In July 1920 Curley Seale from Baird Texas won first money in the steer riding contest at the Brownwood Rodeo. Curley and her sister, Billy, were already managing their deceased father's ranch two years earlier in 1918 when Curley was eighteen. By 1925 they were operating it as a "no men allowed" ranch.

In 1925 at Baird, on the plains of west Texas, there was a 3,000-acre ranch run entirely by two girls, "Bill" Seale, 26, and her sister, "Curley," 24. After the death of their father C. C. Seale, banker and ranchman in 1918, his two younger daughters conceived the idea of managing this property alone. An older sister assisted in the housekeeping. Their mother died in 1914.

Their father was president of the Home National Bank of Baird at the time of his death. Among other property, he owned a 14,000-acre well stocked ranch and it is a part of this estate that came under the direct supervision of the two girls.

As late as July 1939, Curley was still competing in rodeo events. She won the flag race for women at the annual Coleman Rodeo in Coleman, Texas.

Ella Moore "Curley" Seale was born in Texas August 8, 1900 and died August 16, 1969 in Tarrant County. She is buried in Belle Plain Cemetery, Callahan County, Texas.

. . . for more like this please see Texas Cowboy History

Resources:

West Texas History & Memories

Early Life in Texas County by County

Books about Texas People and Places

Amazing People from Texas County by County