Among the thrills at this year’s Calgary Stampede was the inaugural Lady Warrior Race, a women-only bareback horserace. While this is the first Lady Warrior race at the famous rodeo event, the Indian Relay or Indigenous Relay made its debut at the Stampede in 2017. Both races are steeped in tradition, going back centuries to when tribes competed in horse races to win buffalo hides, horses, and other valuables.
For Lita Crawler, a 21-year-old competitor, getting the chance to ride in a Lady Warrior race at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth was a dream come true. “When I was a little girl, I always wanted to compete at the Calgary Stampede,” she told the media outlet. “I never thought I’d be here riding in the races.”
The Indigenous Relay has been a crowd pleaser from the get-go, but Crowchild thinks the Lady Warrior race is an even bigger draw. “So far, the response to the women’s race has been phenomenal,” she told the reporter. “They cheer loud for relay, but they cheer louder for the Lady Warrior.”
Watch a Lady Warrior race here: