Betty Sims-Solt

Betty Sims-Solt was born and raised on the family ranch near Pastura, NM in 1935. Her parents, George Edgar Sims and Wahlecia Dell Blackwell Sims had five older sons before Betty arrived. Her five older brothers showed her the “ropes” of rodeo, and began entering into competitions by the year of 1950. By 1954, she managed to win and place in multiple NM State rodeos, leading her to the opportunity to compete in the High School National Finals in Louisiana, Montana, South Dakota and Texas where she also placed in several events. Betty went on to attend college New Mexico A&M, (now known as NMSU) where she ended up winning the NIRA National All-Around cowgirl title in 1957, along with the National Barrel Racing Championship in 1957-58. She also joined the Girls Rodeo Association (now known as the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association) along with the Southwest Rodeo Association, winning the Barrel Racing title in 1958. She was a busy and ambitious woman, even helping to start the NIRA Alumni Association. In college she earned a degree in Animal Husbandry, along with her teaching certificate that allowed her to teach for 33 years in the Roswell Public schools. Every now and then Betty would teach her classes how to rodeo. Everyone, including the other teacher were always so intrigued. After she retired, she decided to get the saddle back out and buy a small ranch North of Roswell where she ran a Cow-calf operation alongside her brother. Betty was also quite creative, as she wrote and performed cowboy poetry that has been published. In 1990, she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth and Las Cruces where you can still see her ranch symbol, and in 2003 she received the National Cowboy Culture Pioneer Woman Award. Betty had one daughter, Georgia Solt Perry and two grandchildren Ethan Wayne Perry and Genna Wahlecia Perry. No services will be held at this time. The family will have a private service at a later date. Please take a moment to share a kind thought or memory with Betty’s family at www.andersonbethany.com. Betty’s tribute was written in her honor by her family.

Betty Sims-Solt

July 3, 1935 - March 23, 2021