[JULY 19, 2022 – BLOG] Just when you think it couldn’t possibly get any hotter, rodeo season rolls into Central Texas. This week the small town of Marble Falls, Texas, close to our ranch will put on a show filled with pageantry and steeped in tradition. I have always believed that cowgirls and cowboys have an amazingly strong sense of culture. They understand the powerful forces that bind people together and tear them apart. Tradition, heritage, faith, a common purpose, pride in work and love, bind us all together.
However, to be a rodeo competitor takes guts, courage and a big dose of “putting yourself out there.” This is a phrase I use a lot to describe the effort it takes to make things happen, get out in the world and not be afraid to fail in front of everyone occasionally. If you don’t step up and take risks you will miss out on the opportunity to succeed. To be a winner, it takes hard work, and cowgirls, like the one pictured above, understand that from an early age.
I love this photo of the 13 year-old girl headed to Texas from her home state of North Dakota to compete in a barrel racing contest at The American Rodeo held in Arlington, Texas. She was one of the top ten competitors vying for some big prize money and a sense of accomplishment and achievement. Learning to compete and put yourself on a bigger stage as a teenager can help you with the confidence you will need to push yourself forward as an adult.
No matter if you’re a cowgirl or cowboy, anyone can embrace these traits and live a life of determination to be the best you can be. Sometimes it takes an extra push and oomph to move forward. It may take courage, but being willing and able to jump into the metaphorical rodeo arena, is necessary to reach the greater things in life.
Yeehaw!
Gay Gaddis
Founder. Author. Artist. Trailblazer.
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