APHA

From Annie Oakley’s legendary sharpshooting performances at Madison Square Garden, to Bertha (Kaepernik) Blancett’s gravity-defying bronc riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days, American Cowgirls have blazed a path for women of the West, cementing their influential and essential role in winning the West and carving out a life filled with the values central to Western culture. From...

The inaugural The Vaquero Gathering: Celebration of Vaquero and Mexican Charro Traditions, hosted by the American Paint Horse Association, is set to make history in the Fort Worth Stockyards on October 8-10, 2021. Taking place in the Cowtown Coliseum, the event is the first to relay historical events and milestones with a horse-focused performance set to traditional Mariachi music. The...

Interview by Kirstie Marie JonesPhotographed exclusively for COWGIRL Magazine by Kirstie Marie Photography Erin Bradshaw Weiss wears a lot of hats. Some Cowgirl, some reality TV star, and most recently the crown of a mom-to-be. The 32-year-old horsewoman, television performer, and family gal leads a busy life with a resounding focus on her first love…horses. Erin is...

Many traditional horse shows have been canceled due to COVID-19. While some bans are being lifted, it doesn’t appear larger shows will be happening anytime soon. Riders and trainers will have to get creative if they want to showcase their skill and horse’s talent this year. Luckily, virtual shows have started to surface. Larger organizations...

An exciting, new entertainment district is being added to Fort Worth Stockyards: Mule Alley. Mule Alley officially opened in 2019, but is not yet finished. Construction has almost finished on the sidewalk and the building facades, but store interiors are still being finalized. This new area of the Stockyards will feature a handful of Western...

In 1519, when the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez sailed to the Americas, the horses he brought included, according to the Spanish Historian Diaz del Castillo, a “pinto,” and a “dark roan horse” with “white patches.” These are the first “Paint” horses known to the New World. Like the flashy Appaloosa, “painted horses” became popular among...