North Texas woman recalls rodeo life, wins in the '50s
At age 11, LaTonne Sewalt won her first GRA world champion title, becoming the youngest girl to win the barrel racing title

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Feb. 26, 2004 -- Many little girls dream of riding horses and barrel racing; and for a Decatur lady, that dream was a reality in her early years, when she competed in the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA), now the Womens Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA).

The success of those rides, earned LaTonne (rhymes with baton) Sewalt Enright a place in the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame (TRCHF). Following the hall-of-fame legacy of both her dad Royce, a 1946 world champion calf roper, and her younger brother Ronnye, a reserve world champion calf roper, LaTonne was among the 16 others who were inducted in the hall on Feb. 14.

TRCHF is an organization dedicated to the sport of rodeo and the recognition of Texas' contribution to the sport. It was founded by Johnny Boren and a group of Belton, Texas, businessmen. Housed in the Bell County Expo Center in Belton, the first honorees were inducted in 1975.

"I learned to ride a horse before I could walk," she began. Riding paid off for LaTonne. At the young age of 11, LaTonne won all the go-rounds and averages at eight straight rodeos for a total of $3,997.

"That was a lot of money back then (1950s)," she said.

Fast around the barrels, LaTonne won her first GRA world champion title that year, becoming the youngest girl to win the barrel racing title. Four years later, in 1954, the young barrel racer won the title again. LaTonne's name remained in the record book for the youngest girl to win the title until 1968, when a new record was set by 10-year-old Ann Lewis of Sulphur, Okla.

LaTonne's horse was Little Joe, a half Thoroughbred, half Quarter horse.

"My dad and I trained Little Joe. He wasn't registered. Back then papers didn't mean anything," she said.

Riding a trick-riding saddle, the barrel racer remembered the first rodeo she competed in with Little Joe. She said the horse was trained to run around old rusty-looking barrels. As they rode into the arena for the first rodeo, there were bright-colored barrels.

"He didn't know what they were. We came home and painted the barrels bright colors. He never was scared after that."

With Little Joe now adapted to the barrels, the heat was on.

Competing with women who were adults, LaTonne said, "they hated to see us enter the event. We were seldom beat. Little Joe knew the pattern. We didn't have to practice much. In my mind, Little Joe was the most outstanding barrel horse of his time," she added.

Little Joe had other talents as well. He was used as a calf roping horse and a steer hazing horse.

Traveling as a family, the Sewalts attended rodeos throughout the South, and made stops at some of the big rodeos like Cheyenne and Calgary.

Crediting her mom Myra, LaTonne said, "We were fortunate to have loving parents and rodeo family. My mom was the biggest cheerleader. She built our confidence and deserves a lot of the credit for our success."

Her dad is her hero, commenting, "He was a true cowboy. He always told the truth, even when selling a horse. He would tell the good and the bad."

Reminiscing about her dad Royce, she explained she would always get nervous before a run, and not until her dad came would she be okay.

"I would sit on Little Joe waiting for Daddy. He would come clean out Little Joe's hooves, pat me on the leg, and say 'well, ride around them and come on back.' Everything would be okay then."

LaTonne shared other memories of their life in the rodeo circuit. "We made our living rodeoing. Everything we bought was purchased with rodeo winnings. There was no Hemi (engine to pull heavy loads) back then. Not even air conditioning or motorhomes. Ronnye and I would read comic books and then sell them at the rodeos in order to buy more," the avid reader said.

One of her favorite memories was "winning Houston" and getting her picture taken with Roy Rogers. She was also presented with a special buckle that had a picture of her and Little Joe.

For 10 years, LaTonne turned and burned, but then Little Joe died and a replacement couldn't be found to suit. She married and settled down in Chico, outside of Fort Worth, and gave up the rodeo business.

Today, she said she hasn't been on a horse since the '80s. The rodeo business continues in the Sewalt family. Nephew Rusty competes professionally in tie-down roping (formerly called calf roping). Grandsons Royce and Bryce team rope and 10-year-old granddaughter Kyla is learning to pole bend and barrel race. Two other grandsons, Chance and Cole, compete on the ball field.

Asked if she misses the rodeo atmosphere, she answered, "I miss not having horses, but it was fun while it lasted."