Meet The 2022 Kimes Ranch Essence Exchange Speakers At The Cowgirl Gathering

The Cowgirl Gathering is a celebration in the heart of Fort Worth, designed to showcase spectacular, inspirational women from all walks of life who embody the spirit of the American Cowgirl. Whether you are a competitor or just want to experience the spark of that cowgirl essence, the Cowgirl Gathering is your event.

From ranches to rodeo arenas, from running businesses to families, modern-day cowgirls continue to thrive, living by the pillars of empowerment, individualism and vigor.

For the full weekend Essence Exchange schedule, click here!

Meet the 2022 Kimes Ranch Essence Exchange Speakers:

Amanda Kimes: Master of Ceremonies
Amanda Kimes is the Vice President at Kimes Ranch Jeans and was raised in southern Oregon. Amanda Kimes has roots that run deep in the Western industry. With a family background in ranching, she grew up showing and competing with American Quarter Horses.

Anna Lee Morrison
Anna Morrison serves as Executive Director for the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) based in Pilot Point, Texas. NRCHA is the international organization which oversees the sport of reined cow horse and guides the rules of competition for more than 150 sanctioned events worldwide each year. 

Barbra Schulte
Barbra Schulte is driven by a singular desire – to help others grow their confidence and reach for the stars.

Casey Russell
Casey Graham Russell is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, podcaster, singer, rancher but mostly just a multi-passionate woman with a heart on fire for Jesus.

Chelsea Edsall
Chelsea Edsall grew up as the only girl on her family’s ranch in Central California; riding, competing, and assisting at her mother’s Hunter/Jumper Show Barn, Cinder Farms.  

Lauren Lovelace-Murray
Lauren Lovelace Murray is from Grapevine, Texas and is a graduate of Texas Tech University where she earned Bachelors and Masters of Animal Science degrees.

Laurie Roden
I was raised with horses and started out with an ornery little spotted pony named Dynamite who taught me respect and how to be gritty.

Melanie Smith
Melanie has been selling horses for over 15 years – she has sold thousands of horses all over the world. Her fierce desire to match incredible horses with buyers led to a huge success in the industry. Melanie became known for her honesty, integrity and quality stock in the world of western cow horses. 

Nadine Lipson
Nadine’s love affair with the cowgirl way of life started with a two-year old, Two Eye Jack Stallion named Tank.

Nakia Teeter
I was born and raised in Blackfoot Idaho. At 7 years old (with the help of my dad) I bought my first horse and a little saddle with the money I saved from working on my grandparents dairy farm.

Janet Van Bebber
Janet VanBebber is the Chief Racing Officer for the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). VanBebber is responsible for planning, directing and coordinating the racing department, Racing Challenge and related programs.

Jodi Hendrickson
Jodi Weishaar Hendrickson is a mother, cowgirl and founder of Fringe Scarves. Jodi’s passion for fashion, the ranching lifestyle and business has always been an integral part of her life.

Jill Dunkel
Jill Jennings Dunkel grew up involved in the equine industry, showing horses from a young age. She graduated from Texas A&M with an Agricultural Journalism degree and worked as a freelance writer full time for more than 20 years, covering the equine and livestock industries.

Kalie Enlow
Kalie is a wife, mother, entrepreneur, western fashion enthusiast and Oklahoma native thrown into APHA racing when she married into a family of trainers with one of the top paint racing programs in the country.

Kelli Neubert
Kelli Neubert is the woman behind Palm Tree Ponies. She works alongside her husband Luke, starting horses and operating a 2 year old cowhorse and cutting program in Stephenville Texas.

Patty Tiberg
Patty Tiberg serves as the chief marketing and business development officer for the largest equine breed registry in the world – the American Quarter Horse Association.

Presley Rose
Combining Country roots with a vintage flair, Presley Rose is among a handful of women making a name for themselves as Western Style content creators.

Tammy Sronce
Tammy resides in Weatherford, Texas. A native Australian, Sronce came to Texas to purse a career in the equine industry.

Tina Shanahan
Tina Alvarado Shanahan is a 3 time consecutive American Paint Horse Association World Champion and had a 30 year career in the US Navy.  She was the first nurse of Hispanic heritage to be selected to the rank of Rear Admiral in the Nurse Corps and the first female of Hispanic descent to reach Rear Admiral Upper Half (two stars).

Tracy Sheffield
Tracy Sheffield Has Been Active In Texas Horse Racing Since Moving To The State In The 1980’S. She Began Her Career In Racing Galloping And Training Running Quarter Horses For A Private Farm In The Rio Grande Valley.

Venessa Wood
Venessa Wood is the Ceo of Ag Women Connect, a  Christian based-thriving, nation-wide organization, that supports and “agvocates” for women in agriculture, no matter what their role is.

Wanda Waters
Wanda Waters and her husband Lou Waters have bred and registered over 1,000 American Quarter Horses over the past 50 years—most with the bloodlines of their foundation-bred AQHA Hall of Fame stallion Colonel Freckles. 

Visit cowgirlgathering.com for a full list of speakers, event schedules, purchase tickets, or for more information.