Petry named to Cowgirl’s ’30 Under 30′

Christy Petry of Clarendon has been named to Cowgirl magazine’s fourth annual “30 Under 30” list of influential women in the Western industry.

Petry was honored with the Class of 2023 in Fort Worth the weekend of March 10, 2023, at the second annual Wrangler COWGIRL 30 Under 30 Empowered Gala at Hotel Drover in the historic Stockyards. Among invited guests will be alumna from previous 30 Under 30 classes, as well as family, friends, and industry leaders who support the annual program.

Cowgirl wrote of Petry: “One hat, two hats, red hats, blue hats, but always cowgirl hats! Dr. Christy Petry wears many different hats, and sometimes multiple hats in the same day. She wears a coaching hat during weekly practices with her Texas Elite youth horse judging teams, her Doctorate hat to lecture in the Ag Business & Economics classrooms at West Texas A&M University, her sales hat every day for Kimes Ranch, and her rodeo hat when carrying flags at major rodeos.

“Some days she wears a straw hat when working in the branding pen and on special days you can find her under the arena lights showing a horse, managing the show, or judging horses under the brim of a nice clean felt hat! No matter the cowgirl hat Christy chooses to wear, she does it with a passion for excellence and the western lifestyle.

“She has coached several National Champion Youth horse judging teams as well as helped coached the 2021 AQHA World Show Champion collegiate horse judging team at Texas Tech University. Christy enjoys traveling and serving the needs of western wear stores throughout Texas and attending the Dallas Marketplace representing Kimes Ranch and western style.”

In describing her vision for the future of women in the Western industry, Petry told Cowgirl: “The world has always painted an idyllic picture of women in the west. Annie Oakley packed a punch with her pistol, but the reality of women in the western industry is far different from old, faded photos. Western life has always been one of joys and hardships, and women involved often face the brunt. Traditionally, not only would women be expected to care for their families, but they were expected to help with ranch life as well. As societal roles changed, so has the western ways. As a woman in the western industry myself, I see a future in which I, alongside the countless other strong and capable women, become an even bigger part of the forefront of improvements in the western industry. We bring a unique perspective to the table, and I hope to see a future in which women continue to be crucial part of western lifestyle.”