Jewel Duncan

Jewel Duncan was born on May 11, 1902 in Kent County, Texas. While a young lady, she and her family migrated to a ranch outside of Kent, Texas. Jewel learned to rope and ride at an early age and could handle a lariat as well as most men.

Jewel entered her first rodeo at eighteen and in 1929 was the first woman roper to compete in the West of the Pecos Rodeo. There were no female ropers at the time, making it necessary for her to compete against the men.  Traveling rodeos were one of the few ways for a woman roper to compete. Jewel, and ladies like her assured a woman’s place in rodeo.  In 1935, jewel won the title of Rodeo Queen of the Pecos Rodeo. It was quite an honor. She was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2004.

Stop by the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame in the Old T&P Depot in Pecos, Texas to read all about Jewel’s contribution to rodeo.