Giddyup! This is Tara Kaylor, who first appeared in skateboarding media within a report on the “Easter Week Contest” in San Diego on April 8, 1977 by Di Dootson in the May 1977 issue of the National Skateboard Review. The contest was hosted at the Standley Recreation Center with 300 spectators. Dootson wrote, “Tara (the Terror) Kaylor was the only woman competitor but that did not deter her from going all out in her routine. She also skated to music and that, plus the smiles, good form, and unique finish, left her routine unforgettable.” I’m assuming it was a sweet Country Western song!
A few months later, Tara competed at the 3rd Annual Novice-Amateur Championships in August 1977. She won the women’s 15-18 category in freestyle and was spotted by a rep from Sims. In the December 1977 issue of the National Skateboard Review it was announced, along with a photo, that she was now sponsored by the Sims Pure Juice team.
In the Skateworld Journal, November 1977 issue a small photo of Tara appears after placing second in the girls Freestyle event behind Julie Cheng, and ahead of Suzette Owens at the Runway (the first park in Gardena, CA). This was a pro-am contest on October 8, 1977 and was considered the 1977 USSA California State Skateboard Championships. The following month, in November 1977 Tara placed second in Freestyle and fourth in Slalom for the girls’ category at the Concrete Wave contest in Anaheim, CA.
In a more artsy photo by Jim Goodrich, a photo of Tara Kaylor at Home Avenue Park (aka “Moving On”) in front of the setting sun appeared in the April 1978 issue of Skateboarder magazine within the article called “Focus.”
Tara made the trek to Calgary, Alberta along with Ellen Berryman and Vicki Vickers for the Skatopia Professional Free Style Invitational in July 1978. And in the March 1979 issue of the NSR a small photo of Tara appears, taken by Steve Day. The caption reads “Tara Kaylor and Steve Day practice together every day… probably keeping an eye out for Oceanside competition.”
By 1980, Tara’s sponsors had shifted to Madrid, on their professional Freestyle team, as listed in the directory within the December 1980 issue of Skat’nNews. At the 1980 Oasis Freestyle contest in San Diego, CA Tara Kaylor “was the only professional female freestyler at the event and performed an unofficial routine” as reported in Action Now magazine. With the skateboarding industry in decline, and the preference for streetstyle over choreographed freestyle, Tara must have chosen to pursue other opportunities. Would love to find more photos and a connection with Tara!
Photos: Saccio, Jim Goodrich, Steve Day
References:
- Dootson, Di. “Easter Week Contest.” National Skateboard Review. May 1977, p. 8.
Womxn Skateboard History 