Outriding the Devil to Debut First-Ever MVP Buckle at World Championship Indian Relay Races During Sheridan WYO Rodeo
Native American Culture
Culturally Significant and Historic Event Receives New Recognition
SHERIDAN, Wyo. — In collaboration with the Sheridan WYO Rodeo, the production team behind Outriding the Devil will launch a new tradition at this year’s World Championship Indian Relay Races by presenting the event’s first MVP buckle to the standout rider.
The honor recognizes the athleticism, courage and cultural significance of Indian Relay, a high-speed, team-based horse racing tradition rooted in American Indian communities and celebrated as one of the most electrifying events in Western sports.
Handcrafted by Montana Silversmiths, at the heart of the buckle is a rider outriding life’s challenges.
American Indian participation has been central to the Sheridan WYO Rodeo since its inception, beginning with neighboring Northern Cheyenne and Crow communities and later expanding to include tribal nations from across the region. That legacy continues today as Sheridan is the home of the World Championship Indian Relay Races.
“Indian Relay is America’s original extreme sport,” said Zane Garstad, executive director of the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and World Championship Indian Relay.
The World Championship Indian Relay Races is one of the most anticipated events for many Western and American Indian communities. It draws riders, teams, and fans to a competition that represents endurance, horsemanship, heritage, and cultural pride.
Erin E. Mitchell, senior producer of Outriding the Devil, designed the inaugural MVP buckle and will present it during the event on Saturday, July 11.
“It is a profound honor to partner with the WYO Rodeo for this historic event,” said Mitchell. “The Outriding the Devil buckle symbolizes the Western spirit, grit, and resilience that lives in all of us. Every American Indian alive today has outridden the devil and continues to outride the devil every single day. They, alongside their horse relatives, are the heart and soul of the West. American Indians embody that ‘grit to rise’ and ‘never give up’ spirit that defines the Western way of life. We hope this film inspires these qualities in all of us that together we can outride any devil. To present this buckle to the winner of the Indian Relay at the WYO Rodeo is one of the greatest honors of my life.”
Mitchell has a long history of advocacy in Indian Country and contributed to efforts that helped secure federal and state legislation addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis.
The WYO Rodeo’s history reflects deep Native ties. One of the rodeo’s early names, the “Bots Sots Stampede,” was derived from the Crow language, and in 1952, Lucy Yellow Mule, a Crow woman, became one of the first American Indian rodeo queens.
“I believe that rodeo is a part of our traditional culture,” said Mo Brings Plenty, a Lakota actor and cultural leader known for his roles in Yellowstone and Marshals. “Rodeo has played a vital role.” Brings Plenty is one of the principal contributors seen in Outriding the Devil.
“If you look back at the history of Indian Country’s involvement in the rodeo world, there wasn’t just Jackson Sundown, there were others as well,” said Brings Plenty. Outriding the Devil spotlights some of those historic influential figures, including legendary Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, Cherokee roper and later Hollywood icon Will Rogers, and eight-time PRCA world champion bull rider Don Gay of the Choctaw Nation.
Outriding the Devil has been described by the PRCA as “one of the great rodeo movies” and has held the No. 1 ranking among Western documentary films on IMDb for nearly a year. The film features the superstars of rodeo, led by ten-time world champion Stetson Wright, stars of Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone universe,” and the likes of Ned LeDoux from country music. The film is presently on a North American “Premiere Tour.”
About Outriding the Devil
Outriding the Devil is a docudrama produced by TOP production and premiered during the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 2025. Sports Illustrated described it as “an unbelievable true story” and rodeo’s governing body, the PRCA, said it’s “one of the great rodeo movies.” Outriding the Devil tells the most inspirational comeback story in rodeo history. How world champion barrel racer and Texas Rodeo Hall of Famer, Angela Ganter, overcame stage 4 breast cancer in a decade-long fight for her life. The film includes notable names from rodeo, country music, and the Yellowstone universe.
2026 Winner
We’re excited to share that Darren Charges Strong Jr. from the Crow Tribe was named this year’s MVP at the World Champion Indian Relay Races. Darren was honored on Saturday, July 11th, with a new MVP buckle.
Last Updated on 07/20/2026 by Jodi Erpelding
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