Click on a Screaming Lady!
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Ride Her,
Cowgirl!
Ride Her,
Cowgirl!
The 1980s were an exciting time for professional ladies wrestling.
The WWF signed the Fabulous Moola, a legend who had literally owned the title belt for decades, and gave the women unprecedented TV and big-arena exposure.
The popular 1981 film "All the Marbles," about a gorgeous young tag-team known as the California Dolls fighting their way to the top, brought further publicity to the sport. (Click the photo, at right, for our large and growing "All the Marbles" coverage.)
About this time, Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria came on the scene. Having trained together under Sandy Barr, they developed into a dynamic and popular tag-team in the WWF, becoming long-running champs.
A 1984 article in Wrestling Revue magazine on Velvet and Victoria (photo, right) describes them as "far more attractive than the `California Dolls' of Hollywood's recent movie," and that "they combine beauty and skill in such a way that none will want to miss any appearance by them."
Only mild hypebole there, as they were must-see ladies wrestling.
Their best match came in Madison Square Garden, April 23, 1984, when they faced off against Wendi Richter and Peggy Lee, the No. 1 challengers.
This was a title match, and for 30 minutes these ladies brawled and battled it out, giving and asking no quarter.
After Wendi escapes a pin attempt and rolls to her corner for a tag, Peggy and Velvet face off in the middle of the ring.
Peggy invites Velvet for a "test of strength," a move where they grip each others' hands above their heads, and go chest to chest, to see who can overpower the other.
Only Peggy doesn't go for the fair test, instead slamming a surprise knee into Velvet's exposed midsection, doubling her over.
From there, she grabs Velvet's long hair in two hands and snap-mares her to the canvas.
That starts a lengthy, two-on-one beating of the redhead, in which the heels break all the rules.
Their special target is Velvet's lovely hair, which they use to throw her post-to-post and
"Cowgirl" Wendi Richter take a ride on the back of Velvet McIntyre, yanking on the redhead's long hair like reins. "Whoa, girl!"
We've taken Cowgirl Wendi's basic move and turned it into a hair-pulling extravaganza known as the "Hair Storm"
"Ride him, Cowboy!" cries announcer
Gorrilla Monsoon as Wendi violently yanks, shakes and bounces Velvet's head off the mat. No beast of burden should be treated that way!
Gorrilla Monsoon as Wendi violently yanks, shakes and bounces Velvet's head off the mat. No beast of burden should be treated that way!
It's a great sequence, and goes on and on, much to Velvet's distress and our delight.
We hope you enjoy this as much as we did, and we look forward to bringing you more of this match in the future.
around ring.
The long red hair was Velvet's "thing," and opponents --
jealous of its magnificence -- were ever finding new and more diabolical ways of using it to punish her.
jealous of its magnificence -- were ever finding new and more diabolical ways of using it to punish her.
The best move of all comes from Wendi, who lives up to her billing as the "Cowgirl."
Sitting astride Velvet as if she were a horse, Wendi grabs two handfuls of hair -- Velvet is conveniently wearing it in two unbraided pigtails -- and pulls! Velvet screams!
Wendi Takes a
Spin on Velvet,
Hair for Reins
Wendi Takes a
Spin on Velvet,
Hair for Reins
Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria grace the cover of Wrestling
Review in 1984
Molly (Laurene Landon) and Iris (Vicki Frederick) as the California Dolls in "All the Marbles"
Wendi Richter and Princess Victoria dress for a game of cowgirls and Indians
Velvet and her oh-so-grabbable hair
The Best Ladies Match EVER
The Best Ladies Match EVER
Velvet/Princess Victoria
vs.
Wendi Richter/Peggy Lee
Velvet/Princess Victoria
vs.
Wendi Richter/Peggy Lee
A Daughter of the West
A Daughter of the West
After taking a savage beating by both of her opponents, Velvet manages to escape the pin by Wendi. But she's hurt, struggling just to get off the mat.
Wendi circles Velvet, like a predator sizing up her prey...
...and realizes the fight is hers. Velvet is all but defeated. Another pin attempt?
Not yet! Now's a time for some fun, thinks the Cowgirl.
And, just like back home on the ranch, Wendi mounts Velvet...
...grabs a pigtail in each hand, and it's time to...
`Ride him, cowboy!'
`Ride him, cowboy!'
Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Velvet screams in agony as it feels like her scalp is being pulled from her head!
The ref's intervention only spurs Wendi to yank Velvet's hair harder!
Finally, Wendi lets go with a toss!
Velvet's face bounces off the mat, as Wendi flexes for the crowd.
Yeeeehaw!
Yeeeehaw!
`Aiiieeeee!'
`Aiiieeeee!'
Hey, that's against the rules!
Hey, that's against the rules!
Once More, With Feeling
Once More, With Feeling
Wendi looks down on Velvet, with evil intent. All that hair just laying there...
Once again Wendi scoops up a pigtail in each hand...
...and violently yanks Velvet's head up!
As Velvet screams in pain, Wendi is only getting started. Just count how many times Wendi shakes poor Velvet's head back and forth, starting ... now!
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
1
1
7
7
And, release!
SPLATT!
It looks like Wendi has plumb wore out her ride!
Fabulous Moolah's Favorite Move*
Fabulous Moolah's Favorite Move*
Despite a stern lecture from the ref, Wendi isn't done...
...and again she goes for Velvet's hair.
Wendi smiles as she drags Velvet to her feet!
And the Cowgirl sets up Velvet for a mighty hair mare!
Bottoms up!
Velvet lands hard and bounces off the mat, as Wendi prepares for her final move...
"A flying mare is when you get a girl by the hair of the head and pull her over your shoulder, then slam her to the mat as hard you can. And I love doing that."
-- Fabulous Moolah
* Wisdom From the Queen of Ladies Wrestling
* Wisdom From the Queen of Ladies Wrestling
Moolah demonstrates her flying-mare technique (on a young lady we can't identify).
That's definitely Velvet's red hair Moolah is yanking, as she glares at the busy-body referee.
Rousing the Referee Into Action
Rousing the Referee Into Action
Wendi looks down at the wounded Velvet, and knows this is her chance.
The title is within sight!
With a lunge, Wendi covers Velvet. It's a pin count!
And look at the previously somnolent ref go!
Will Velvet kick out? That's what Princess Victoria is wondering, while at the same time being grateful she wasn't the target for tonight's hair pulling...
We must break away here, with Wendi draped across Velvet's chest,
but more to come from this match in the future! (Plot giveaway...)
