OKLAHOMA CITY — The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum announced Wednesday the addition of the James Cathey Rodeo Photography Collection, a transformative gift of more than 68,000 negatives documenting rodeos, livestock shows and American Quarter Horse Association conformation photography from 1947 through the 1960s.

The donation, given by the Cathey family, strengthens the museum’s distinction as steward of the world’s largest and most significant rodeo photography archive. Cathey’s photographs capture the explosive growth of rodeo and Western sports following World War II, chronicling champions, arenas, livestock bloodlines and the evolution of Western performance culture during a pivotal era.

“James Cathey was an outstanding photojournalist, as well as a visual historian

See Full Page