Karli Cowie CFR 2026
Quick Info
Main mount registered name, barn name and pedigree:
Queen Flingtima “Fling” is by A Streak of Fling out of Queen Fa Tima (Dash Ta Fame)
Number of Rodeos entered: 44
Rodeo won: Leduc, Langley
Total earnings: $32,736.05
CFR qualification #: 4
Saddle, Pad, Bit: Usher brand saddle, CSI pad, either Dave Elliot spur up 03 or spur up 11 depending on the set up, both with the port.
2026 CFR Interviews Presented by Alliance Equine
Karli Cowie is an Alliance Equine sponsored athlete!
What was your most memorable run of the season, and what made it stand out?
Definitely Langley. I had no luck at Armstrong and let myself fall to 12th in the standings heading into Langley so I had to just win some kind of money there to keep my CFR dreams alive. Fling had other plans, and went and won the rodeo! It was such a fun day and a picture perfect run!
Looking back at your season as a whole, what are you most proud of?
I think I am just proud of myself for staying hooked. I had an incredible start to the season. I think I was sitting 1st in Canada for a month and a half if not longer. Things started not going very good, and it was up to me to change things around and get my horses feeling good again. I knew once I got Fling back to 100%, she would start winning again, and that’s exactly what she did. I am super proud of my horses for all their try this year!
How have you changed as a competitor since your first CFR?
I would like to think I am a lot smarter about things now that I have been going to the CPRA rodeos for 4+ years now. I know what each arena is like and what the ground is like at each place which allows me to better prepare myself for each run. My first year going to the pro rodeos, I didn’t know anything! I feel like it is a lot easier now going down the road knowing what to expect when I show up.
Fling is this year’s Horse with the Most Heart. What does that honor mean to you, and what qualities do you think she has that led your peers to vote for her? What's one quality your horse has that you wish you could bottle and put into every horse?
It means everything! I couldn’t believe it when I got that phone call, I could hardly keep it together as I instantly burst into tears. Fling is so special to me and for my competitors to see just how special she is too is just so cool. I think the reason she is so incredible is she was honestly never supposed to be here doing what she has done. I had multiple vets tell me she would never run barrels again and here she is year after year, sounder than ever and just getting better and better. I wish I could just put her heart and try into every horse I own. She wants to win even worse than I do and it is so fun knowing every time you go into the arena she is going to give you 110% and nothing less. I have never rode a horse that wanted to win so bad regardless of anything else. I think she is also so special because she can win in any kind of set up. Big pens, small pens, hard ground, deep ground, it doesn’t seem to matter. I think that it is so rare to find a horse that excels in any arena and she is that horse. I truly don’t think I will ever have another Fling in this lifetime.
What's the hardest part about chasing the CFR dream that most people don't see?
For me, I would say all the travelling and miles. Living in Saskatchewan I have to drive a long ways to all of the rodeos so the drive home seems extra long after a bad rodeo weekend. I usually only have 2 or 3 days tops at home before I have to head out again so I have learned to have a short memory when things go bad and do my homework during the week so I am confident when I head out again on the weekend.
What did you learn at your last CFR that you're bringing with you this year?
Do not ride the horses they give you for the victory lap LOL. But in all seriousness, I feel like I figured out the alleyway in Rogers Place better last year and know how to set my horse up for success better in that set up. (see sports med room interview below)
Do you have any rodeo superstitions?
I honestly don’t think so! I’m a pretty chill, go with the flow kind of person!
Do you prefer the training or competing side of the process more, and why?
It is all so rewarding! I have started raising and training my own horses more these last few years and it is so fun to watch them grow up and see all your hard work pay off once you are to the stage of competing on them. I feel like every day we ride our horses we are training on them. I really enjoy being home and training and riding my young horses, but there is nothing quite like doing well at a pro rodeo! It’s like the cherry on top of all your hard work you put in during the week!
What's one part of your horse's care program you refuse to compromise on?
There are many things, but one thing I love is my bemer. Fling gets the bemer twice a day, every day, no matter what time it is. I will be out there with the bemer on her at 2 am some days if I get home late! I also have a really great vet Ty Corbeil who is just a text or phone call away any time something doesn’t look right. I don’t think I would have half the success I have had if it weren’t for Ty and his team.
What goes through your mind in the alley before a run?
I just try to stay relaxed and keep my horse calm and think look past my turns and ride to my spot.
What are your best tips for mental toughness and handling pressure?
I think we all just need to remember we do this for fun and every time we get to ride our great horses is a blessing no matter the outcome! I try to not let the lows get too low and the highs get too high. There is always another rodeo!
When you eventually look back on your rodeo career, what do you hope you remember most?
I hope I remember all the great people I met along the way because of rodeo and all of the memories made. These last 4 years since I came out to the pro rodeos have been the best years of my life and I have met lifelong friends that I couldn’t imagine life without! I feel so lucky to have a horse of this caliber that 4 years ago I thought was good enough to give a shot and try my hand at the pro rodeos. I wouldn’t change a thing!
How is your leg doing almost one year after your go-round-win-flag-horse incident?
I definitely will never win any leg modelling contests as there is still a pretty good scar one year later! I still have a weird numbness feeling where the deep cut was and haven’t gotten feeling back in that spot yet. If I accidently hit my leg on something it is a pain like no other! Needless to say, I went on Amazon and bought some shin guards and I wore those for months after the incident because I feared if I hit a barrel with that leg it would not be good!!
Who has been in your corner the most this season, and what have they done to help you get here?
My boyfriend Tyce is definitely at the top of that list. He is a great travelling partner and he was especially helpful at the end of the year when I needed a push to finish the year off. He is very mentally tough and always says what I need to hear and won’t say no when I ask him to ride Fling and tune her up for me! My family has also been very supportive and makes sure everything is taken care of at home so I am at ease when on the road and can just focus on the task at hand. My good friend Rene and her mom Corleen Leclercq for letting me basically move in for a few weeks every summer. It’s nice to have a place to stay so if the rodeos are close together I don’t always have to drive all the way back to Saskatchewan. The Whiteside’s always let me stay at their place whenever I need as well! It is so comforting knowing I have so many great friends and places to stay if I ever need while on the road.
Thank you to my sponsors: Cor Veterinary Services, Alliance Equine, XLR8 Equine Canada, Highway 4 Land and Cattle, Wand & Plafond, Anderson & Company, EBT Chartered Professional Accountants.
Thank you to everyone who helps make this dream happen!!
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Infamous sports med room go-round win interview
