National Day of the Cowgirl honors the strength, grit, and spirit of the women who define Western tradition. At Horse & Rider, cowgirls are at the heart of many stories we tell—whether they’re shattering glass ceilings in the show pen, training the next generation of horses, or building thriving careers in the industry. To celebrate, we’ve rounded up some of the most inspiring cowgirl stories making headlines right now.
Abbie Phillips Wins Run For A Million Cow Horse Challenge on Peptos Stylin Time
With grit, guts, and a red-roan powerhouse beneath her, Abbie Phillips stormed into the 2025 Run For A Million and delivered a fence work run that had the crowd on their feet—riding Peptos Stylin Time to a half-point victory that crowned her champion of the $200,000 Cow Horse Challenge.
Read more >>> bit.ly/4oLFnaz
Debbie Crafton Becomes Fourth Woman in NRCHA Million Dollar Club
What started as a dream to show at the Snaffle Bit Futurity turned into a history-making career for Debbie Crafton, who broke the $1 Million mark in NRCHA earnings at the 2025 Hackamore Classic, becoming one of only four women to ever reach the elite club.
Read more >>> bit.ly/Crafton1Million
Ellexxah Maxwell on Transitioning to Ranch Classes and Training Versatile Horses
Ellexxah Maxwell built her name in the AQHA all-around world, but her next chapter is all about ranch horses. On this episode of The Ride, she opens up about the shift, her training philosophy, and what keeps her pushing for more.
Listen here >>> bit.ly/4fR7Ozw
Kaci O’Rourke Makes History as the First Woman to Win the NRHA Futurity
Kaci O’Rourke and The Firemen lit up the Jim Norick Coliseum with a 229-point run, shattering glass ceilings as the first woman to claim the NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Championship—and the last champion ever crowned in the legendary arena.
Read more >>> bit.ly/4ffsE9S
Nicole Westfall on Training Horses, Producing Events, and Building a Cow Horse Career
Nicole Westfall has carved out a space for herself in the cow horse world as both a trainer and event producer. On this episode of The Ride, she talks about her path to becoming a professional, her training philosophy, and the lessons she’s learned building a business.
Listen here >>> bit.ly/4ixTqxp
—H&R—
