Isabella Miller (barrel racer)

Isabella Miller (28 January 1941 – 26 January 2007) was a Canadian rodeo performer, rancher and horse trainer. She was the Canadian Barrel Racing Champion in 1960 and 1969 and was a 5-time winner of the Canadian All-Around women's title. She was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2005.

Isabella Miller
Miller in 1969
Born
Pearl Isabella Hamilton

(1941-01-28)28 January 1941
Alberta, Canada
Died26 January 2007(2007-01-26) (aged 65)
Maricopa, Arizona
NationalityCanadian
Other namesIsabella Hamilton Miller, Isabella Miller Haraga
Occupationrancher, horse trainer, rodeo performer
Years active1957–2007
Spouse(s)
Arnold Haraga
(
m. 2002)
Children3

Early life

Pearl Isabella Hamilton was born on 28 January 1941 in Alberta, Canada to Ruth (née Johnson) and William James Hamilton.[1][2] She grew up in DeWinton, Alberta, where her parents operated a ranch.[2] Her father had been a bull riding champion in the 1920s and was a chuckwagon driver. Her grandparents manufactured Red River carts in Calgary.[3] Hamilton began learning to ride when she was 2 years old.[4]

Hamilton was one of the founders of the Canadian Girls' Barrel Racing Association, which formed in 1957 and was elected as the organization's president for 1959.[1][5] The goal of the association was to promote women's participation in rodeo and to be allowed to compete in the Calgary Stampede and other regular rodeo events.[6][7] From 1958, they won the right to participate in the Stampede.[8][9]

Competitive career

In 1960, Hamilton won the Canadian Barrel Racing Championship, having owned, trained, and ridden her own horse.[10][11] Around 1962, she married and began competing as Isabella Miller.[12] She won the women's All-Around title five times — in 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969.[13][14] In 1963, she was also named as Calgary's Athlete of the Year by the Calgary Sports Women's Association.[4] Despite a vehicle accident in which in which her horse died during the 1969 season, Miller repeated that year as Canadian barrel racing champion.[3][14][11]

Miller raised three children, Tyler, Bobbie June, and Billie Ruth Miller, as a single mother and to make ends meet, drove a school bus for 15 years.[1] As she made little money from barrel racing, she also raised horses, trained them, and worked as a stunt rider in films. She continued to compete in barrel racing events into her 60s and was often ranked among Canada's the top ten women in the sport.[9][15][16] In the early 1980s, she became president of the barrel racing association for a second term, serving from 1981 to 1986.[6][17] In 2002, she married Arnold Haraga, a former Canadian All-Around champion and steer wrestler and sculptor.[8][18] After their marriage, the couple wintered at their ranch in Arizona.[9] She was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2005.[9][11]

Death and legacy

In 2007, Haraga was injured in a fall from her horse on her ranch in Maricopa, Arizona. The fall caused an aneurysm[8] and Haraga died two days later on 26 January 2007.[1][9] Her children and grandchildren have continued the tradition of competing in rodeo events.[19]

gollark: GIBSON FRAMED ESOBOT FRAMING GIBSON
gollark: You killed it a while ago with the readonly memory thing so it sought revenge.
gollark: IT FRAMED GIBSON
gollark: THAT IS IT
gollark: YES

References

Citations
  1. The Calgary Herald 2007, p. 20.
  2. Western Wheel 2018.
  3. French 1969, p. 41.
  4. Hehr 1964, p. 26.
  5. Primrose 1958, p. 46.
  6. Priegert 1982, p. G1.
  7. Kossowan 1998, p. A2.
  8. Cowboy Country Television 2008.
  9. Erickson 2007, p. E8.
  10. The Calgary Herald 1960, p. 24.
  11. Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame 2005.
  12. McLean 1962, p. 47.
  13. The Province 1969, p. 45.
  14. The Red Deer Advocate 1969, p. 7.
  15. Kossowan 1998, pp. A1-A2.
  16. Summerfield 2000, p. SE2.
  17. Rule Book 2017, p. 3.
  18. Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame 2013.
  19. Kossowan 1998, p. A1.

Bibliography
  • Erickson, Dwayne (31 January 2007). "Rodeo World Loses Champion Barrel Racer". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. E8. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • French, Terry (2 October 1969). "Horse Shoe Fanfare—and Sadness". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. p. 41. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • Hehr, Marilynn (5 May 1964). "Gail Ross Named Athlete of 1963". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. 26. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • Kossowan, Brenda (31 August 1998). "Even Cowgirls Get Their Dues". Red Deer Advocate. Red Deer, Alberta. pp. A1, A2. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • McLean, Marilyn (2 June 1962). "First All-Girl Rodeo at High River". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. 47. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • Priegert, Portia (10 July 1982). "Cowgirls Made History". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. G1. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • Primrose, Tommy (29 November 1958). "Agricultural Alberta". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. 46. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • Summerfield, Robin (6 July 2000). "Glory Days: Isabella Hamilton Miller, 1958 Stampede Princess". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. SE2. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • "Arnold Haraga". Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Rodeo Historical Association. 2013. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  • "C.G.R.A. Past Presidents" (PDF). Canadian Girls Rodeo Association. Calgary, Alberta. 2017. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  • "Girls' Champs Named". Red Deer Advocate. Red Deer, Alberta. 1 November 1969. p. 7. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • "Haraga — Pearl Isabella (nee Hamilton)". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. 4 February 2007. p. 20. Retrieved 13 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • "Isabelle Miller Haraga". Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Rodeo Historical Association. 2005. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  • "Mrs. Isabel Miller of Calgary". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. 27 September 1969. p. 45. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • "Ruth (Johnson) Hamilton (1919–2018)". Legacy.com. Okotoks, Alberta: Western Wheel. 4 October 2018. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  • "Saddle Awarded by Association". The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. 29 October 1960. p. 24. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  • "Season 4, Episode 11: Trailblazers, Isabella Miller-Haranga". Cowboy Country Television. Edmonton, Alberta. 2008. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.