RIDE TV is saddling up one of its popular TV series and bringing it to Fort Worth.
After two successful seasons, the equestrian television network has renewed “Cowgirls” — a documentary-styled reality series featuring women ranch bronc riders — for a third installment.
In the first two seasons, the female horseriders traveled across Texas and participated in professional rodeo circuits. The new season will buck the trend and will primarily be filmed at Fort Worth’s Cowtown Coliseum, where the Cowgirls will buckle up each week to compete at the Stockyards Championship Rodeo.
“This will be our most exciting season yet,” said Hilary Kitzman, the show’s supervising producer said in a statement. “Because the rough stock and the competitors at the Stockyards Championship Rodeo make for some extremely stiff competition.”
Stockyards Championship Rodeo is the only rodeo in the world that operates throughout the year.
This year also marks Cowtown Coliseum’s 100 years of delivering the Western Cowboy experience in the form of an indoor rodeo, according to a RIDE TV press release.
“It’s very special to be a part of the 100-year celebration going on at the Cowtown Coliseum,” said Nathan Fletcher,” Senior Vice President of Content Development for RIDE TV. “I think this is the perfect special addition to the rodeo, and we think it’s really cool that we get to film this momentous season in our own backyard in Fort Worth, Texas.”
The filming of the show will start on Friday, April 5. And, the season’s first six episodes are scheduled to premiere in October.
Since the show’s inception in 2017, the rough riding cowgirls featured on the show have turned into inspirational figures for women trying to get into the traditionally male-dominated sport.
However, the show’s new filming venue has historically supported female rodeo competition.
Cowtown Coliseum hosted women’s national rodeo final competitions for about 12 years back in the 90s.
“We are proud to them [‘Cowgirls’] here,” said Hub Baker, executive director at Cowtown Coliseum. “They are a good bunch of folks. And I know most of the girls have been around in rodeo for so much.”
Amassing over 500 points, Weatherford resident Sarah Brown came out on top amongst 11 other contestants in season two. Brittany Miller, of Montana, came in second and was followed by Alondra Castaneda, who hails from South Texas. Fort Worth native Duke Wimberley was not too far behind.
The show and those familiar cast members are returning along with a few new faces in the much-anticipated new season, according to RIDE TV.
“’Cowgirls’ has really been our breakout hit at RIDE TV,” president of RIDE TV Craig Morris said. “We knew that these women were tough as nails and that this would be a special show, but we couldn’t have anticipated all of the positive response we received, and we are excited to bring this show back to RIDE TV fans.”