101 Ranch Photo ~ Circa 1914

In many of their advertisements, the 101 Ranch would talk about the cowgirls who rode with the show and bragged that they were ranch bred and right off the range. And because of their experience alongside the cowboys of the range, were naturals for the wild west show. But Cleo Tom Terry, co-author of "The Rawhide Tree" disagreed and wrote, ".... the girls went to the 101 to get into the show business just as girls go to Hollywood to get into the movies.... the bona fide ranch people looked down on show girls whether they were rodeo performers or high kickers."
It doesn't surprise me that it is has been a difficult task to find true accounts of these women - It was show business! Many of the real life players, who turned out to have tremendous talent and athletic skill, were there to portray fictitious characters created to enhance the audience's pleasure."