The Native Cowgirl

12/12/2025

Tenacity.

It’s not loud.
It doesn’t need to explain itself.
It just keeps showing up…even when it’s tired, tested, or unsure.

I see it in mares.
Quiet strength. Steady resolve. An unshakable will to protect, to endure, to carry on.

Tenacity is choosing to stand your ground when the wind is against you.
It’s staying soft without becoming weak.
It’s learning, healing, and moving forward anyway.

If you’re in a season that’s asking more of you than you feel you have…remember this:
You come from strong lines.
You were built to last.
And there is power in your persistence.
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

10/12/2025

In five days, we will be gathering to celebrate Dad’s life in Rapid City, and we would love for you to be there with us.

Many have asked about bringing desserts. If you wish to contribute…pies, cookies, bars, cakes, and other treats are welcome. Your generosity and kindness means more than you know!

January 12, 1950 – November 21, 2025 Cliff Glade, beloved father, husband, cowboy, and friend, passed away on November 21, 2025, after a courageous battle with prostate cancer. He was 75 years old. Born on...

04/12/2025

Tonight, the bright lights come on and the dirt tells more stories as the National Finals Rodeo kicks off…and my heart drifts back to 1976, Oklahoma City.

That’s where my mom, Lila Glade, stood on that same legendary stage, competing at the NFR. I can only imagine the grit, the nerves, the pride, and the fire she carried into that arena. That legacy still runs through my veins today…and through our family.

As I cheer on my favorites this year, I’m also cheering on every contestant, every horse, and every piece of stock that makes this show what it is. The heart, the bravery, the partnership between horse and human…there is nothing else like it.

Here’s to the dreamers who dare to nod their head, open the gate, and chase it anyway. The arena still remembers. And so do we.
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

03/12/2025

Grief has a quiet way of riding alongside us. Some days it shows up like a soft ache. Other days it’s just a memory that walks beside you while you do the everyday things…feed the cows, pour the coffee, watch the sun rise.

I’m learning that grief doesn’t always mean tears. Sometimes it means deeper gratitude. Sometimes it means pausing a little longer. Sometimes it means loving harder, living more intentionally, and holding the people you still have just a bit closer.

Out here on the ranch, life keeps moving. The seasons don’t stop. The cows still need fed. The daylight still finds its way in. And somehow, in the middle of all that motion, you learn that it’s okay to carry both the ache and the beauty at the same time.

If you’re walking through grief today, you’re not alone. And if today feels lighter, that’s okay too. Both can exist in the same heart.
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

02/12/2025

Clifford Lee Glade
January 12, 1950 – November 21, 2025

Cliff Glade, beloved father, husband, cowboy, and friend, passed away on November 21, 2025, after a courageous battle with prostate cancer. He was 75 years old.

Born on January 12th, 1950, to Arthur Glade and Alvina (Means) Glade, Cliff lived a life defined by strength, grit, and heart. An exceptional athlete and true cowboy, he earned the respect of everyone who knew him - not only for his talent and work ethic, but for his integrity, humor, and unwavering kindness.

Cliff grew up near Elm Springs, South Dakota. He went to high school in New Underwood and excelled in every sport he signed up for. He was proud of the many high school rodeo championships he won:

1967 – SD State H.S. Saddle Bronc Champion, Ba****ck Champion, All Around Champion
1968 – SD State H.S. Saddle Bronc Champion, All Around Champion
1968 – SD State H.S. All Around Champion
1968 – National H.S. Rodeo Runner Up All-Around Champion, 2nd in Ba****ck
In addition, he was a valued teammate for the High School Rodeo Team in 1968 when they won the National Championship, a feat that has never been repeated.

Cliff was a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribe. He was very proud of his heritage. He also competed in Indian rodeos, winning the bull riding title in the Great Plains Indian Rodeo Association in 1974.

While in college at Black Hills State University, he met the love of his life, Lila Reukauf. They were married on February 26, 1972. In very short order, Lila’s father, Art Reukauf, had Cliff and Lila set up with a ranch. It was the start of a lifetime together raising cattle and horses. They lived and ranched in Ekalaka, Glendive, and Terry, Montana, and in Elm Springs and Oglala, South Dakota. Along the way, they made many friends and raised their two children.

While ranching cut in to their competition time, the two of them still found time to rodeo together when they could, each of the going on to win Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit titles. One of his favorite memories was that if they both won an event, they would eat lobster for dinner. One summer they ate so many lobsters they didn’t want to order it anymore.

One of Cliff’s most noteworthy accomplishments was being crowned the 1978 Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit All Around Champion. He was a true cowboy in every sense of the word. He won money at the PRCA level in every men’s rodeo event.

Cliff was fortunate to have a lot of friends. He never knew a stranger and if he met one, they would be more than just acquaintances after a short conversation. He enjoyed visiting wherever he went. He also never met a pie he didn’t like. He knew where the best ones were…and most of them were at a local sale barn, a bull sale, made by Lila or his Mother-in-Law June.

Cliff’s passion for the western way of life was evident in everything he did. Whether he was in the saddle, at a rodeo, working cattle, or offering guidance to the next generation, he inspired those around him through his second to none example and an unshakable spirit.

Above all, Cliff was a devoted family man. He was a proud father, always ready with a story, a lesson, or a helping hand. His legacy lives on through his children and grandchildren, who will carry forward his love for ranching, rodeo, the land, and the simple beauty of a life well lived.

Cliff will be deeply missed by his wife Lila, daughter Cheyenne (Shane) Wilson, son Wyatt (Darcy) Glade, and his grandchildren: Quanah Glade, Ira Glade, Stone Wilson, and Odessa Glade.

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of Cliff’s life will be held on Monday, December 15th at 11am at the Expo Hall - Central States Fairgrounds in Rapid City, SD. Lunch will be served after the service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund in his honor.

29/11/2025

Small Business Saturday love from the ranch!🤍

My 2026 Native Cowgirl calendar is almost SOLD OUT and today is the perfect day to support small, shop local, and snag one for yourself or as a gift.

✨ $35
✨ FREE shipping in the USA
✨ Photos feature our very own horses right here on our ranch
✨ A full year of cowgirl life, grit, beauty, and wide open spaces

Once these are gone, they are gone…no restocks!

Message me to purchase or text: 406-960-4145

Thank you for supporting my small business, my family, and this ranch life dream. It means more than you know.🫶🏼
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

27/11/2025

Thanksgiving on the ranch looks a little different. It looks like wide open skies, quiet moments with the horses, chilly mornings, warm kitchens, and deep gratitude for a life built with purpose. Today I am thankful for this land that grounds me, the animals that teach me, the family that stands beside me, and this community that continues to inspire me daily. I am thankful for the strength passed down through generations, the lessons learned through hard seasons, and the blessings that come from staying rooted in who you are. Wherever you are today, I hope you feel peace, love, and gratitude surround you.🧡

Happy Thanksgiving, from my heart to yours!
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

25/11/2025

Thank you all for the many condolences, kind words, and prayers after my dad’s passing. Our family has felt every bit of your love and support.

We are putting together a heartfelt celebration of his life, and we would be honored to have you join us as we remember and pay tribute to him. If you would like to attend, the service will be held on Monday, December 15th at 11 a.m. in the Expo Hall at the Central States Fairgrounds in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Your presence would mean so much to our family as we gather to share stories, honor his legacy, and celebrate a life well lived.
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

22/11/2025

My hero.
My dad.
Is gone.

There aren’t enough words for the ache in my chest or the silence that has settled over everything since yesterday. Losing a father is losing a piece of who you are…the part that taught you strength, grit, kindness, and how to stand firm when the world shakes.

He fought so hard. He loved so deeply. And he shaped every part of the woman I am.

It won’t be easy moving forward without him yet…but I know he’d tell me to keep going, keep believing, and keep living with the same fire he carried his whole life.

If you’re reading this…hug your people. Say the things. Hold tight to the moments.

Dad, you will forever be my hero.
I’ll carry your spirit with me in everything I do.
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

21/11/2025

When someone you love is dying…

You start to see life differently.

The little things become the big things.
A shared smile. A held hand. A story you’ve heard a thousand times but suddenly cling to like a lifeline.
You notice the sparkle in their eyes even when their body is tired.
You hear the strength in their voice even when it shakes.

And somehow, in the middle of the heartbreak, there’s beauty.

There’s gratitude for every sunrise you’ve shared.
There’s peace in knowing love never leaves…it just shifts.
There’s honor in walking someone home with grace, comfort, and presence.

If you’re walking this path right now, I want you to know something…
You’re doing better than you think.
Love makes you brave in ways you don’t even realize.
And the person you’re caring for feels that love…even in the quiet moments…even when no words are spoken.

Hold on to the memories.
Let the tears come.
Let the laughter come too.
And trust that the spirit knows its way…just like a good horse who finds the trail even in the dark.

One day, the ache will soften, and all that will remain is the love.
A love so strong it outlives the body and rides on in the stories, the lessons, and the pieces of your heart that will never be the same.

You’re not alone.
And love never ends.
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

19/11/2025

EHV-1 is weighing heavy on my heart today. When I hear that some horses have already lost their battle, it hits hard. These animals aren’t “just horses”…they’re family, partners, and a piece of our every day.

Even from miles away, you can feel the worry in our horse community. The updates, the holding-your-breath moments, the fear you try to push down but can’t quite shake. Every new post or message feels closer and closer to home.

My heart goes out to the folks living this in real time…the owners watching over their horses around the clock, doing everything they can, and the families grieving partners they loved deeply.

I’m lifting every one of you up in prayer…asking for protection, strength, and a hedge of healing around every barn affected.

I’m praying hard for the horses fighting right now…that they stay strong and make a full recovery.
And I’m praying peace over those facing the unknown, the unimaginable, and the heartbreak no horse person ever wants to feel.
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl

18/11/2025

A lot has been going on this past year for my family. Even though I created a calendar for 2025, I didn’t market it. I just didn’t have the heart because my dad got seriously ill around the time that I put my calendars together.

I decided that I’d better get to work and get 2026’s out for you all. My dad wouldn’t want me to use his current health situation as an excuse for not getting things done this year…so I’m not.

Here is my offering for the coming year. It’s 100% horse focused. That shouldn’t come as a surprise if you know me at all (and my love for 🐴). There is something magical about horses…and calming.

I know I could use more of that right now. Maybe you could too.

My shopping site is being recreated right now. I hope to have it up and running soon. In the meantime, if you’d like to support my small business by purchasing a 2026 TNC wall calendar, please message me or text me on my business line at: 406-960-4145. Calendars are $35 with FREE shipping here in the U.S.

Thank you for your support. It is more appreciated than you know!
🪶Cheyenne, The Native Cowgirl