Texas women ride for pride in ‘Cowgirls’

Two North Texas natives are representing women and their state pride in “Cowgirls,” a new Ride TV show based in Fort Worth that documents the national resurgence of ladies ranch bronc riding.

Ranch bronc riding, a historically male-dominated arena, entails the rider staying on the bucking bronc for at least eight seconds. The competitor must hold on to a rein and may use the free hand to hold on to a saddle horn, cantle, or night latch.

The show, which premiered in September, follows a group of women from around the country participating in this year’s ranch bronc riding rodeo circuit in Texas.

Duke Wimberly, 24, of Fort Worth is no stranger to being in front of the camera, she said. At about 16, she earned the title of Miss Fort Worth Stockyards Championship Rodeo, which she held for two years, she said.

She’s enjoyed riding things that buck since she was 12 or 13, but, she said, she began riding competitive roughstock once she was old enough to sign her own release forms.

“My parents didn’t really like the idea of roughstock for me and I respected their thoughts,” she said. “Not really a rebel child.”

This season, Wimberly finished second in the Texas Bronc Riders Association’s Ladies Ranch Bronc Riding standings.

Weatherford resident Sarah Brown, 19, has been around horses her whole life but began riding roughstock in rodeos after seeing an ad online this year, she said.

“I was like, ‘That sounds so fun, I wanna just go try one at a rodeo and see how I do,’” she said. “I guess it just took off from there. First time I rode I was like, ‘Man, I want to do this all the time.’”

The young women have had their share of challenges, facing injuries and pushback from male bronc riders who, at first, were not open to the idea of women getting involved in the sport.

As the season progressed, the backlash began to dwindle, but the dangers of the sport persist.

“This year I’ve dislocated my jaw, I’ve cracked my tooth, I’ve chipped it, I’ve crushed my back,” Brown said. “It’s been a challenge for sure, just trying to stay healthy, being able to make it to the next rodeo.”

The women said filming the show over the past rodeo season has been a memorable experience, with the cast and crew bonding over their differences and commonalities.

“You get to let people into your world, which is a very different world from what most other women do,” Wimberly said. “So the fact that we actually get to show them, you know, how gritty and how tough and just what all goes into making a good bronc ride ... it puts you on cloud nine.”

Wimberly said apart from some negative feedback from people who have criticized her for riding despite her having a young son, the impact the show seems to be having on viewers has been worth it.

“They admire us for our determination and you know, like, you get hurt, you just get back on next week,” Wimberly said. “You don’t give up, you don’t quit and people need that now, they need to see women that, you know, have determination.”

Wimberly said she hopes the show will continue to document that next riding season.

“Fort Worth is cowboy country. It’s what people think about when you say ‘cowboy,’” she said. “I mean Fort Worth is the heart of our riding tour, our bronc riding tour, and it’s the heart of our TV show.”

This story was originally published November 7, 2017 at 10:42 AM with the headline "Texas women ride for pride in ‘Cowgirls’."