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Katy Cowgirls: Honoring Traditions and Touching Hearts in Katy

September 22 2022

If you have been to a rodeo, there is a chance you were lucky enough to witness the impressive synchrony of a mounted drill team during opening ceremonies. Comprised of women dressed in crisp, matching uniforms wielding patriotic flags while mounted on stately, decorated horses, mounted drill teams capture the attention of spectators and stir a sense of excitement, pride, and patriotism.

Mounted drill teams like Katy’s own Katy Cowgirls have been honoring this tradition since 1943. But beyond the spotlight, glitter, and notoriety, there is so much more to their story – and their impact – than what meets the eye.

It all started when four young women in Katy came together to form the Katy Cowgirls. Their mission was simple: present patriotic flags at the Katy Rodeo every year. These inaugural members were friends with one another and attended the same school. A few times each year, they would practice with their horses in anticipation of the annual Katy Rodeo.

Flash forward to 2001, the time had come for leadership to pass the torch. On the heels of her daughter’s last year as a Katy Cowgirl, Anita Mancini was asked to step in as the new director. Upon assuming her responsibilities, she knew that this special group of young women could do more.

With a passion for service, Anita established outreach programs that have given the Katy Cowgirls opportunities to share their horses and hearts with the community. In recent years, they have created a Big Sister, Little Sister program, shared their horses with patients at MD Anderson and held Special Children’s Day at the former Houston Farm and Ranch Club, which gave the Katy Cowgirls the opportunity to perform a drill and give rides to special needs children. Most recently, the Cowgirls volunteered their time as servers at Katy Christian Ministry’s annual Transforming Lives Gala.

Katy Cowgirls volunteering their time to serve at the Katy Christian Ministry's

Transforming Lives Gala on September 15, 2022.

They also perform Pony Parades, bringing their horses to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. For residents who cannot come outside, the Cowgirls walk around the facilities by the windows so residents can see the horses. Residents who are able come outside so the Cowgirls can meet and greet with residents and share their horses with them.

“It’s not about showing off in their sparkly outfits. It’s about sharing their horse, the warmth and love of the animal with others, especially those who haven’t been able to or can’t experience it,” said Mancini.

As of last year, the Katy Cowgirls are a school-sponsored organization through Katy ISD. Their leadership team is comprised of line captains, assistant captains, administrative captains, and spirit captain with additional support from team moms and even cowhands. The entire team is CPR and first aid certified, with an assistant captain trained in first aid for horses. Self-sufficiency and a true team spirit form the glue that keeps this tightly-knit team together.

“[Katy Cowgirls] have the best hearts and souls. They are good students and they are committed. They are so disciplined because they are responsible for the care of their horse and it requires so much dedication that it creates in them a work ethic to reach their goals,” said Mancini.

That level of dedication comes from grit, fearlessness and hard work. But Katy Cowgirls are not one-woman shows. Behind every Katy Cowgirl is a devoted family, coming together as a team to support their Cowgirl from loading and unloading their horse, getting to and from practices and shows, and much more.

“Cowgirl parents are the best. There is a love for their children that is so beautiful. The dads are amazing too because no one can do it alone. It’s a beautiful thing to see the family unit come together to make it happen,” said Mancini.

In an effort to financially support the Cowgirls’ mission, the team has held various fundraisers from car washes to pony rides but best of all, cookie sales. Thanks to a coveted recipe shared by one of the team moms, the Cowgirls come together during the fall to bake thousands of cookies to sell to the community. Each year, the Cowgirls adopt a local nonprofit and split their profits down the middle, with The Arc of Katy being their chosen organization this year. The Cowgirls’ portion of the proceeds are used to purchase uniforms, flags and other necessary equipment.

They are currently accepting orders through October 24 so don’t miss your chance to snag a few dozen cookies in support of the Katy Cowgirls and The Arc of Katy! Supporters can purchase cookies by reaching out to a Katy Cowgirl or emailing Anita Mancini, who will pass the order along to team members.

Katy Cowgirls Cookie Fundraiser Order Form

Do you have a Katy ISD student at home who might be interested in becoming a Katy Cowgirl, or know someone who might want to know more? The team is looking to add six more members! A learning-teaching team, the Katy Cowgirls welcomes applicants who may not have the skills but have a passion to learn.

“I love being a Katy Cowgirl because it provides me with so many opportunities to impact other peoples life’s through my love of horses and my community,” said Abigail Daily, assistant line captain.

To inquire about the application process or outreach opportunities, please contact Anita Mancini.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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