COLORADO SPRINGS — A big part of the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeoevery year is the Girls of the West. And today a competition will be held to determine next year’s Girls of the West. But did you know that this year they are celebrating 100 years as an organization?
The Girls of the West are thrilled to be celebrating 100 years. You can see these girls throughout the rodeo, having a lot of fun and showcasing western heritage.
But the history behind this runs deep. The Girls of the West are chosen every year on the Friday of the Pikes Peak Rodeo, through a competition. They are judged on horsemanship, their knowledge on the military, current events, and their impromptu speech. Since the first Girl of the West, Dawn Norris in 1922, the organization has grown tremendously.
“The whole program is amazing, how it’s grown from 1922 to what it is now. And the girls are stronger than ever, our program is stronger, so there’s a lot of future in it. We don’t want it to just end after 100 years,” said Corliss Palmer, the director of Girls of the West.
“So many people moving here. It’s really lost touch for a lot of people but it’s important. It’s really important for our heritage, for the community. We just love that. We work western heritage. That’s part of our mission too.”
The girls stay busy, making 150 appearances every summer from May through July. This year’s Girls of the West both come from military families. They’re excited to back carrying on this long tradition.
They say holding the tradition and values of the west and what Colorado Springs truly is means the world to them both.
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