Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls: Life Lessons Learned on the Back of a Horse

In the 20 years since Tom Maier established the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls, he has trained more than 300 young women to do astounding riding tricks. Maier also teaches these simple truths: that values are taught through the disciplined pursuit of a goal, and that you don't give kids confidence and self-esteem, you show them how to earn it.

Coming from diverse backgrounds, the Cowboy Girls are renowned for their trick riding and roping act, but they are the real thing. Here is both the grit and the glory of world-class trick riding, plus real cowboy work - handling herds of horses and cattle, saddling mustangs, and driving stagecoaches.

This is the story of Tom Maier, of Riata Ranch, and of the young women whose lives have been enriched there. Told through rich text, entries from the diary of a current Cowboy Girl, the memories of Riata Ranch alumnae, and full-color photographs throughout, the story is spectacular and inspiring.

The Cowboy Girls have performed on network TV and in rodeos, Olympic exhibitions, horse-driving competitions, and NFL half-time shows. They have traveled to 15 countries and have been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post, and Cowboys & Indians magazine.

Larry Mahan is a six-time World Champion Cowboy (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) and an inductee into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

Tom Maier, founder of the Riata Ranch, is a former Hollywood stunt cowboy and professional rodeo champion. For more than 40 years he has taught young people from the towns and ranches of California's San Joaquin Valley a unique combination of self-confidence, self discipline, horsemanship, and performance skills.

William Shepley, based in southern California, specializes in Western photography.

Rebekah Ferran Witter is author of Living with HorsePower!, Winning with HorsePower!, and America's Super Horse: The Story of Rugged Lark. She lives in Menlo Park, California.