Celebrating the Best of Times for Cowgirls

It’s been a week since we witnessed the turning of the page PBR Commissioner Sean Gleason in the women’s rodeo history books at the $750,000 Women’s and WCRA President Bobby Mote Rodeo World Championship. The sport of women’s rodeo is being made dreams come true for handy cowgirls like revolutionized right now, and it’s an especially spectacular sight for someone like me. There was no financial future for girls who roped Hope Thompson and Rylie Smith last week. when I was Madison Outhier’s age. So we studied hard, and when we graduated from college it was basically over Also worthy of the most honorable for those of us who needed to make a living. mention is the fact that the World Champions

PBR Commissioner Sean Gleason and WCRA President Bobby Mote made dreams come true for handy cowgirls like Hope Thompson and Rylie Smith last week.

Photo: Andy Watson/BullStock Media

Times have changed, and the 254 women Rodeo Alliance saw fit to give these girls of all ages and area codes who convened at equal money in the team roping from the the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, start. There’s no telling what the likes of Texas—which decided the top six breakaway living legends Speed Williams and Rich ropers, barrel racers and team roping teams Skelton, and Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien who then advanced to the Championship Round Cooper would have won in their Hall of Fame held during the PBR World Finals at AT&T careers if team roping pay would have been Stadium in Arlington—are amazing people in equal to that in every other event in rodeo. and out of the arena.

They fought for equal money and have yet It was an honor to watch them all work, and to get it. Thank you, WCRA President Bobby witness the dawning of a new day for women in Mote and Vice President Scott Davis, for rodeo. It is now possible for all that hard work being good guys AND girl dads who believe to pay off enough to cowgirl for a career. And this women’s rodeo party is just getting guess what about those cool big cardboard started. checks that were presented center stage at Jackie Crawford won the $20,000 WRWC AT&T Stadium? In many cases, they didn’t All-Around Bonus, and deposited a total paint the whole financial picture in the best of $34,539 in breakaway and team roping possible way. Teenager Rylie Smith and Hope T-boy takes good care of Creed, checks into her bank account in her Cowboy Thompson were the only team roping team to stop the clock over at AT&T. They were 13.66 with a leg. Admittedly, not their most magnificent who's 3, Momma Jackie and baby girl Journey, who's due in March. Capital of the World hometown of Stephenville, Texas. When Jackie looks back on the story of her life, I’m betting the best part of this rodeo run, but sometimes stuff happens. There are no revolution for her will be her ability to have it style-point deductions on timed-event checks, and hey, it happens all. There she was 21 weeks pregnant with the baby girl she and in major cowboy contests, too. husband Charly will bring into this world in March—breakaway.

Suddenly, those $60,000 checks Rylie and Hope were holding roping in a saddle with a sawed-off horn for baby Journey’s benefit. were worth $90 grand per (wo)man. I was standing there when Imagine the rodeo world Journey will grow up in. The world’s Jackie shared that news of the staggering windfall win with Hope, richest women’s rodeo will be a special part of her personal history. and she literally dropped that big check in disbelief. All told, Rylie won $98,410 at the WRWC, and Hope was the high-money-winner with $99,660. “This is life-changing money,” said a still-stunned Hope.

Madison Outhier and her favorite ride, Rooster, are all business in the roping arena.

Photo: Andy Watson/BullStock Media

Also worthy of the most honorable mention is the fact that the World Champions Rodeo Alliance saw fit to give these girls equal money in the team roping from the start. There’s no telling what the likes of living legends Speed Williams and Rich Skelton, and Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper would have won in their Hall of Fame careers if team roping pay would have been equal to that in every other event in rodeo. They fought for equal money and have yet to get it. Thank you, WCRA President Bobby Mote and Vice President Scott Davis, for being good guys AND girl dads who believe this women’s rodeo party is just getting started.

Jackie Crawford won the $20,000 WRWC All-Around Bonus, and deposited a total of $34,539 in breakaway and team roping checks into her bank account in her Cowboy Capital of the World hometown of Stephenville, Texas. When Jackie looks back on the story of her life, I’m betting the best part of this rodeo revolution for her will be her ability to have it all. There she was 21 weeks pregnant with the baby girl she and husband Charly will bring into this world in March—breakaway roping in a saddle with a sawed-off horn for baby Journey’s benefit. Imagine the rodeo world Journey will grow up in. The world’s richest women’s rodeo will be a special part of her personal history.

Madison Outhier and her favorite ride, Rooster, are all business in the roping arena.

Photo: Andy Watson/BullStock Media