Prescott Frontier Days Celebrates Women in Rodeo’s 138th Anniversary

In the world of rodeo, women are riding high at the historic Prescott Frontier Days, known as the World’s Oldest Rodeo. As the event marks its 138th anniversary, it shines a spotlight on the female athletes who are making waves in a traditionally male-dominated field.

“There’s a lot of badass women in the sport,” said Miah Bryant, team leader of the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls. “I feel as though (women) are kind of taking over and joining more male-dominated sports, and it’s really cool to see that it’s breaking that barrier a little bit.”

The Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls, hailing from Three Rivers, California, are a key attraction in this celebration. Known for their daring trick-riding acts, they captivate audiences between rodeo events. The group has been honing the skills of women in Western arts for 68 years, aiming to instill integrity, confidence, and grit in young women.

Under the leadership of executive director Jennifer Nicholson, the team includes members like Miah Bryant, Edyn Blum, Ava Blum, Mellody Reis, Ava Davis, and Aubrey Ottoway, ranging in age from 13 to 25.

Program director and former team member Spencer Rose Coughlin emphasizes resilience as a core lesson, stating, “One of the biggest things is you learn how to fail. Which sounds harsh but in life, you’re going to fail. What do you do when you fail? You have to pick yourself back up and keep going and you can take those lessons with you… it teaches you work ethic.”

The Cowboy Girls’ expertise in trick riding and trick roping is honed during cross-country performances. These acts demand precision, as any mistake can be risky when dealing with a horse in motion. “(Horses) obviously can’t tell you what’s wrong with them,” Bryant noted. “Horses can hurt themselves anywhere … things happen and injuries happen. It is like a super stressful situation. … We only had short notice.”

One such challenge arose with Remington, the team’s veteran horse at 18 years old, who showed signs of lameness just before a performance. The team used ice compresses and liniment to address the issue, resulting in a last-minute change of plans. Despite these hurdles, their performance was a success, according to Bryant.

“Responsibility starts very early on,” Nicholson emphasized. “I’m very keen on making sure they look at the details, which starts with chores. To me, being responsible and knowing what to do builds confidence.”

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