History

The Catalena Cowgirls – beautiful women, phenomenal paint horses, breathtaking and exhilarating show performances. You’ve never seen anything like it. It’s difficult to describe their unique attraction, but once you’ve seen their performances, you’ll know you’ve witnessed something spectacular.

The Catalena Cowgirls are a part of the Sammy Catalena Rodeo Company, which has existed since 1975. In 1990, Sammy Catalena decided to add flash, color and pageantry to his rodeo productions, particularly for the National Anthem Salute.

Over the next 2 years, Sammy Catalena collected a number of paint horses and recruited a team of women that would travel to all of his rodeo productions. They developed complex performances under the direction of Pete Catalena and by 1995 the Cowgirls had become a well-known sensation in the state of Texas. Not only did other rodeo producers begin taking notice and extended invitations for the Cowgirls to perform at their rodeos but so did major event promoters who wanted the Cowgirls to make their events come alive.

The Catalena Cowgirls have appeared at the biggest rodeos across Texas, including the Texas Circuit Finals, the Southwestern Exposition and Ft. Worth Livestock Show, and the Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo. From 1996 until 2004, they opened every Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, averaging 20 consecutive performances in Houston each year and totaling 180 performances at the richest regular season rodeo in the world. And when the Sammy Catalena Rodeo Company put on a Wild West Show on the islands of Aruba and Curacao, the Catalena Cowgirls were there.

Other events include performances for the World Championship Bull Riding Series, the 2001 Olympic Torch Ceremony, and the World Energy Conference. The state of Illinois has invited the Cowgirls to several events including the International Exposition. They were so impressed with the team that Sangamon County proclaimed April 18th as Catalena Cowgirl Day.

And it’s not just the Cowgirls who are requested for these events. The well-known paint horses the Cowgirls have trained are used around the state for special events on their own such as the APHA-sponsored Wild West show at Six Flags Over Texas each summer.

The Catalena Cowgirls have set the standard for rodeo entertainment. They are well-known in most equine circles. While they originated along the lines of a traditional Drill Team, over time the performances became more complex and the venues more diverse, making the Catalena Cowgirls truly unique. They have appeared on the covers of the American Quarter Horse Journal, Texas Horse Talk magazine and numerous newspapers across the country including the Houston Chronicle. They have been featured in the American Paint Horse Journal, Western Horseman, Cowboy Sports and Entertainment, the Debra Duncan Show and Good Morning America.

The Cowgirls organization consists of approximately twenty-five women, ranging in age from 21 to 35, with varied personal and professional backgrounds. Some of the Cowgirls are full-time students, while others are pursuing careers in legal, engineering, medical, sales, marketing and management fields. With full-time schedules, the Cowgirls volunteer their time to practice, travel and perform.

To be a Cowgirl requires a true commitment of time and energy, as well as a strong dedication to the sport and to her "sister" riders. A great deal of concentration and coordination by each Cowgirl is critical to making every presentation a successful and breathtaking experience.

Event History

1990

Sammy Catalena formed a team of women and horses and named the group the “Catalena Cowgirls.”

1994

Crosby PRCA Rodeo
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Justin World Championship Bullriding, Houston

1995

Texas Circuit Finals, Waco, Texas
Crosby PRCA Rodeo
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Justin World Championship Bullriding, Houston
Wild West Show, Island of Aruba and Curacao

1996

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
APHA Show, Houston
Crosby PRCA Rodeo
Madisonville Sidewalk Cattleman’s Assoc. PRCA Rodeo
Madisonville Sidewalk Cattleman’s Assoc. PRCA Rodeo
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Justin World Championship Bullriding, Houston
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Madisonville Sidewalk Cattlemen’s Assoc. PRCA Rodeo

1997

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
APHA Show, Houston
Good Morning America Show, ABC
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Crosby PRCA Rodeo
Madisonville Sidewalk Cattleman’s Assoc. PRCA Rodeo
Justin World Championship Bullriding, Houston
Justin World Championship Bullriding, San Antonio
Cattle Barron’s Ball, Bryan, Texas
Texas Chapter of the Daughters of the British Empire Convention

1998

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
APHA Show, Houston
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Crosby PRCA Rodeo
Madisonville Sidewalk Cattleman’s Assoc. PRCA Rodeo
Justin World Championship Bullriding, Houston
Justin World Championship Bullriding, San Antonio
Cattle Barron’s Ball, Bryan, Texas
World Energy Conference, Houston
Houston Assoc. of Attorneys, Unicorn Ranch, Houston

1999

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
APHA Show, Houston
Goliad PRCA Rodeo
Sagemont Church Groundbreaking, Houston
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Killeen Festival of Flags
Madisonville Sidewalk Cattleman’s Assoc. PRCA Rodeo
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Conroe Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Athens PRCA Rodeo
Helotes Bull Buckout
Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo Parade, Waco
Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo, Waco
Brazos Bash, Bryan, Texas
Women International Firm Night, Houston

2000

Southwestern Exposition & Fort Worth Livestock Show
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
APHA Show, Houston
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Killeen Festival of Flags
Madisonville Sidewalk Cattleman’s Assoc. PRCA Rodeo
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo Parade, Waco
Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo, Waco
Houston Thanksgiving Day Parade
Games of Texas, College Station, Texas

2001

Houston Hospital’s Rodeo in the Park, Houston
Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Lil’ Rustlers Rodeo, HLS&R
International Livestock Exposition, Springfield, Illinois
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Killeen Festival of Flags
Madisonville Sidewalk Cattleman’s PRCA Rodeo
Belton PRCA Rodeo
World Paint Show, Ft. Worth
American Paint Horse Assoc. Anniversary, Ft. Worth
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
International Livestock Exposition/Symphony of Horses, Springfield, Illinois
Corsicana PRCA Rodeo
Olympic Torch Ceremony, Houston

2002

Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Debra Duncan Show, ABC Houston
Agventure - Special Children’s Event, HLS&R
Lil’ Rustlers Rodeo, HLS&R
April 18 Declared “Catalena Cowgirl Day” in Illinois
International Livestock Exposition/The Great American Wild West Show, Springfield, Illinois
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Killeen Festival of Flags
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Corsicana PRCA Rodeo
Reception for Dr. Gates, President, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Helotes Shrimp Festival
San Antonio Convention Center

2003

Shriners Children’s Hospital, Houston
Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Killeen Festival of Flags
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Ben Johnson Auction for Cystic Fibrosis, Sugar Land, Texas
Ben Johnson Children’s Rodeo for Cystic Fibrosis, Rosharon, Texas
Helotes Shrimp Festival

2004

Shriners Children’s Hospital, Houston
Special kids day at World Championship BBQ
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade
Fox 26 News, KRIV, Houston
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Hanes Hosiery regional commercial
Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston
Lil’ Rustlers Rodeo, HLS&R
Helotes Cornyval Festival & Rodeo
Killeen Festival of Flags
Madisonville CPRA Rodeo
Bryan Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Caldwell CPRA Rodeo
Hearne CPRA Rodeo
Texas Shrimp Festival
Huntsville CPRA Rodeo

2005

Montgomery County Fair & CPRA Rodeo
Reception for Chancellor McTeer of The Texas A&M University System
Helotes Festival Association PRCA
Waxahachie PRCA Rodeo
Bryan Breakfast Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Caldwell CPRA Rodeo
Hearne CPRA Rodeo
Edna PRCA Rodeo
Brazos Bash, Bryan, Texas

2006

Edna PRCA Rodeo
Still Creek Boys Ranch Facilities Dedication
2006 Cattle Baron's Ball at the George Ranch
Helotes Festival Association PRCA
Waxahachi PRCA Rodeo
Lampasas PRCA Rodeo
Bryan Breakfast Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Conroe PRCA Rodeo
Brazos Bash for the St. Joseph Foundation, Bryan, Texas

2007

Edna PRCA Rodeo
2006 Cattle Baron's Ball at the George Ranch
Helotes Festival Association PRCA
Lampasas PRCA Rodeo
Bryan Breakfast Lions Club PRCA Rodeo
Conroe PRCA Rodeo
Carlsbad PRCA Rodeo, Carslbad, New Mexico

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