Cowboys Mud Racing continues to grow their presence, and now the organization is broadening its reach with the launch of a women's chapter aimed at creating a safe and supportive community for women facing personal challenges.
Based in St. Pierre, the group's mission is centered on "throttle therapy," fostering brotherhood, building community, and supporting men's mental health through off-road ATV culture across Canada.
Chief Executive Officer Ryan Ward says the idea for Cowgirls Mud Racing was driven by both his wife Alyssa's personal journey with mental health challenges and the growing number of women reaching out to the organization for support.
“A lot of women are coming to Cowboys and I'm dealing with this and I'm dealing with that, and we're not equipped for that. We're equipped for men. She goes, ‘I think we need to ride for women's mental health, domestic violence survivors and sexual abuse survivors,’ and so out of that, Cowgirls was started.”
Building a sisterhood
Ward says the vision for Cowgirls Mud Racing reflects the same values as Cowboys Mud Racing, with a focus on helping women find a sisterhood and support.
“They're going to find that sense of belonging. They're going to know that all the women have each other's backs, no matter what they're going through or what they're dealing with, that their sisters are always there for them.”
Ward says the group provides a space where members can be themselves without judgment.
“We go out and we ride in the mud and in the muskeg and on the trails. We just laugh, we talk, we cry, we get angry, we show those real emotions that most times in the world that we live in, we can't show.”
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Growing demand leads to new chapter
The idea of launching a women's chapter first surfaced about six months ago during discussions among board members, as more women began expressing interest in joining the organization.
“The women were coming and we're kind of standing there going, we don't know how to appropriately deal with this type of thing. So, that's where we sat down with the board and we said, why don't we start this women's chapter?”
According to Ward, the response was immediate. Women began reaching out to Alyssa to ask when the chapter would officially launch. The first Cowgirls chapter was established in Ontario, where it quickly gained momentum, prompting organizers to bring the initiative to Manitoba as well.
A safe place for support
Ward says confidentiality and support are central to the group's mission. He notes that members can find community while also being connected to professional resources when needed.
“We're all bound under non-disclosure agreements. Know that they can get you connected if you're dealing with active mental health crisis to different places like the crisis unit, the clinic, to thrive. There are so many awesome places out there that are working with men's and women's mental health, and so here they'll just find their sense of belonging.”
Rapid growth across Canada
What started as a local initiative has quickly expanded beyond Manitoba.
Owner Brian Brown says the organization's growth has exceeded expectations, with chapters now operating in Ontario and Alberta and plans to continue expanding into Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
“[We’re] trying to go slower in a sense so we can plan properly, which is hard when you're growing so fast. Sometimes it's okay to keep the planning up with the expanding part of it.”
Ward believes the rapid growth reflects a broader need for accessible mental health support.
“We've been trying to work with our elected politicians to try to bring in a mental health bill that would allow lower income families to get funding so that they're able to be able to go to counselling and that they're able to start dealing with some of the issues that they're facing.”
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Brown agrees that mental health support is something communities can rally around.
“It's something that is needed and something that everybody can get behind because not being done this way, but just everybody knows it's needed that can see it at least. They know it's needed. So that helps move it forward drastically also for that reason.”
Working together for the ATV community
Alongside supporting riders, Cowboys Mud Racing continues to build partnerships with other off-road organizations, including the Woodridge Sandhogs, led by Gary Hora.
Ward says the relationship has been beneficial for both groups.
“We absolutely love what Gary is doing with Sandhogs. Gary and us are working a lot together, even though we're two separate entities. We're always bouncing things off of each other, and we've heard good things from them. What we're doing is maintaining trails and helping them fix things or doing rides with them and then with us. It's a great partnership to have.”
Getting involved
Those interested in learning more about Cowboys Mud Racing or the new Cowgirls chapter can find information through the organization's website and social media channels, including Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
For confidential inquiries or more specific information, Ward encourages people to contact the group directly at cowboysmudracing@gmail.com.
With files from Carly Koop
