Betty Gayle Cooper Fast Time Award

By Ann Bleiker

Since 2012 the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame has partnered with the WPRA in awarding barrel racers with the Jerry Ann Taylor Best Dressed Award. In 2020, when the PRCA announced there would be a National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) in Arlington, Texas, in conjunction with the NFR, they once again stepped forward with the Betty Gayle Cooper Fast Time Award.

The award honors the late 1987 Cowgirl Honoree and a nine-time world champion that included being crowned the 1989 breakaway champion. Cooper worked as a rodeo director of the WPRA to strengthen the sport and she coached the men’s and women’s rodeo teams for Southeastern Oklahoma State University to win national titles. For the first two years, the award was given to the fast time in the first round of the NFBR.

Beginning in 2022, the award was given to the fast time of the entire event (all 10 rounds). If a tie would occur the first tiebreaker would be based on how they finished in the average and if still tied, then would go to final world standings.

The 2024 winner will receive a set of earrings, and a matching scarf slide designed and made by Ryan Liggett of Loreena Rose Jewelry as well as a $1,000 cash award.

Previous winners:

2023 – Sarah Angelone – 1.7 seconds (*tied with Danielle Lowman but was higher in average)

2022 – Martha Angelone – 1.8 seconds

2021 – Jackie Crawford – 1.9 seconds (*fastest first round time)

2020 – Jackie Crawford – 1.9 seconds (*fastest first round time)