QUADRILL DE MUJERES

in the early 1960 s the cattle feeding industry was lined up along 48th street in pheonis which crossed the dry salt river bed, early in the 1960 a hundred year storm set in . the dams up stream on the salt river were at capacity and started releaseing water. the result was the water flooded the dry salt river bed in pheonix the feed lots there were flooded . the feedlot owners who were able petioned the state legislatur for a protected area in the state to rebuild in. the result was they set aside a townshipm in maricopa az. and designated it cowtown. feedlots could build there with no fear of houseing developers moveing next to them the first feed lot to bult there and take advantage of this was T&C cattle company they built a 25 thousand head feed lot and installed a roping arena for the cowboys. the manager for that feedlot was sam white. his wife helen was a horsewoman with no peer she became friends with shirley ann hartman the wife of a local cotton farmer who was also a dedicated horrsewoman. they began trail rideing a couple days a week. but it soon became clear this was boreing about the only advantage was the scenery they would see. around maricopa at that time the scenery consisted of miles and miles of cotton feilds. the grand mother and her friend put their heads together and came up with a plan for womans rideing group that would generate adrenaline. at the time they knew not the wheels they put in motion or just how long that adrenaline rush would last. thus was born the quadrill de mujeres.those two foundingers laid down a set of parameters for belonging to their group. at that time in maricopa there were a few girls and women who rode a lot. one being judy blair whose dad was a cutting horse competitor. judy competed in cutting events. there were a hand ful of girls in high school who rode some. now you ask how do i know all this, i grew up in maricopa. graduated high school with 15 other kids and went to work at t & c catle company i was friends with almost everyone who joined the group, i was a witness. the group would practice in the t & c arena once or twice a week. to join there was a list of things you had to meet. first you had to be able to RIDE! helen made the statement that they would be watched by cowboys, and cowboys they had to impress. if you were voted into the group your horse was approved also. you needed a certain set of equipment. all the horses were tacked out in matching gear. the girls performed in sparkling irredecent uniforms all matching each girl sewed their own. that group became knowen for those costumes. at one rodeo the producer even asked them to perform topless, that didnt happen. over the years the member ship fluctuated. girls got married, had children , some moved out of reach . but some drove miles weekly to ride in the prctice sessions. there was always a waitting list to join. but through all the years, the demand for excellence never weakend. the first place the new group were to perform was in a parking lot next to a supermarket in scottsdale az. from there over the years they performed at rodeos all across the south west. but they always returned to the yearly event in maricops called STAGECOACH DAYS. the dust was always so thick you couldnt see a horses length a head but perf0orm they did. each girl was responsible with keeping their tack clean and serviceable their horses brushed and groomed to the highet order. the same for their costumes. over a 50 year period this never wavered. they performed at salinas one of the biggest rodeos in america. they rode in the rose parade. all through the south west they performed at rodeo and equine events alike . through out that 50 year period i watched from afar. i always had a abideing intrest. it was a matter of pride being from maricopa. among the many things that made them uniqice was the fact they performed their manuvers at a dead run. they didnt slow to a lope. slideing stops, spins , lead changes all done full speed. once at the tucson rodeo legendary rodeo announcer bon tallman stated as they entered the aren that if you watched close there had to be a wreck. he said that to draw the crowd into watching, sadly there was a wreck a girl was thrown . the rest of the group lined up along the arena fence while the girl was removed, her horse caught then resumed the performance , profesionals one and all. through out the years one word would descibe the group tnacity, fom the begining to the end 50 years later. in the beginning one of the original memebrs didnt have a horse. she was a school mate of mine. i loaned her a mount. she waitted tables all summer, saved her money and bought her own horse, tenacity. that was a major feat in a town of 300 people. i ate many slices of lemon pie that summer at that lunch counter. as in all things time has a way of changeing the peramiters of things, this group ws no different. in 2015 they made the hard choice of disbanding. this was done after the last performance of the tucson rodeo. over the years judy blair had become the drill directer , shirley ann had retired, helen white had passed on. a short time after the disbanding in the mail i recieved a manila envelope from judy. i glanced at it then put it away in my desk. a few weeks ago i got word that judy blair had passed from ths world. within a few days it was asked of me to write a history of the group. the fact that i had become a published author may have had some bearing on the request. 50 years! did shirly ann and helen ever dream this would last this long? one thing for sure, the standards of excellence were up held until the last rider left the arena in tucson at that final performance. at no time can i find evedence that they were ever relaxed. very few groups last 50 years let alone hold up the quality they start with. in researching this i found one of the daughters of a drill member has been activly trying to get the group enshrined in a cowboy hall of fame . i have found two places here in arizona that may acept them one being the tucson rodeo museum the other being in scottsdale. in my openion, placeing the group in these arizona facilities. they were a purely arizona group. they did perform out side the state but they always came home they were arizona pure and simple. and proud of it. a grand mother, a farmers wife, daughters of farmers , daughters of school teachers, a profesional barrel racer wmen from every walk of life. but they all held to a strong set of values set down by the founders. there haas been a video made, showing them performing, their legacy will live on.