Theme Song: There are two Juice Newton country songs that I didn’t bother recording.
Interesting Dated References: Referring to an attractive person as a “buckle buster.”
Social Context: Television audiences must have been hungry for rodeo-related content and Bo Hopkins, so someone came up with this script.
Summary: Cowgirl Sammy Garrett (Katherine Ross) lives in the shadow of her rodeo star husband Will Garrett (Bo Hopkins, The Fifth Floor) who is constantly flirting with rodeo fan-girls.
But then he breaks two ribs, and his entire career ends. His solution is to hook his wife up with another rodeo gal named J.R. (Candy Clark). J.R. and Sammy hit it off, and through a bunch of training, end up rising to fame on the female rodeo circuit (is this a thing?).
When Sammy finds out she’s pregnant, literally everyone in her life tells her to stop riding the bucking broncos, but she insists on finishing the women’s circuit. She’s so insistent that she and Will split up.
Then, on the very last rodeo, she gets thrown to the ground, and since everyone knows she’s pregnant, they all run to her aid. The child is born, and it’s okay. She and Will get back together after he relents and accepts that she will keep pursuing her rodeo career.
Worth Mentioning:
– It was directed by Jackie Cooper (Marathon), who played Perry White in the Superman series.
– Wilford Brimley is in this, and he has black hair—black (non-white!) hair! That was a first for me, as I thought he only ever had white hair.
– If you are into rodeo, there are many rodeo lingos and discussions about various rodeo-related techniques. If your love of rodeo brought you here, I apologize for not being more respectful of your terrible hobby.
Poster and Box Art: Rodeo Girl was made for television, so there’s this nice TV Guide ad.
There was also a home video release with a nicely executed illustration.
But don’t even show Bo Hopkins anywhere on the box.