A cowgirl can wear a crown. She can carry the Texas flag into an arena, compete on horseback, or spend her days working on a ranch.
But for Miss Rodeo Texas 2025 Reanna Santos, being a cowgirl is defined less by what she wears or where she rides and more by the values she carries with her.
Hard work. Horsemanship. Service. Community. A responsibility to help preserve Western heritage for the next generation.
In recognition of National Day of the Cowgirl, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ celebrates the women who embody those values and continue shaping what it means to be a cowgirl today.
Raised in the Western Way of Life
For Santos, Western lifestyle began at home.
Santos grew up on her family’s ranch in Angleton, Texas, where horses were part of everyday life. Her parents competed in carriage driving, her older sister became an early role model in the arena and family trips often revolved around horse shows and rodeos.
Through caring for horses, Santos learned early the value of responsibility, discipline and hard work.
“Being around horses, there’s never a day off. They eat before we eat,” Santos said. “Without hard work, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish any of this.”
It is a work ethic that has followed Santos from the ranch to the classroom and into the arena.
In May 2025, she earned a Master of Science in Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management from Texas A&M University, with an emphasis in rangeland ecology. Weeks later, she competed for and earned the title of Miss Rodeo Texas 2025 on her first attempt.
The title may come with a crown, but Santos’ role requires much more. Horsemanship, adaptability and the ability to connect with others are all part of representing the Western way of life.
“Our special talent is horsemanship,” Santos said. “At Miss Rodeo Texas and Miss Rodeo America, we compete on horses we’ve never been on before.”
She compares the challenge to driving an unfamiliar car: The controls are there, but they may not always be in the same place.
A Family Tradition of Service
Santos’ connection to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo also spans generations.
She first participated in the Rodeo’s Youth Horse Show as a teenager before joining the Junior Rodeo Committee at 17. She eventually served as junior chairman, leading more than 300 junior members while attending college. Her involvement also included the Rodeo’s FFA wildlife competitions and science fair programs.
But volunteering at the Rodeo is a family affair.
Her parents have each dedicated more than a decade to volunteering with the organization, and Santos has continued that tradition through her own years of service. After aging out of the Junior Rodeo Committee, she joined her parents and sister on the Judging Contest Committee. She later served on the Speakers Committee, visiting Houston-area schools to share her knowledge of rodeo and agriculture and worked behind the scenes on the RODEOHOUSTON® pivot team.
“I 100 percent believe the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is rooted in community,” Santos said. “That’s why my family is so involved and why I see so many other rodeo families doing the same.”
That commitment to service is also part of what being a cowgirl means to Santos.
“Being brought up in this industry, you see how selfless people are,” she said. “Now that I’m in a position where I can give back, I’m all about passing the knowledge I gained on to the next generation.”
Carrying the Cowgirl Tradition Forward
Today’s cowgirl can take many forms, but the qualities at the heart of the Western way of life remain familiar: resilience, responsibility, adaptability and a willingness to serve others.
Santos brings those qualities together as a horsewoman, agricultural advocate, Rodeo volunteer and Miss Rodeo Texas.
Her story also reflects how Western heritage is carried forward, not simply by preserving traditions, but by sharing them.
As Miss Rodeo Texas 2025, Santos returned to the 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in a new role, carrying the Texas flag during the grand entry. Santos said it was a full-circle moment for someone who grew up watching those same performances and later volunteered behind the scenes.
As her reign comes to a close, Santos said continuing to create a legacy for herself and others is what she’ll focus on next.
“My hope is that I plant even one seed in someone, the way RODEOHOUSTON planted a seed in me.”
And on National Day of the Cowgirl, her story is a reminder that being a cowgirl is about more than a hat, a horse or a title. It is a way of carrying forward the values, traditions and sense of community that have defined the Western way of life for generations.