Cowboy U
Cowboy U was an American reality television series that aired on CMT from 2003 to 2007. The show premiered on August 29, 2003. Each season, eight "city slickers" were brought to a ranch and competed to win the final rodeo and $25,000.
Cowboy U | |
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Cowboy U first season logo | |
Developed by | Triage Inc., CMT Productions |
Starring | Rocco Wachman (Instructor) Judd Leffew (Wrangler) |
Country of origin | United States |
Production | |
Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Release | |
Original network | CMT |
Original release | August 29, 2003 – 2007 |
External links | |
Website |
Aspects
Contests
The show has several weeks of contests (called "boot camp") to determine who will go to the final rodeo, and who will be going home. Recurring competitions throughout the series include the seven rings of fire, calf scrambling, cow dodging, firearm competitions, steer wrestling, driving a horse and wagon, buckboard wagon shooting, pig chasing, barrel racing, wild cow riding, bull riding, and various eating contests that (most recently) have included Rocky Mountain Oysters.
Rewards
At the campfire, Rocco announces who has worked the hardest over the past few days and announces the reward. The winner gets a special reward, like a warm bubble bath, instead of the daily cold showers.
Penalties
Once during each season, Rocco will show up at the bunkhouse and ask the contestants to decide who has done the least over the past few days. After they decide, the unlucky person has to do a special chore, like shoveling out horse barns.
Eliminations
Every few days at the campfire, someone who is just not getting the job done is eliminated. They say goodbye to the other contestants, get their stuff loaded on the back of a truck, and they leave the ranch. Only four of the contestants not eliminated get to participate in the rodeo and have a chance at winning all-around cowboy and walk away with a check for $25,000.
Trail Ride
After boot camp, the city slickers go out on the trail for a two-day ride to gather cattle and bring them back to the ranch. Everyone works hard to escape the final elimination and make it to the next day's rodeo.
Rodeo day
Rodeo day is finally here, and the city slickers will put all they've learned at Cowboy U to the test. They will compete in barrel racing, steer wrestling, wagon racing and shooting and bull riding. One person will be named the all-around cowboy and walk away with a check for $25,000.
Cowboy U: 2003
Cowboy U: 2003[1]
Location: Arizona
Premiered: August 29, 2003
Season Number: One
Season 1 Contestants
Status | Name | Sex | Hometown | Day Job | Week Eliminated |
Dotan Baer | M | Jerusalem, Israel | Commodities broker | ||
Justin Rae Barnes | F | Lake Tahoe, Nevada | Waitress/Writer | ||
Jason Ebs | M | Camden, New Jersey | Musician | ||
Winner | Drea Gunness | F | upstate New Hampshire | Fitness instructor | |
Marc Heber | M | Agoura Hills, California | Sales executive | ||
Chelsea McElroy | F | Portland, Oregon | Boutique owner |
Cowboy U: 2004
Cowboy U: 2004
Location: California
Season Number: Two
Season 2 Contestants
Status | Name | Sex | Hometown | Day Job | Week Eliminated |
Dani Armstrong | F | Highland, Michigan | Singer/dancer | ||
Winner | David Bauman | M | Burlington, Wisconsin | Children's book author | |
Megumi Hosogai | F | Honolulu, Hawaii | Restaurant hostess | voluntarily quit | |
Brandie Lyons | F | Visalia, Calif | Registered nurse | ||
Frank Prather | M | Bethesda, Md | Software salesman | ||
Amir Raziq | M | St. Louis, Missouri | Salesman | ||
Chris Shurley | M | Gainesville, Florida | Marketing director | ||
Elli Wooten | F | Key West, Florida | Flight attendant |
Cowboy U: Moloka'i (2004)
Cowboy U: Moloka'i
Premiered: November 19, 2004
Season Number: Three
Season 3 Contestants
There were ten contestants competing in Cowboy U Season 3.[2] The ten contestants were composed of five couples teams.
Status | Names | Hometown | Day Job | Week Eliminated |
Winner | Eric Rojas and Yancy Mendia | Eric (Fireman), Yancy (Secretary) | ||
Rodeo | Eric Dunn and Tiffany DeClark | |||
Rodeo | Lance and Vicky | |||
' | Bill and Annette | |||
' | Tom and Sandra |
Cowboy U: Texas (2005)
Cowboy U: Texas
Premiered: July 1, 2005
Season Number: Four
Season 4 Contestants
Status | Name | Sex | Hometown | Day Job | Week Eliminated |
Winner | Sal Williams | M | Los Angeles, California | Music Director | N/A |
Eliminated | Candice Fields | F | Sacramento, California | Lawyer | |
Eliminated | Brian Simpson | M | Lakeland, Florida | Artist | |
Rodeo | Corey | M | Westwood, California | Personal Trainer | |
Eliminated | Fawn | F | Los Angeles, California | Fashion Merchandiser | |
Eliminated | George | M | Oviedo, Florida | Salesman | |
Rodeo | Rachel | F | New York, New York | Ballet Teacher | |
Rodeo | Tera | F | Santa Monica, California | Graphic Designer |
Cowboy U: Oklahoma (2006)
Cowboy U: Oklahoma
Premiered: January 6, 2006
Season Number: Five
Season 5 Contestants
Status | Name | Sex | Hometown | Day Job | Placing in competition |
Winner | Joe McEachern | M | Dorchester, Massachusetts | Technical Director | 1st |
Rodeo | Dan | M | Promotions Director | 2nd | |
Rodeo | Gina DeFreitas | F | Office manager | 3rd | |
Rodeo | Trish | F | Fashion Sales Rep | 4th | |
Eliminated | Anthony Siniscalco | M | Hair Stylist | 5th | |
Eliminated | Kalia | M | Bartender | 6th | |
Eliminated | Kimberlie | F | Life Coach | 7th | |
Eliminated | Ryan | M | 8th |
Cowboy U: Colorado (2007)
Cowboy U: Colorado
Premiered: January 12, 2007
Season Number: Six
Season 6 contestants
Status | Name | Sex | Hometown | Day Job | Placing in competition |
Winner | Malcolm Williams | M | Park Forest, Illinois | Freelance graphic artist | 1st |
Rodeo | Bobby Chesney | M | Baltimore, Maryland | Assistant College football Coach at Johns Hopkins University | 2nd |
Rodeo | Rich Kreps | M | Hanford, California | Restaurateur | 3rd |
Rodeo | Candace | F | Lansdale, Pennsylvania | Stay at home mom | 4th |
Eliminated | Katie | F | Los Angeles, California | Fifth grade teacher | 5th |
Eliminated | Cosmo Fattizzo | M | South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Unemployed | 6th |
Eliminated | Sarah | F | Sugerical Coordinator | 7th | |
Eliminated | Farrah | F | Dallas, Texas | Sells residential Real estate | Last (Voluntarily quit competition) |
Criticism
Cowboy U has received some criticism, mainly for being, to some, sexist. Critics said that the women are portrayed as "materialistic and prissy". The critics also said that the women are depicted differently in the competition than the men are, along with focusing on animal rights issues, and the fact that there aren't many female ranch hands on the show.[3]
References
- Cowboy U website (August 2003 archive)
- M.B. Roberts (2004-11-14). "Cowboy U Isn't Horse Play". AmericanProfile.com. Archived from the original on 2006-10-18. Retrieved 2007-02-19.
- Pam Gelman (2007). "Common Sense Note". commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved 2007-02-20.
External links
- Outlaw Annie
- David Wechter
- ESPN.com Side Project
- PRCA *Indian Cowboys
- A Range of Life Lessons
- Cowboy U - Television Review
- Cowboy U Films Oklahoma
- Cowboy University
- Mustang Sully
- Adams Corner homeboy goes cowboy on reality TV
- Cowboy Up
- Cowboy U Isn't Horse Play
- Pair of Alums Competing in Cowboy U on CMT
- "Cowboy U" Goes to Hawaii
- Who's Ready for a Rodeo?
- Former Redbird to appear on CMT
- Deep in the Heart of Texas Eight City Slickers Trade in Their Briefcases for Boots on COWBOY U: TEXAS
- Los Angeles City Slicker Wins CMT's COWBOY U: TEXAS
- Three alumnae find fun and fame, but no fortune, on reality TV shows
- Cowboy U at IMDb
- Cowboy U at TV.com