Airdrie-based illustrator Hugh Rookwood has played another big part in bringing a local and historic tale to life through a children’s book written by Carstairs author Ayesha Clough.
Howdy, I’m Flores LaDue officially launches on International Women’s Day, March 8, and tells the real-life story of Alberta’s little-known rodeo queen, Flores LaDue.
“A lot of our stories of different Canadians aren't really told. This is a story of Flores LaDue who is a trick rider and wife of Guy Weadick who started the Calgary Stampede,” Rookwood explained. “But a lot of people don't know she was a famous championship trick rider. She had so many accolades and things that she did and she was breaking barriers, especially for a woman back in those days.”
LaDue lived from 1883 to 1951. Standing at less than five feet tall, she could rope five galloping horses in one throw, according to the book’s press release.
She remains the only cowgirl to claim three world titles in trick roping and is reputed to be the first woman to perform the Texas Skip.
“It’s time we honoured her remarkable cowgirl spirit, her achievements in the sport of rodeo, and of course, the legacy of the Calgary Stampede, which is still going strong 110 years after it was founded,” stated Clough in the press release.
Prior to starting her own publishing company, Red Barn Books, Clough worked as an Alberta-based journalist for many years. Howdy, I’m Flores LaDue is her second book in the Howdy Books biography series, which covers the history of Alberta’s western pioneers.
Her inspiration behind the Howdy Books series came from not being able to find any books featuring cowboys or western life for her young son, who was crazy about cowboys at the time.
“That’s what got me started,” Clough said.
The first book, Howdy, I'm John Ware, won ‘Children’s Book of the Year’ in the Alberta Book Publishing Awards and the Heritage Calgary ‘Heritage Storytelling Award’ in the fall of 2021.
Rookwood also worked with Clough on her first Howdy book and was excited to come back to bring the story of Flores LaDue to life next.
“I'm an illustrator but I'm also a comic book illustrator. I try to bring some of that comic energy to the story so the kids can really feel interactive within the story itself,” Rookwood said.
He noted that working with Clough was a great experience because she offered all sorts of ideas that he could build on and have fun with.
“The kids really see a lot and their eyes are moving a lot so it's not just the words they're reading but they're actually reading all the information on the page as well,” Rookwood said.
As the illustrator, Rookwood hopes his artwork helps bring the energy of the characters to life, making the story more dynamic and building on who the real-life people in the book were.
“I keep throwing ideas at him, and he is someone that can conceive these crazy images and present things in a way that kids are just glued to the pages. I'm just so grateful to work with Hugh and have him right here in Airdrie,” Clough said.
While it’s different from some of his other work, Rookwood said he still brings the same kind of energy and passion to illustrating a children’s book as he would when working on a comic book.
He strives to always bring something a little bit different to the table with his own “flavour,” he added.
In working on this story and the Howdy Book series, Rookwood said he has learned a lot about Alberta culture and history as well.
He noted it’s not just a great book for kids, but also a great book for adults to read to their kids.
“I never knew about these people before I [illustrated] these books. It was a very enlightening experience for myself too,” he said.
The series provides a fun and imaginative, but factual way of telling the stories of Alberta’s historic figures.
He said both Howdy books offer a fun way to learn about Canada and Alberta’s history. For young boys and girls alike, he added it’s important to learn the stories of powerful women like LaDue who helped shape the province.
“I want young girls to see themselves and see greatness in themselves and understand that women have been making a contribution to the mosaic of Canada,” Rookwood said of the LaDue story.
“So young boys start to respect the contributions of women and young women see themselves in history, knowing that women were strong and did great things,” he said.
Clough explained that she stumbled across LaDue’s story while at a rodeo in High River.
A local museum had set up a portable stall with information about Guy Weadick and his wife, Flores LaDue, which made Clough think, “Why don't we know more about this amazing woman?”
While there are many children’s books with strong role models, Clough hopes this series provides the stories of local characters that kids can relate or look up to.
“I wanted to see Alberta in the books, I want kids to have real pride in our heritage, in our history and I want them to grow up feeling really rooted in this place,” Clough said.
She’s currently planning to start a school letter-writing campaign to get LaDue inducted into two Canadian Sports Halls of Fame for her contribution to the Alberta Stampede and her accomplishments as a trick rider.
Clough also hopes to engage students in a “Pencil Brigade,” inspired by the work of Wild Horse Annie in the U.S. in the 1950s. According to Clough, Wild Horse Annie mobilized hundreds of schools to write letters to politicians with messages to stop the hunting of wild mustangs. Eventually, politicians changed the law to protect these wild horses.
Flores LaDue is currently not recognized in the rodeo hall of fame in Ponoka or the Canadian sports hall of fame, but with letters from local students, that could change.
The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame recently announced they will induct LaDue and her husband this fall.
“She's just such an inspiration for not just girls, but all kids and athletes and Albertans, with how much she managed to do,” Clough said.
Howdy, I’m Flores LaDue is currently available in bookstores. For more information about the book itself, visit redbarnbooks.ca
