portrait of a woman with dark hair, wearing a light blouse and neck scarf, facing the camera.

Cynthia Ann Parker

Historical black-and-white portrait of an older Black woman wearing a dark cardigan and a large bow at the neck, facing forward.

Clara Brown

Portrait of a middle-aged woman with dark hair wearing a blazer and a beaded necklace, seated indoors.

Wilma Mankiller

A porcelain figurine of a girl in a lavender dress hugging the neck of a white horse with gold-trimmed tack, set against a light blue glittery background.