2026 Betty Kunesh Legacy Award Recipient Nancy Peterson
Nancy Robinson Peterson is the embodiment of quiet strength, craftsmanship, and generosity of spirit. A central Montana native, Nancy has never sought the spotlight, yet her influence has reached far beyond the arena, the workshop, and the community she calls home. Shy by nature but powerful in presence, she has carved an indelible mark on the western world through her horsemanship, innovation, and unwavering commitment to others.
Raised in the small town of Musselshell, Montana, alongside two older brothers, Nancy learned early the value of hard work and self-reliance. Treated more like a brother than a sister, she grew up as a farm hand – driving tractors, riding bareback, swimming horses in the Musselshell River, and building the physical strength and grit that would later define her competitive and professional life. When she received her first saddle, she had no way of knowing it would shape her future so profoundly.
In high school, Nancy spent summers riding colts on a neighbor’s ranch, developing an exceptional “feel” for good horses. With the support of her family and mentors, she competed in high school rodeo and even qualified for the National High School Finals in pole bending. During this same time, she discovered two pursuits that would become lifelong passions: leather tooling and athletics. A leather shop class sparked the craftsmanship that would later make her saddles renowned, while her love of basketball led her to walk on at Cal Poly and earn a degree in physical education. Upon returning to Montana, Nancy went on to launch the first girls’ high school basketball program in Malta, setting the foundation for what would become the winningest program in the state.
College rodeo opened yet another chapter. Competing at Montana State University and later Cal Poly, Nancy bridged generations of cowgirls, earning respect not only for finesse and horsemanship, but for sheer strength and determination. A rare talent, she excelled in both heading and heeling, along with tie-down roping, breakaway, goat tying, and more. Her collegiate career culminated in winning the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association All Around Cowgirl title in 1969, with a Reserve All Around title the year prior.
That same year, Nancy married Carl Peterson, and together they embraced a life defined by hard country and harder work. After managing a large cattle operation on Montana’s unforgiving High Line, Nancy taught in a one-room schoolhouse before the couple ultimately purchased Three Forks Saddlery in 1973. Determined to create a true “working cowboy’s store,” Nancy set out to master saddle making, a craft that requires years of dedication, strength, and vision. She not only succeeded, but innovated, designing in-skirt riggings for improved rider comfort, refining the ground seat, and creating a seat shrinker now manufactured and sold nationally.
Under Nancy’s hands, Three Forks Saddlery became a hub for craftsmanship and learning, and her custom saddles became known throughout the West. Today, owning a “Nancy saddle” is both a privilege and a testament to her artistry, counting ranchers, ropers, neighbors, and notable national figures among those who ride her work.
Nancy’s greatest legacy is, perhaps, not measured in titles, saddles, or accolades, but in people. She has been a mentor, coach, and steady presence for generations of young ropers, horsemen, and women. The Peterson home and arena have long been a gathering place – welcoming neighbors, college kids, rodeo families, and anyone needing place to belong. A gifted horse trainer in her own right, Nancy has quietly developed some of the finest head and breakaway horses in the country, and now passes that knowledge on to her grandchildren.
To her community, Nancy is a business owner, school board member, and tireless volunteer. To her friends, she is kind, steady, and quick to laugh. To her family, she is a source of wisdom and unwavering support. To the western world, she is one of the best, though she would never say so herself.
Nancy Robinson Peterson’s life is a testament to self-reliance, excellence, and lifting others up without asking for recognition. Her legacy lives on not only in the saddles she built or the barriers she broke, but in the countless lives she strengthened along the way. Congratulations, Nancy, on receiving this well deserved award.
About the Art of the Cowgirl Betty Kunesh Legacy Award
Betty Kunesh was not only the matriarch of her family, but also the true inspiration behind Art of the Cowgirl. As the grandmother of Tammy Pate, Founder of Art of the Cowgirl, Betty instilled a love of horses, art, and the western way of life in Tammy from a young age.
Betty grew up on horseback. She helped her father break horses to ride and drive from a young age and learned the duties of keeping the house and caring for her family. Her aptitude as a horsewoman was matched by her appreciation of the world around her and her ability to convey that in art. She became a talented artist, her main subjects being the animals and natural world of her beloved prairie.
In her 100 years, Betty influenced the lives of so many, from teaching all her girls to cook, sew, paint, and appreciate good horses, to doing the same for neighbors and friends, to spending countless days cooking for the community and being a confidant to the ones she holds close to her heart. In honor of Grandma Betty, the Betty Kunesh Legacy Award was established in 2022.
This award is to be given to a woman who has been nominated by someone they have influenced. It is intended to honor those special women who are not always in the limelight; the women who work hard their whole lives, leading by example, embracing fellowship and community. The past recipients include Norma Hapgood (2022), Judy Elam (2023), Bonnie Huffstetler (2024) and Floydena Garrison (2025).
