Since its inception, Art of the Cowgirl has drawn hundreds of cowgirls and their horses across the country to compete for the title of World’s Greatest Cowgirl (formerly World’s Greatest Horsewoman), but few of these duos are as recognizable as Morgan Holmes and Monster Truk. The striking pair draws attention not only for their beauty in the arena, but for their unmistakable partnership in competition. For the past three years they have placed in the Top 3, displaying a level of skill, athleticism, and heart that captivates the crowd.
Always impeccably groomed and fashionably coordinated, Morgan and Monster Truk turn heads and never wear yellow. The unflinchingly rigid rules of Morgan’s grandmother, the late Charlene Morgan, have been ingrained since childhood and continue to guide Morgan in her career. In competition, you’ll never catch Morgan’s shirt untucked or Monster’s tail in a braid. No matter the scene, “you always groom and brush your horse like you are about to win a world title,” she says. Whether you’re an Art of the Cowgirl enthusiast or visiting for the first time, you won’t be able to miss this pair.
Morgan, 29, grew up in Sarasota, Florida on the Triple J Ranch, a performance horse ranch that her parents managed and then later purchased. She grew up fully immersed in the horse world and never had interest in a life outside of it. Performance horses are simply a way of life for Morgan and her family.
In 2019, while studying Agricultural Communications at Texas Tech University, Morgan got a call from her mom about the new colt that had just plowed over three adults, herself included. After only a few hours on his feet, Monster Truk had earned his name.
He was a huge colt with an impressive pedigree, sired by A Downtown Cat out of a mare named This Cowgirls Gettin It Dun, and assumed to be a roping horse due to his size. At 4 years old, Monster was sent to Morgan in Texas to be her prospect after retiring her head horse. He had big shoes to fill but Monster Truk “has exceeded a lot of hopes and dreams,” Morgan says. Turning 9 this year, the well-built gelding stands around 15’2. His grulla coloring and handsomely dished face have made him one of the most recognizable horses at Art of the Cowgirl, amassing a fan base of his own. People frequently approach Morgan just to tell her, “I love your horse!”. She says that kind of appreciation makes it hard to dwell on mistakes in the arena.
Having competed at Art of the Cowgirl every year since it originated, the event has become more than a horse show for Morgan and, more recently, Monster Truk; it’s an annual tradition. While the title of World’s Greatest Cowgirl remains to be theirs, winning is not the true objective. “In 2026 I want to leave it all out there. My goal is to compete to the best of my ability in all four events and to stay out of the penalty boxes,” Morgan says. We can’t wait to see this duo back in Wickenburg come February and wish them, and all of our competitors, the best of luck.
Q&A
1. What is your favorite quality of Monster Truk’s and what sets him apart from other horses?
Easily his heart and his joy. He has never had the best of luck in his life. He had injuries when he was a two-year-old. He had sarcoid tumors on his body. He’s always had hard luck, but you would never know. He’s always on your team. If you ask him for a step, he’ll give you three. He can be exhausted, but he’ll still do it.
2. What’s your favorite thing to do together when you’re not competing?
He’s very spoiled, but I do try to keep him in very good shape and I mainly lope him around in a halter every day. And that’s about the extent of his training program.
But he wants to be busy. He gets very bored and, honestly, lazy if you just exercise him every day and go work cows or do whatever.
3. What is your biggest accomplishment as a pair?
When we won the nonpro Hackamore world title for the NRCHA.
Monster Truk actually got injured the year before and needed surgery. It was really a strenuous year. He didn’t have much of a chance to come back as a performance horse but he did and he’s been great ever since. I didn’t know what we were going to be doing a year before and then here we are and they’re putting a neck ribbon around him.
4. What are some of Monster Truk’s quirks?
He is a true show horse and I know when I go in there to show he is pretty much dialed in, but heaven forbid, if you see him 20 minutes before he will not walk past a banner. He is scared of his shadow and he humps up and wants to buck every single day that you saddle him. It’s more uncommon for him to stand while I saddle him than him getting away from me when I saddle him. So he has a ton of quirks but I think that’s what makes him so good – he is so full of life and feel.
5. Do you have a nickname for Monster Truk?
I always just call him Monster, but my younger cousin Cooper who is 8 calls him MonsterBuddy and we like that too!
6. What is your favorite event/pattern to perform?
It’s honestly fun to do anything on him, I can get him out to just walk around and enjoy it. I love to show him in the reining, he proves time and time again that he is simply incredible. I hope one day to do him justice in all 4 events at Art Of The Cowgirl!
7. What is his greatest strength and weakness (if he has one)?
By far his heart, I have never ridden a horse who loved their job more than him. I like to think that he loves me as well. Honestly I do not know if he has a technical weakness, if he did it would most of the time be his rider!
8. What is your favorite feature of his?
His ears for sure! Those are the money makers.
9. Can you tell me about Monster’s brand?
It is an M & J in the shape of a cursive heart. It’s for my first name Morgan and middle name Jolene (Jolene for my grandmas Charlene & Joyce).
10. Do you have any advice for young cowgirls hoping to compete at this level someday?
I would say just do it and do it because you love it. Don’t do it because you think it’s cool or you think, “Oh man, running and stopping really fast looks awesome. I want to chase a cow down the fence.” When you start showing and competing, do it because you love it. Because there will be days that, quite honestly, you don’t win anything, and it sucks, but the passion and the love for it and the love for your horse – that will keep you going. Throughout my career, every time I go show – and this is going back to my mom again – she’ll only tell me one piece of advice, and that is, “love your horse.” And that’s all you have to – love your horse. Go try to do your job. And you know what? Most of the time good things will happen, but there are so many hard times and so many bad cows and so many bad draws and there’s so much bad luck that can go into it. Especially four events, you have to do four events very well. Do it because you love it and do it because it makes you excited and happy. Do it for the right reasons.
