BEST DRESSED Smith adds Jerry Ann Taylor Best-Dressed Award to list of accomplishments By Josie Fladager A fter taking second place in the final round of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, Jimmie Smith of McDade, Texas was named the Jerry Ann Taylor Best-Dressed Award winner for 2020 by the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
located in Fort Worth, Texas. Inspired by Martha Josey and the spirit of Jerry Ann Taylor, Smith and her horse Lena on the Rocks shot into the Dickies Arena wearing an array of pink sparkles and fringe complimented with turquoise on both her and her horse. The creators of Smith’s outfit, mother/daughter duo Nell and Natasha Roberts, have been lifelong friends of the Smith’s. Smith’s mother, Dawn Smith, and Nell Roberts own and operate Oak Tree Reality out of Bastrop, Texas. These are the same friends who produced Smith’s outfit when she finished third in the Fort Worth finals in 2019. However, contrary to last year, this wardrobe was made before Smith made the finals this year, just in case. When asked what she learned last year that helped her to win this year, Smith responded, “I knew that I needed more sparkle to win this year! So we just added a lot more!” Made in one weekend, the mother daughter duo brought Smith’s vision of old school Martha Josey to life with plenty of fringe and sparkle in her favorite colors. Giving her normal clothes a makeover, the Roberts added pink fringe to her blue Panhandle shirt and pink sparkles completely down the front of her Rock and Roll Denim jeans. Smith’s outfit was made complete with a hot pink wild rag and a Charlie 1 Horse turquoise hat sent to her by her sponsor, Resistol. These, together with her sponsors providing a pink 5 Star saddle pad, black Professional Choice splint boots, and a pink and turquoise 5 Star breast collar to help her horse match, created an award winning ensemble. She had planned on using pink Professional Choice splint boots that they had covered with pink sparkles, but discovered the Velcro would not stick after the alteration. Smith loves pink and loves the sparkles, but she is not always this
dressed up. She has done well the first of this new year and says she is a little superstitious. She did well at Denver earlier in the year wearing a purple shirt, so she wore that same purple shirt every run at Fort Worth before the finals. She said her winning outfit in Fort Worth will probably make some more appearances here and there throughout the year, but probably will not be worn as much as that purple shirt. The only other place the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame offers this award is at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December. After a spectacular year in 2018 where Smith was named Rookie of the Year, she attempted a run for the NFR in 2019 where she finished 19th in the world due to her horse becoming injured at Calgary last summer. After a good start to 2020, Smith has plans to try for the NFR again this year. “We are just following God’s plan this year,” stated Smith. “Last year that was our main goal and we tried to push to make it. I didn’t have my good horse with me and this year I have a team of horses. In the end that would be wonderful, but we’re just taking it one run at a time.” Smith says she would like to say thank you to Nell and Natasha Roberts for all of their help with creating this winning outfit. Smith says she does not know what she will do with the $5,000 award money from the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, but is grateful for the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame for honoring Jerry Ann Taylor and giving cowgirls the opportunity to shine in the arena. Jimmie Smith of McDade, Texas, finished second at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s (FWSSR) ProRodeo Tournament February 8. The 2018 WPRA Rookie of the Year also won the $5,000 Jerry Ann Taylor Best- Dressed Cowgirl Award. Photo by James Phifer, Rodeobum.com
Pam Minick, left, interviews Jimmie Smith, winner of the Jerry Ann Taylor Best-Dressed Cowgirl Award at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament February 8. Presenting the award were Kit Moncreif and Elaine Agather (far right) of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Photo by James Phifer, Rodeobum.com
24 WPRA NEWS MARCH 2020
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