When you grab the September issue of Texas Highways magazine, you’ll enjoy Dave Shafer’s beautiful black and white cover for “The Cowboy Issue,” which also features one of Montague County’s own young cowgirls, Maddie Ferguson of Nocona.
While the new edition won’t come out for another week, the Ferguson clan saw a pre-release last week and was delighted to see the teenager on the cover.
Maddie is the 18-year-old daughter of Bob and Kristal Ferguson who own and operate the Red River Station Inn in Nocona. A graduate of Nocona High School in 2021, Maddie was active in cross country and served as the Indian mascot. She is also an avid equestrian, participating in rodeos and queen competitions during high school.
The photographer didn’t want Ferguson to be “dressed up”
Ferguson says her western photoshoot was really all about being in the right place at the right time. Photographer Dave Shafer had been at the inn earlier this spring to shoot community photos for the August issue of Texas Highways. She remembers him one evening with her parents on the hotel balcony. The next time they saw him at the Bowie rodeo, where she was going to run barrels.
“I wanted to be saggy, so I warmed up my horse. My father was standing by a slide when Dave came over to speak to him. Dad came to check on me and Dave asked if I was his daughter and if I might be interested in taking some pictures and then it went on, “explains Ferguson.
When they were planning the shoot, she was told that they were looking for a real cowgirl, he didn’t want her “dressed up”.
“That made my life a lot easier. I wore what I did at the Bowie rodeo, what I could wear while riding or working with my horses. That was the style and atmosphere that he wanted, ”said Ferguson.
She has competed in a few rodeo queen competitions and added that she was much more comfortable in this situation than being in full “queen makeup and attire” as she competed in the Clay County and Chisholm Trail rodeos.
The photo shoot took place in a hay field on the family square near the Red River and the Spanish fort. Ferguson has lived in the country since graduating, spending a lot of time working with the horses, doing chores on the ranch and giving riding lessons to children. She says it made her realize how important the preservation of the land is to her.
Ferguson: “I always wanted to be a barrel racer”
Ferguson didn’t bother with horse riding until she was a teenager who switched from her huge collection of Breyer horses to the real thing. Riding and competitions have become her passion. “I’ve always wanted to be a barrel racer.”
Along with the photos, Ferguson was interviewed by Emily Roberts Stone for an editor’s note about cowgirls.
“It was special that I was asked to represent this group of women and I am honored to be included in this group of cowgirls. In the article I told the story of a little girl who met me and she turned to her mother and said, ‘She’s a real cowgirl.’ I ride workhorses every day, but I never thought of being part of this group that I looked up to. It’s pretty cool. I was asked, as someone from the younger generation, if I think this is a dying breed? I said no, ”explains the cowgirl.
In the article, Ferguson says that this lifestyle is not going to die out because there are “a lot of girls” in North Texas doing the same thing.
“All cowgirls, we are a family and support each other,” says the article.
Ferguson hopes for horse certification
While the magazine was exciting, the Fergusons were in the process of preparing their daughter for college last weekend. She will attend Tarleton State University in Stephenville to study animal science and earn a horse certification.
“I’m so excited to be going to college,” says Ferguson. “I hope to be part of the Stock Horse team. I want to keep doing rodeo away from the college teams. Everything I learn I can use for both sides. ”
For those of you who saw the pre-cover shared by their proud mom on social media, Ferguson says the response has been positive.
“Everyone loves it and the comments have been good. My parents don’t think I’m excited, but it’s great, but there is no way I want to flaunt it, ”concludes Ferguson.
