Oh, You Cowgirl! A Documentary Film

     "Very nicely rendered here is the story (both unsung and sung) of the professional rodeo ladies who competed on the same animals and in the same events as the guys…and then had to compete even further for any small measure of equal attention and reward. You might recall Jean Prescott sang about them a while back, and then they once again sort of sank in the Western dust. In this skillfully assembled DVD, they’re back and kickin’ up said dust!

For the most part the sung portion of the story is handled (wonderfully, of course) by Juni Fisher. Included are a number of appropriate songs found on her CD Let ‘Er Go Let ‘Er Buck Let ‘Er Fly.  But the unsung portion can really make the emotions well up, too. Filmmaker Shirley Morris has devoted a lot of time into unearthing the research and proofs required to make that happen. And hopefully it will make men of a certain mindset sit a little less comfortably in their saddles.

Partly solved in this story is the long entrenched mystery of Prairie Rose Henderson, or should we say the various “Prairie Roses.” Particularly rough is the story of the one who was even denied her due in death. Actual footage of some of the heroic ladies’ rides is here, and the stories of each will hopefully serve as an inspirational prod onward to anyone needing it.

Western historical DVDs of this caliber are rare to begin with, and Shirley Morris’ Oh You Cowgirl! tells a story that deserves to be in the foreground of that Western history.  It may well go down as the hallmark of its kind."

Rick Huff - Best of the West Reviews

"Quality endeavors stand out as surely as cream rises to the top of a pitcher of whole milk....Shirley Morris combines vintage photographs, film footage, and interviews from the Pendleton Round-Up in a documentary entitled Oh, You Cowgirl! A True Story About America’s Unsung Heroes. But, that‘s not all. Tracing the development of Wild West shows and the cowgirl‘s role in the golden age of rodeo, the DVD also includes clips from Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Los Angeles Rodeo. Among those profiled in the 63-minute film are Bertha Kaepernik, Bonnie McCarroll, Mabel Strickland, and the women who went by the name of Prairie Rose...."

Cowboy Jam Session:
Western Culture News & Reviews - by Jeri L. Dobrowski

"In producing, writing and directing OH, YOU COWGIRL!, Shirley Morris has given a gift to history of the West. Fascinated by the cowgirls of old, she has dug deep into their lives, coming up with first hand sources (relatives, letters, diaries and photos) that tell their stories as they truly were, not romanticized and flowery like the tales are often told and retold. She has unearthed never-seen-before photos and unheard stories of these heroic women. It was my pleasure to have a small part in it. View this DVD with pleasure knowing the stories are true and from the heart."Ann Terry Hill, Co-Author, Pendleton Round-Up At 100.

Ann Terry Hill, Co-Author, Pendleton Round-Up At 100.

"Shirley Morris opens her rich film, Oh, You Cowgirl!; The True Story About America's Unsung Heroes, The Cowgirls,with a quote from an old Wild West show cowboy performer, disparaging women's lack of riding skills. The sequence ends with the message: "He was wrong," and the film of the "buckin' horse suffragettes"—rodeo and Wild West show cowgirls—goes on to show just how wrong he was.
 
     Oh, You Cowgirl! offers a feast vintage photographs and film footage, including rare clips from Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Pendleton Round-Up, and the Los Angeles Rodeo. It is filled with interviews with the performers, descendants, and others who contribute to the film's fascinating history of the development of Wild West shows and the history of women in rodeo. Individual women riders are profiled in depth, and their techniques, treatment, disappointments, wrecks, and successes are woven into the compelling film, which rests on a foundation of extensive research."

Margo Metegrano, Cowboypoetry.com

     "I saw a preview of " Oh You Cowgirl" last night - What a treat !!   It was awesome and left me wanting to see and hear more. Very entertaining - not like a documentary: it is a true life story of the Cowgirls. I loved the old footage and pic's - Unbelievable Cowgirls - I can't imagine doing what they did !!! And to hear comments from their voice about what they did and experienced first hand..........truly amazing.

     I can't wait to see the " Oh You Cowgirl, LIVE! I understand there are more stories that will be revealed at the live show.

Tammy Harty
Equestrian, Winner Craig Cameron's Extreme Cowboy Race