July 2019 14 Nancy Sheppard was born in Fort Worth to father Cleve Kelley, who was a Texas cowboy, calf roper, and a signer of the famous 1936 Boston Rodeo strike document. His signature was #136 and this led to his membership in the Cowboys ‘ Turtle Association which was the predecessor to the PRCA. Her mother Margret Adams Kelley was the daughter of a prominent horse and mule dealer in the area. She showed horses as a child in the first Coliseum in Fort Worth to house rodeos. By Bob Roloff, “The Arizona Duuude” You can follow Bob Roloff on Facebook. THE ARIZONA DUUUDE big rodeos where she performed, and he sang “I'm Back in the Saddle Again" and rode his horse, Champion. In 1945, Roy Rogers was the star at New York's Madison Square Garden and during the rodeo parade; he stepped off his horse, Trigger, and walked up the steps of city hall to greet the mayor. Nancy was standing next to Trigger and he kept rubbing his head against her. Trigger's groom who was on the other side became alarmed and said, “Step away from him as he bites” but Trigger and Nancy paid no heed as they were getting along just fine. Once during a rodeo performance, Roy was singing and yodeling and the band was playing when an inebriated woman began shouting “Hey Roy!” This went on for almost 10 minutes until an exasperated Roy stopped the show and said, “Will someone please ride that jackass out of here.” He resumed singing to thunderous applause. In 1946, Nancy met Slim Pickens, Cowboy, clown, singer and actor. A lady fan was in love with Slim and followed him everywhere. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he asked for Nancy’s help. She was introduced as his fiancé and the problem was solved! The next day Slim handed her a huge gawdy ring and when Nancy looked at him stunned he said, “Don't you like it? It cost me the biggest part of a quarter." Next came an 8 x 10 photo of Slim on his clown mule which said, “To my dear, sweet, darling wife Nancy" and was signed Slim Pickens. Nancy says she folded with laughter after that and still has that photo. She met Jim Shoulders and Casey Tibbs who she fondly referred to as the “babysitters” in the 1950s. Jim Shoulders took baby Lex out of her arms one day and pretended he did it because she didn't know as much about babies as he did. That may or may not have been true but he and wife Sharon eventually had four children. Jim would show Lex off to his cowboy friends for about 20 minutes and then bring him back. She met Casey Tibbs when she was 16 years old and he was 9 months older. The Cowboys were amazed to see him carrying baby Lex and showing him off; one of them said, “I never expected to see that.” Casey loved Nancy’s mother and considered her his surrogate mom. They often had tea together and yes, Casey was a tea drinker. Also in the 1950s, Nancy was sent to Boston to the race track for a photo shoot of Adios Harry, World Champion Trotting Horse, who was black as a crow’s wing. She was advised to sidle up sideways as he was known to be dangerous, and with a no-nonsense attitude. Nancy took hold of his halter next to his cheek, gave it a hard shake and in a threatening voice told Harry that if he didn't behave, she would promptly kill him! Amazingly he stood as in cement and never moved a muscle for which she was thankful. She also modeled for several different western clothing companies. Jinx and Jayne Peace Pyle wrote in the “About the Author" section in Nancy's book Ridin', Ropin', & Recipes that Nancy was popular not only in the United States but Giorgio Armani, an Italian fashion designer, flew her to Milan, Italy, in 1992, to perform her trick riding and roping for him. Nancy has bragging rights to some great accomplishments. She has been inducted into all three USA Rodeo Halls of Fame. She was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in her home state of Texas in 1991, into the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1996, and into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2003. Along the way, Nancy became friends with most of the great rodeo entertainers and performers of her time. In her later years, she had a desire to share their stories, recipes and action photos, so she added “author" to her resume and penned the book Ridin’, Ropin’, & Recipes which is more than a cookbook; it’s a book of rodeo history. In it, she included many of her friends throughout the years, all of whom she considers to be accomplished people. Jinx and Jayne Peace Pyle wrote; “Nancy still swings a pretty mean loop as she trick ropes, promotes her book and does some motivational speaking. We consider Nancy a dear friend and we greatly admire her abilities and spunk.” Arizona Historian Marshall Trimble has this to say in the foreword of Nancy's book; “It goes without saying Nancy is one of professional rodeo's foremost goodwill ambassadors. So take my word for it; if Nancy Sheppard has her brand on it you can bet it's gonna be good and the same goes for this book. I love ya, Nancy, and I still practice rope spinnin' with that little rope you gave me.” Nancy Sheppard is not sitting still! She is busy accepting invitations as an inspirational and history speaker at various events in Arizona and keeping up with orders for her book. Recently Nancy created her own line of natural goat’s milk products to include soaps, cream lotions and bath soak. Her second publication, a children’s story, will soon be out in print. To find out how to order the book or goat’s milk products, please contact Marian Sheppard at msheppard55@hotmail. Nancy Sheppard, Rodeo's Goodwill Ambassador Nancy has been inducted into all three USA Rodeo Halls of Fame and along the way, she became friends with most of the great rodeo entertainers and performers of her time. Nancy began trick roping at 7 or eight-years-old and then at the ripe old age of 9 she approached rodeo producer Harry Rowell for a job, with hands tightly clasped, so he wouldn't see them shake. A verbal contract was made and she was hired to trick rope for $10.00 at the 1939 Hayward, California rodeo. A handshake sealed the deal and Mr. Rowell managed to keep himself from grinning. Nancy never thought she would see another poor day and since she was a kid in a hurry, she began trick riding. By age 11 she was performing in the famed Pendleton Roundup in Pendleton, Oregon, and at the age of 17, she was trick riding and roping in New York's Madison Square Garden as the only woman in rodeo history to stand on a running horse while spinning 2 ropes. Trick riding became a specialty act in rodeos and Nancy was hired by contract. One of Nancy's long-time partners was J.W. Stoker, “King of the Cowboy Trick Ropers.” At age 18, Nancy married a cowboy and rancher named Lynn Sheppard from Globe, Arizona, and their son Lex was born in 1951. A movie contract was offered in 1953, but Nancy declined it for the rodeo, so great was her love for performing her amazing trick riding and roping for live audiences in the arena. Nancy has some fond memories over the years beginning when she was a seven-year-old in Sun Valley, Idaho. Cowboy Everett Bowman pulled off his boots and socks and ran barefoot in the grass with her and other cowboy's kids. She loved when Gene Autry starred in the