A new program at the Stampede is giving women an inside look into the rodeo world while raising money for children with special needs.
"Cowgirls in the City" is a behind the scenes rodeo experience, and the first thing these women learn is it's not as easy as it looks.
The "cowgirls" receive lessons from some real cowboys, and the opportunity to meet the athletes competing in this years greatest outdoor show on earth.
"We work real hard to get to this level," says bareback rider, Steven Dent. "You can't just all of a sudden one day pick up a rope and you're a calf roper."
A sentiment echoed by bull rider Cody Whitney.
"I think they're going to go away with a lot better appreciation of rodeo," adds Whitney. "They'll see how much you really have to put into bull riding."
While the bulls the women will ride, and the calves they'll rope will not be real, the cowboys certainly are.
The women taking part in the class, like Colleen Johansen, will be able to put faces to the names, and make a day at the rodeo a more personal experience.
"A lot of the guys who taught us about the events are going to be in it," says Johansen. "So we'll cheer them on!"
The women are paying for the opportunity to get up close to the rodeo stars, and the money raised will go to the Stampede Queen's Alumni Advancement Fund,
"It's going towards children with special needs," says Janelle Phillips, Stampede Queen's Alumni." It goes to the institutes and education programs they need."
The "Cowgirls" experience differs from the actual Stampede competitors in one noticeable way; rodeo cowboys don't usually celebrate a ride with a champagne glass of mimosa.
