The Trail to Cheyenne passes through the Cochrane Lions Labour Day Weekend Rodeo for four women ranch bronc riders.

It's the first qualifier for a chance to compete in the world finals at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo next July.

They'll be events on all three days of the rodeo, with daily purses and overall buckle awarded on Monday.

Pearl Kersey, Canadian director of the Women's Ranch Bronc Championship, says the rodeo event continues to grow in popularity. She has been competing Stateside for about the last five years and won the 2019 championship. She won't be able to compete this year and is instead organizing the tour.

"This is the first year the association has come to Canada," says Kersey. "It originally started in Texas and then developed in the States. Now it's in Canada and Australia."

"It's especially been really been sprouting this year. Now we have girls in Saskatchewan and Manitoba that have started riding. Before I would ride at the ranch rodeos or in the open events with the men's bronc riding but I think more girls are coming out now that we have the ladies-only event."

The event will also feature a woman pickup rider, something that is fairly unique in the rodeo world. Bailey Schellenberg, who in 2019 became the first girl to qualify for the junior steer riding event at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, will be doing the honours.

In all, about four Canadian riders will advance to the world finals.