COWGIRL Conversations: Buckin’ Bulls with Katie Perschbacher

In the sport of rodeo, there’s not much more energizing than bull riding. Oftentimes, it’s the crowds’ favorite part of a rodeo—and even the entire attraction of the PBR. Fans wait for the moment brave, determined cowboys hop on the back of thousand-plus pound animals and take their shot at an 8-second ride. 

But it’s more than just the bull rider that makes the exciting event what it is—it’s also the animals and the hardworking folks who take care of them. We chatted with Katie Perschbacher, a renowned stock contractor of the ABBI to get a different look at the “most dangerous sport on dirt.” 

COWGIRL: In the few years you’ve been a stock contractor, you’ve received a lot of awards and recognition, including Women of the West Bull Owner of the Year, COWGIRL 30 Under 30, 2019 ABBI Women’s Futurity World Champion, and more. 
Perschbacher: Yeah, and in 2020 Woopaa won Classic World Champion through the ABBI and then he was the PBR and Yeti Bull of the Year in 2021. It sounds crazy, but it seemed like we couldn’t do any wrong in 2021. 

COWGIRL: That’s incredible—what a great duo! A lot of people don’t realize the attention and care that goes into taking care of bulls. 
Perschbacher: Exactly. They eat before we do every day, morning and night. They get taken better care of than people could ever imagine. You know, it's one of those things that if we don't take care of them, we don't eat either—if we take care of them and we do the best we can, they take care of us. That's our main thing is really promoting that these animals are family.

COWGIRL: Are there any stock contractors that you look up to?
Perschbacher: Tiffany Davis—just her background and the way she’s taken over and done everything. You get around her and she’s just like superwoman. Also, Leanne Hart, and my aunt Sarah McCoy. There’s a bunch of women—more than people probably think—that do more of the behind-the-scenes stuff… Also Courtenay DeHoff—she’s the “Fancy Lady Cowgirl” on social media. I reached out to her randomly and was like, “Hey, you want to own a bull?” So that’s grown into a big friendship and she’s practically family now—all because of a bull. 

And Katie Beal Brown, the owner of Ranch Water, owns a bull. There are all these people that have gotten into [the industry] because they grew up watching the PBR and seeing Tiffany Davis and Leanne Hart… It’s been really neat to be a part of because of those people who have paved the way for generations now. 

COWGIRL: What advice would you give cowgirls that are interested in becoming a stock contractor? 
Perschbacher: Find somebody that knows what they’re doing and that are winning. It’s the same thing in anything really… I’m not saying you have to come to us and buy a bull—there’s plenty of people that do this for a living and are successful. There are not many people in our industry that have won every level in the bucking bull world, being from the yearling futurity all the way to a PBR World Championship—and Laramie and I have done that. So, finding somebody that is qualified but knows what they're doing, and is winning right now. 

After a very successful career in the arena, Woopaa retired in March 2023 at the top of his game, happy, healthy, and well-loved. Thanks, Katie and Woopaa, for setting a high standard in the Western industry that others will look to for years to come. We look forward to watching Katie blaze more trails as a stock contractor! 

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

The COWGIRL Conversation column is written by Kaylee Brister, a born-and-raised West Texan whose way of cowgirlin’ is through wranglin’ words on her computer. She’s passionate about telling stories of cowgirls making a difference—whether that be on a ranch, in a rodeo arena, or in an office. Stay tuned for more conversations with trailblazing women!