1235: “Three Turns to Freedom”
Interesting Things with JC #1235: “Three Turns to Freedom” – This episode gallops through the untold history of barrel racing—a sport born from rebellion. It wasn’t always about speed. It was once a pageant. But through three turns and a cloverleaf path, women rode their way from sideline spectacles to national champions.
A special thank you to Maxine from Ripon, California, for inspiring this story!
2025 Gold Hermes Creative Award Winning Episode
“Three Turns to Freedom” received the prestigious 2025 Gold Hermes Creative Award for Excellence in Educational Audio Storytelling, celebrating its compelling exploration of women’s resilience, the evolution of rodeo sports, and cultural transformation.
This landmark episode also marked the debut of open-access curriculum for the series and was inspired by a thoughtful suggestion from Maxine, a valued listener from California.
Topics covered:
The history of barrel racing
Formation of the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA) and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA)
Notable athletes like Charmayne James, Sherry Cervi, and Martha Josey
The long fight for equal pay and recognition in pro rodeo
The cloverleaf barrel pattern and arena specifications
Citation:
International Barrel Racing Association. (n.d.). About Barrel Racing. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from https://www.ibra.us/about_barrel_racing.php
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Episode Anchor
Episode Title: Three Turns to Freedom
Episode Number: #1235
Host: JC
Audience: Grades 9–12, college intro, homeschool, lifelong learners
Subject Area: U.S. History, Women's Studies, Sports Sociology, Media Literacy
Lesson Overview
Students will:
Define key milestones in the development of women's barrel racing.
Compare the evolution of gender roles in rodeo sports over time.
Analyze the impact of grassroots organizing on institutional change in sports.
Explain how cultural narratives and rules shaped the legitimacy of barrel racing.
Key Vocabulary
Barrel Racing (ˈber-əl ˈrā-siŋ) — A timed rodeo event where riders circle three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern; introduced by women seeking competitive legitimacy.
Sanctioned (ˈsaŋ(k)-shənd) — Officially approved or authorized; the GRA began hosting sanctioned events in 1948.
Grit (grit) — Courage and resolve; women competitors showed grit in pushing against norms and building their own sport.
Cloverleaf Pattern (ˈklō-vər-ˌlēf ˈpa-tərn) — The signature riding route used in barrel racing; involves three turns in a tight triangular setup.
WPRA (ˌdə-bəl-ˌyü-pē-ˌär-ˈā) — Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, formed from the earlier Girls Rodeo Association, formalizing women's competitive rodeo.
Narrative Core (Based on the PSF – renamed)
Open: A borrowed horse, three barrels, and a rider not expected to win sets the stage for change.
Info: In the 1920s–30s, women in rodeo were limited to exhibitions—decorative roles without competition.
Details: By 1948, women created their own association (GRA), sanctioned events, and rewrote the rules for themselves.
Reflection: Barrel racing became a symbol of female self-determination—redefining sport through resilience and precision.
Closing: These are interesting things, with JC.
Transcript
Before there were spotlights and roaring crowds, before timers tracked fractions of a second, there were just three barrels, a borrowed horse, and a woman who wasn’t supposed to win.
Barrel racing didn’t begin as a sport. In the 1920s and ’30s, women in rodeo were often seen, but not heard. Their presence was decorative, exhibition riders in long skirts, showcasing poise rather than performance. While the men roped and rodeoed, the women waved and rode in circles.
But grit doesn’t stay quiet.
By the late 1930s, the women started changing the pattern, literally. They rode figure-eights and straight lines, searching for a challenge. Then came the cloverleaf: three barrels arranged in a triangle, run in a tight arc, with speed, grace, and precision. It wasn’t officially sanctioned, but it was electrifying.
In 1948, 38 women from Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma decided they weren’t going to wait for permission. They formed the Girls Rodeo Association, or GRA. That year alone, they hosted 60 sanctioned events and launched the first rulebook written by and for female competitors. Their aim was clear: not to be included, but to build their own place in the sport.
The GRA eventually became the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, the WPRA, in 1981. And through grit and grassroots organizing, barrel racing moved from exhibition to main event.
Still, progress was slow. In 1955, the GRA negotiated a deal with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) to allow women to compete in barrel racing at sanctioned rodeos. But it wasn’t until 1968 that the sport appeared in the National Finals Rodeo, the crown jewel of competitive rodeo.
And even then, the prize money was a fraction of what men earned. It took another thirty years, until 1998, for that to change.
But when the women arrived, they didn’t just compete.
They dominated.
Charmayne James, riding her legendary horse Scamper, won ten consecutive world titles between 1984 and 1993. In one unforgettable run, Scamper’s bridle came off mid-course—and they still won.
Sherry Cervi racked up four world championships and over $3 million in career earnings. Martha Josey competed for four decades, winning nearly every major title and mentoring more than 200,000 students along the way.
And the arena itself became a science of inches and seconds.
Three barrels. Ninety feet between the first two.
One hundred and five feet to the back barrel.
Sixty feet from the start line to the first turn.
Riders sprint in, circle each barrel in a tight loop, and race home, all in under fifteen seconds.
Knock a barrel? Add five seconds.
In a pro run, that’s the difference between a championship and a handshake.
But beyond the numbers is the meaning.
Barrel racing is the story of women who weren’t given a start, so they made one. They drew their own course in the dirt, circled each obstacle with speed and precision, and never asked for permission.
They just kept turning.
These are, interesting things, with JC.
Student Worksheet
What was the role of women in rodeos during the 1920s and 1930s?
Explain the significance of the cloverleaf pattern in barrel racing.
Who founded the Girls Rodeo Association and why?
Describe Charmayne James’ famous win involving her horse, Scamper.
Why did it take until 1998 for prize money in women’s barrel racing to equal men's?
Teacher Guide
Estimated Time:
1–2 class periods (45–60 minutes each)
Pre-Teaching Vocabulary Strategy:
Use a word wall and sentence strips for vocabulary terms. Allow students to match words with definitions.
Anticipated Misconceptions:
Belief that women were always welcome in rodeo sports.
Misunderstanding the structure and athletic difficulty of barrel racing.
Discussion Prompts:
How did grassroots organizing empower the women of the GRA?
In what ways did barrel racing challenge traditional gender roles in sports?
Why is remembering these early competitors important in today’s discussions of equity?
Differentiation Strategies:
ESL: Use bilingual vocabulary guides and visual maps of the cloverleaf pattern.
IEP: Provide sentence starters for reflection questions and allow audio responses.
Gifted: Ask students to research a modern woman in rodeo and present her legacy.
Extension Activities:
Create a timeline of major milestones in women’s rodeo history.
Compare the evolution of barrel racing to another women's sport (e.g., women's boxing or soccer).
Cross-Curricular Connections:
Physics: Analyze angular momentum and force in turning around barrels.
History: Link to broader women's rights movements and Title IX.
Ethics: Debate the fairness of gender-based pay gaps in professional sports.
Quiz
Q1. What did women in the 1920s and 1930s rodeos typically do?
A. Compete in roping events
B. Act as rodeo clowns
C. Participate in exhibitions
D. Train horses for men
Answer: C
Q2. What riding pattern became the standard in barrel racing?
A. Figure eight
B. Triangle loop
C. Zigzag
D. Cloverleaf
Answer: D
Q3. When was the GRA founded?
A. 1938
B. 1948
C. 1968
D. 1998
Answer: B
Q4. Which horse famously finished a run without a bridle?
A. Thunder
B. Bolt
C. Scamper
D. Whirlwind
Answer: C
Q5. When did barrel racing debut in the National Finals Rodeo?
A. 1948
B. 1955
C. 1968
D. 1984
Answer: C
Assessment
How did the founding of the Girls Rodeo Association change the course of women’s participation in rodeo sports?
What broader societal lessons can be learned from the history of barrel racing?
3–2–1 Rubric:
3 = Accurate, complete, thoughtful
2 = Partial or missing detail
1 = Inaccurate or vague
Standards Alignment
Common Core (ELA-Literacy):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2 — Determine the central ideas of a text and provide an accurate summary.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.3 — Evaluate various explanations for actions or events.
C3 Framework (Social Studies):
D2.His.2.9-12 — Analyze change and continuity in historical eras.
D2.Civ.14.9-12 — Evaluate the importance of civic institutions.
ISTE Standards for Students:
ISTE 1.1 Empowered Learner — Students use technology to take an active role in demonstrating competency.
ISTE 1.6 Creative Communicator — Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively.
UK (National Curriculum – History):
KS4: Challenges for Britain, Europe, and the wider world since 1901 — Women’s changing role in society and public life.
Cambridge IGCSE History (0470):
Section B: Depth Studies — Societal and cultural shifts, especially gender roles and social change.
Show Notes
Episode #1235, Three Turns to Freedom, explores the powerful history of barrel racing—a sport created, led, and elevated by women who refused to wait for inclusion. From the decorative roles of the 1920s to the record-breaking champions of today, JC narrates a journey of grit, independence, and strategy, both on and off the rodeo field. This episode encourages learners to question how access to competition shapes societal perceptions of gender and capability. The curriculum offers rich opportunities to discuss equity, grassroots change, sports science, and historical patterns of exclusion and reform. Special thanks to Maxine for her topic suggestion that inspired this story.
