How It All Began: A Cowboy Spirit and a Pink Dream

In 2004, Terry Wheatley, founder of Purple Cowboy wines, was no stranger to the rodeo arena. With a family deeply rooted in the rodeo world—her son Wade was a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) finalist, and her husband Jim was a six-time WNFR team roping qualifier—Terry had spent countless hours immersed in the western lifestyle.

That year, however, Terry's life took a different turn. Recovering from breast cancer surgery, she felt an undeniable calling to act. Her vision was simple yet bold: what if, during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the toughest cowboys and cowgirls in the world wore pink shirts to show support for breast cancer awareness?

It was a daring proposition for a sport synonymous with grit and ruggedness. But Terry knew that pink, the color of breast cancer awareness, would make an unforgettable statement.