Sharon Camarillo

Sharon Camarillo was born Sharon Meffan in Southern California.[2] She was interested in horses from an early age and took every opportunity she could to get near them and to ride them. After her father took her to the NFR in Los Angeles, California, she became enamored of the barrel racing. Her father thought she should take secretarial courses. Camarillo thought differently. She found Pierce College which had secretarial courses and a rodeo team. She became proficient in roping and goat tying. She earned an associate degree. She was then drafted by California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, California. Camarillo is the Cal Poly 1970 National Champion Goat Tier.[3] After she graduated, she became a flight attendant with Delta Airlines which gave her time to pursue rodeo. She met future ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee, Leo Camarillo, and then they ultimately married.[2][4]

Camarillo is one of few women who have co-announced the major rodeo, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Camarrillo teaches students barrel racing through clinics and many types of media. She has her own product line of saddle and tack products. She holds barrel racing events every year.[1] Camarillo was a judge for the Miss Rodeo America pageant.[5] Camarillo is a four-time NFR barrel racing qualifier.[6]

Besides the Cowgirl Hall of Fame induction, she also received the Tad Lucas Award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1997.[7]