Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Tough Enough To Wear Pink: $17 million raised since 2004
The rodeo season is coming to a close as professional cowboys and cowgirls compete for this year’s top titles with high hopes to walk away with a title at this year’s Wrangler National Final’s Rodeo. All along the way, they’re sporting pink to help raise money for Tough Enough to Wear Pink.
Purple Cowboy Wines is a proud supporter of Tough Enough to Wear Pink, an organization dedicated to breast cancer awareness and research. This year, Tough Enough to Wear Pink is celebrating its 10th anniversary!
How it all began…
Back in 2004, Wine Sisterhood founder and Purple Cowboy Boss Lady, Terry Wheatley, teamed up with Karl Stressman, former director of special events for Wrangler and now commissioner of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PCRA), and proposed a colorful dare to their toughest friends.
The dare: dress in pink and blaze across the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo arena in support of breast cancer awareness and research. That dare was met, and those cowboys and cowgirls tore up the arena dressed in pink!
Terry wanted to bring attention to the need for early detection and a cure for breast cancer, starting with that first Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day. She herself had breast cancer surgery; lost her grandmother to breast cancer, and both her mother and daughter have been affected by the disease.
Tough Enough today
This year, Tough Enough to Wear Pink is celebrating its 10th anniversary and $17 million raised since 2004!
Now a full-fledged national campaign, with sponsors like Wrangler, Tough Enough to Wear Pink provides a campaign and framework for rodeos and western events to help them promote breast cancer awareness and fundraising to benefit their local communities. Purple Cowboy is also the official wine of the PRCA!
Rodeos around the country designate Tough Enough to Wear Pink Days, encouraging patrons and rodeo participants to dress in pink to show their support for the cause. These Tough Enough Days pull in some serious support! Last year, the top fundraiser was the “Cowboys For Cancer Research” in Las Cruces, NM at a whopping $906,424! (Check out all the top fundraisers here.)
How to get involved
- Support Tough Enough to Wear Pink can come in many forms. Here are just a few ideas:
- Browse the Tough Enough to Wear Pink Store and pick up some new Pink gear.
- Like Tough Enough to Wear Pink on Facebook
- Follow the Tough Enough to Wear Pink blog and rodeo calendar
- Sip on Purple Cowboy wines.
- Attend an upcoming Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day at a rodeo near you! (like one featured below)
Coming up soon on the rodeo circuit is the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo-Badlands Circuit Finals in Minot, North Dakota on October 10th. It’s a rodeo you won’t want to miss, last year those cowboys made it into the top 10 fundraising events (raising a whopping $110,271.00!) and we’re excited to see how they do this year.
The Guadalupe County Fair and Rodeo will be making a donation to Relay For Life of Guadalupe County for each person wearing PINK on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at their Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day in Seguin Texas.
Later in October, get ready for Bareback Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Saddle Bronco Riding, Tie-Down Roping, Barrel Racing, and Bull Riding at the 67th Annual Indiantown Rodeo in Indianatown, Florida on October 17th and 18th.
Also on Friday October 17th is the Day of the Cowboy Western Heritage Day and Ranch Rodeo benefit for cancer awareness in Hartstelle, Alabama.
Stop by Moapa Valley Riders Jackpot in Logandale, Nevada for their Barrels and Poles Jackpot and pick up a raffle ticket while you watch the show.
November 22 wraps up the 2014 Tough Enough to Wear Pink rodeo circuit in Inverness, Florida with the Citrus Stampede Rodeo. Put on some Pink and head out with some of the toughest cowboys and cowgirls in the business as they compete for their chance at a spot at this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Check out the full TETWP rodeo calendar for more details.
Rock the pink! Are you Tough Enough?
(Looking for Purple Cowboy Wines in your area? Fill out this form and our team will be happy to help you track it down.)