So , what is a true cowgirl ? Depends on who you ask . For Oklahoma State University alumna Courtenay DeHoff , being a cowgirl is as much about attitude as the horse you ride .
oday Courtenay lives in a world where one week she may be working cattle , and the next she ’ s on stage in front of 50,000 adoring fans . A TV host and motivational speaker , she travels the world covering rural life and speaking to groups about the values she believes are not as much tied to where you are from , but to where you are going . Hers is a mission called “ Fancy Lady Cowgirl .”
SWO : How did a Kansas farm girl find her way to Stillwater , Oklahoma ? DeHoff : What really brought me to Oklahoma State was the rodeo team . We took a tour of OSU and really just feel in love with it . It ( Stillwater ) just had this small town feel that I loved .
SWO : After college , your TV career really took off , but something changed . What was it ? DeHoff : In TV , you spend your whole life working your way up , from one city to the next bigger city to syndication and the networks . I did that ; I landed the big fancy syndicated gig in Dallas , but what is interesting , is that this rodeo-loving cowgirl from Kansas couldn ’ t exist . I was told by agents and managers if I wanted to be taken seriously as a journalist at that premiere level , the cowboy hat and cowboy boots were not going to cut it .
SWO : When did you decide to trade your hair extensions for a cowboy hat ? DeHoff : There were some major stories in agriculture taking place that no mainstream network was talking about , so I started telling these stories on my Facebook page and they blew up . The first one went viral , so I started telling more about things affecting farmers and ranchers . I realized just because the media giants I had been working for did not deem them newsworthy didn ’ t mean there isn ’ t a huge group of people that are interested . They did wind up cancelling my TV show and I said , ‘ that ’ s it , I am done climbing the ladder .’ While that sounds really great , I did have to walk dogs for a year to help pay bills before everything took off .
SWO : So , from these ag videos you were posting on social media , you created a brand that feels almost like a movement . DeHoff : It happened almost organically . Groups started reaching out and saying , ‘ we love what you are doing ; we would love to have you come speak .’ And it launched this speaking career where I travel all over the country and speak to different groups .
SWO : Then , how did the now popular Fancy Lady Cowgirl brand start ? DeHoff : It was a photo I posted , without even thinking , of me standing in the subway in New York City . I was headed to New York Fashion Week and I started getting messages from the same people that were sharing my ag stories , the same people that were saying , ‘ you are the modern mouthpiece for rural America ’… that said ’ oh , we thought you were a ‘ real ’ cowgirl ; we thought you were one of us .’ In my mind , I am very much a part of the ag community . I am a fourth generation rancher . But because I didn ’ t look the part , some were writing me off because my outfit was too fancy . I thought this is not cool ! I am a trained professional . I love rural life and I knew that I had a place . So instead of going to therapy , I wrote a very lengthy Instagram post .
SWO : What did it say ? DeHoff : It said , ‘ look , you can be both a fancy lady and a cowgirl . You can still live in the largest cities in America and still be a voice for the smallest rural towns . It doesn ’ t matter what you look like , what you drive , what you wear … that to me doesn ’ t define a cowgirl or a cowboy .’ I really just posted that to make myself feel better , and I got this huge swift reaction and I was afraid to open my messages because I thought these people are being so mean . But the narrative had shifted . People were saying thank you – thank you for saying what we have been feeling for so long . Men and women started
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