‘It’s quite an honor.’ Stephenville’s JJ Hampton to be inducted into National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
TSU Media Relations
Special to Beneath the Surface News
Former Tarleton State University rodeo standout JJ Hampton has been selected for induction into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum in Fort Worth.
The induction ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 12 at Dickies Arena.
While it might be hard to believe after such a successful run in the sport, becoming a hall of fame rodeo star wasn’t the initial plan.
After completing her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Hampton, a 1993 graduate, held a career goal to become a lawyer.
“Right after graduation I sold my horse because I was planning on going to law school,” she said. “That didn’t work out, so I went into pro rodeo.
“God works in mysterious ways. If I’d gone to law school, I’d never have been an 18-time world champion.”
Already featured in the Tarleton State Rodeo Hall of Fame, the Texas Rodeo Cowboys Hall of Fame, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Cowboy Capital Walk of Fame, Hampton sees her latest honor as a unique one.
“This is the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame,” she said. “There are people in there from all over the country. It’s quite an honor. I don’t really have the words to say how much this means to me.
“It’s a legacy for my family, my kids and grandkids, something for all of us to cherish. It’s pretty special to know that people are going to walk through the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame for years to come and I’ll have my own little star there.”
Born and raised in Stephenville, Hampton competed in her first rodeo at four years old.
A roper for Tarleton State’s rodeo team she was inducted to the university’s Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2014.
Her pro rodeo career includes 18 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world championships and 25 national titles.
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