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OGDEN -- For 75 years a cute, young rodeo queen has been the symbol of the Ogden Pioneer Days Celebration; she's called the Whoopee Girl.
The picture has been changed over the years, but it comes from a photograph of a 14-year-old Ogden girl who became a worldwide celebrity when it was printed.
Ann Call House, daughter of the original Whoopee Girl, has one of two original photographs of the icon. It was taken when Lorene Donaldson was 14.
"She's the first rodeo queen in the U.S. No one had ever married the idea of beauty queen and rodeo queen," House said.
"Whoopee Girl then meant lightheartedness , happy and cheeriness," House said.
Call's mother made the outfit, which was considered a bit risqué back then but tasteful.
"She had a lariat, a beautiful white hat and boots," House said.
A picture was printed on the front page of the Standard- Examiner and quickly spread all over the world. Even a newspaper in China printed it. Then the fan mail came pouring in.
"They're from people that thought she was the cutest little cowgirl ever," House said.
Donaldson was even invited to christen the USS Ogden in San Diego.
Though Donaldson has passed away, her image is still everywhere in Ogden: on pins, belt buckles, even soda pop cans. And little girls still want to be like her.
Donaldson's great granddaughter will be wearing a replica of the "Whoopee Girl" outfit on a float in the Ogden parade; that's this Friday morning.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
