PUEBLO, Colo. – What has rank bucking horses, brutal injuries and feet of braided hair peeking out from beneath cowboy hats?
That would be Ride TV’s original series “Cowgirls.”
The show follows the women of the Texas Bronc Riding Association’s (TBRA) ladies ranch bronc riding division as they compete in rodeos across the Lone Star State. Traditionally a men’s sport, ranch bronc riding involves holding on for 8 seconds atop a 1,200-pound bucking horse and is not for the faint of heart.
Season one of “Cowgirls” can be watched in its entirety on RidePass, while season two premiered on Ride TV on Wednesday.
Thinking about tuning in? Here’s what you can expect.
1. Female empowerment
Women have a long, rich history in the rodeo world, dating back to Annie Oakley creating the image of the cowgirl in the late 19th century. By the 1920s, women were competing in rodeo events from trick riding to roughstock. However, in 1929, bronc rider Bonnie McCarroll died during the Pendleton Round-Up when she was thrown from her horse. From then on, cowgirls went from being celebrated for their toughness to being completely excluded from roughstock competition.
It's taken nearly 90 years, but ladies bronc riding is finally making a resurgence. Daryl McElroy, the TBRA’s president and founder, created the ladies division and tour to foster the presence of women in the sport. He recruited a group of girls who are now forging their own paths in a man’s world.
2. Sisterhood
Competition on the rodeo trail is fierce, and the cowgirls are competing against each other for buckles, money and pride. But rather than falling into the female stereotype of backstabbing and cattiness, these girls bond to form a tight-knit unit and support system.
Brittany Miller, the most veteran ranch bronc rider of the group, can often be seen doling out advice to her competitors and hand-crafted a reign rope for one of them. Billi Halvorsen was seriously injured at a rodeo but continued showing up to subsequent events to cheer on the other girls and pump them up before their rides. After competitions, they’re as proud of the winner as they are of their own rides.
“I kind of feel like I have a whole bunch of sisters, which is pretty cool,” Duke Wimberly said in the season one finale. “I feel like we all have each other’s backs and we’re always wanting to help another one out, whether it be personally or in the bronc riding. They’re a big blessing in my life and I hope to be a blessing in theirs too.”
3. Words of wisdom
Like any athletes following their dreams, these cowgirls have their eyes on constantly improving at their craft, following their passion and achieving their goals. Are they trying to rattle off motivational quotes? Probably not. But as Wimberly so eloquently put it, “Why even live if you can’t do what you love doing?”
And 17-year-old Rainey Gibbs, when asked about her place in bronc riding history, said, “I might not be the first girl to have ever done it, but I want to be the girl who’s done it that they’re going to remember.”
You’ll walk away from each episode inspired and motivated.
4. Tough competition
Just because athletes meticulously choose their riding outfits and braid their hair doesn’t mean the competition suffers one bit. The horses are rank and the girls are often up to the task, posting scores in the high 70s and into the 80s. When they don’t make the 8 seconds, the wrecks can often be brutal. One rider cracked several vertebrae in her back, another was taken to the on-site ambulance for a shoulder injury and one suffered what several called the most violent bronc riding wreck they’d ever seen.
5. Try
Despite all the injuries, the cowgirls continued to suit up for rodeos and compete through the pain. In the world of rodeo, “try” is a commitment to not giving up until you’re well and truly done. Whether they make the 8 seconds or not, the riders of “Cowgirls” consistently display a ton of try. They’re committed to each ride, to getting better, to not doing it just for the sake of doing it. They’ll face-plant into the dirt and immediately want to get on another bronc. They’ll hang on during a ride instead of bailing out, sometimes clinging to the horse’s neck when they lose their rein or fall sideways in their saddle. They’re all grit.
As McElroy says, “you have tough, and then you have cowgirl tough.”
