Rural Media Group, owner of The Cowboy Channel, is adding The Cowgirl Channel to its stable.

Programmed with Western sports content aimed at women, The Cowgirl Channel will launch on Dish Network's America's Top 120 package and on Sling TV on February 5. 

The Cowgirl Channel will also be available by subscribing to the Cowboy Channel Plus streaming channel, which costs $9.99 monthly.

“Women of all ages participating in Western sports and embracing the Western lifestyle is experiencing explosive growth,” Patrick Gottsch, founder and president of Rural Media Group, said in a release. 

The initial television lineup has series including Women’s Western Sports Roundup, Rodeo Queens, RanchHer, FarmHer and Grit & Grace. 

In addition to programming designed around the interests of cowgirls, The Cowgirl Channel will also provide Rural Media Group the opportunity to program more professional rodeo and sporting events like barrel racing, breakaway roping, and women’s ranch rodeo.

“The popularity of this content on The Cowboy Channel is undeniable, and with so much original content and women’s events now being produced not only in the United States but all over the world, the launch of The Cowgirl Channel to go with The Cowboy Channel just makes sense,” Gottsch said. “I am so excited about the initial feedback we are receiving from individuals and organizations who have worked so hard to develop opportunities for women and their love of horses over the years.”

Headquarters for The Cowgirl Channel will be in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Rural Media Group is building a devoted television studio for The Cowgirl Channel in the front entrance of the parent company’s office. 

When visitors and viewers are in the Fort Worth Stockyards, they will have the opportunity to watch a live recording of a show for The Cowgirl Channel in one building and then see another show being recorded for The Cowboy Channel just down the street, the company said. ■

The Cowboy Channel, the official network of ProRodeo, said it will be on the air for 10 nights of coverage of The 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, starting Dec. 2.

The event returns to Las Vega this year. It moved to Texas last year because of the pandemic.

"It feels like my first NFR was only just yesterday. I’ve had the privilege of watching so many great cowboys and cowgirls compete at the Thomas and Mack Center,” said Jeff Medders, president of The Cowboy Channel. “I’m amazed how the next generation of cowboys gets better and better. I’m even more excited to be back with The Cowboy Channel and to build on what we were able to accomplish last year. Get ready for another wild ride.”

The new presenting sponsor enabling limited commercial interruptions during of Cowboy Channel’s live coverage of the Finals is Pivot Bio.

This is the second year The Cowboy Channel will be broadcasting the Finals live as the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s official media partner. 

The Cowboy Channel’s Finals broadcast will be simulcast on RFD-TV and Rural Radio on SiriusXM channel 147. The broadcast will showcase 4K video, employ 18 cameras plus skycam video.

In addition to The Cowboy Channel’s television network, the coverage will also be available for live streaming on demand in three languages – English, Spanish and Portuguese – on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app for $99.99 for the event’s 10 day run.

The mobile app will offer up-to-the minute scoring, news, highlight clips, standings, trivia and  interactive games. 

“Our team could not be more excited to return to Las Vegas for the 2021 NFR,” said Raquel Gottsch Koehler, CEO of The Cowboy Channel. “There is just something magical about the atmosphere inside Thomas & Mack for the NFR during December and we are looking forward to capturing the excitement and bringing the event to life like never seen before on television.” 

The Cowboy Channel said that for the first time it will be broadcasting live from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo from Dec. 3 through Dec. 12.

“We have an incredible lineup of television hosts who will be covering some of the most iconic events and athletes for 10 days straight, and we have a few more surprises in the works,” said Raquel Gottsch, The Cowboy Channel CEO. “If you’ve never seen a rodeo before on television, you don’t want to miss out on this sold-out championship event. We are taking our broadcast technology and reporting to the next level to showcase the best of rural America, the western lifestyle and rodeo fans.” 

The Cowboy Channel, the official network of ProRodeo, will have more than 10 hours of coverage daily of the event, taking place at Globe Live Field in Arlington, Texas.

The Cowboy Channel National Finals Rodeo broadcast also will air on sister channel RFD-TV and Rural Radio. The simulcast will showcase technology including 4K, Sky Cam footage, 360 Degree cameras and Ghost cams. 

In addition to The Cowboy Channel’s television network, the coverage will also be available for live streaming and on demand in three languages – English, Spanish and Portuguese – on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app for $99.99 for the 10 days at www.cowboychannelplus.com. The mobile app will offer up-to-the minute scoring, news, highlight clips, standings, trivia, interactive games and more.

The Cowboy Channel, Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Rural Media Group announced earlier this year a multi-year agreement, which had the NFR move to The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV beginning in 2020.

"This NFR has a level of excitement that I have never seen before,” said Jeff Medders, main television host of the Wrangler NFR and The Cowboy Channel GM/president.

“I think fans are excited for the Texas experience, but the wall-to-wall coverage planned on The Cowboy Channel is a complete game-changer! Even though this is the first time the NFR has been on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV, we will have a strong and familiar talent lineup. Butch Knowles, Joe Beaver, Luke Branquinho, Don Gay and myself have a few NFRs under our belts. This will be a great blend of old and new,” said Medders.

Veteran cable executive Alexander “Sandy” Brown has been named chief operating officer for Rural Media Group.

Brown had been president and CEO of One World Sports (now Eleven Sports). Before that he was president of sports for Univision and managing director for ESPN Asia.

AS COO and group president of RMG, Brown will lead the company's operating businesses, focusing on RFD-TV, The Cowboy Channel and Rural Radio on Sirius XM.

"Sandy Brown is a tremendous addition to our senior management team," said Patrick Gottsch, founder and president of Rural Media Group. "His vast experience in national advertising sales and existing relationships with key distributors will certainly add value to both RFD-TV and our new venture, The Cowboy Channel.

"RMG's operations in Nashville will also benefit daily with Sandy's leadership, as will our efforts to now expand all our interests digitally on an international basis,” Gottsch added. "I see Sandy as contributing heavily to helping our networks finally reach their full potential."

Brown will report to Gottsch.

"Rural Media Group is the unequivocal leader in covering the issues that affect our farming and ranching community, for no other network connects with this critical segment of our country in the manner that RMG does," Brown said. “I am thrilled to be joining the group at a time when rural America’s interests have never been more important.”