When Katy Lucas steps into the arena as the 2026 Art of the Cowgirl emcee, she will not just be holding a microphone. She will be carrying stories.
Raised in Alberta, Canada, Katy grew up immersed in rodeo life. Her father, Joe Lucas, was a multi-time Canadian champion tie-down roper and six-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier. Rodeo was not something she admired from a distance. It was her childhood. Winters spent roping in Arizona. Long drives to rodeos. Midway food and go-karts in British Columbia. The rhythm of competition is woven into family life.
“We never had to be pushed into it,” she says. “All of our friends were in the rodeo. All of our favorite people were in the rodeo. It was just natural.”
Katy competed through junior rodeo, high school, college, and amateur circuits. But somewhere along the way, she realized her calling was not inside the arena. It was beside it.
“I watched my brother rope from sunup to sundown, and I knew my heart was not in it like that,” she explains. “But what I did have passion for was telling the stories of our rodeo athletes.”
Even in high school, she began writing for the Canadian Pro Rodeo News, pursuing every opportunity to share the lives behind the numbers. That passion led her to earn a communications diploma in broadcasting at Lethbridge College. From early interviews on the Road to the Canadian Finals Rodeo to national platforms, Katy steadily built a career grounded in authenticity.
“I take a lot of pride in trying to tell your story in the best way possible,” she says. “Because I truly care. Western athletes are some of the coolest people. They are humble. They have the greatest comeback stories. They are my favorite kind of people.”
That sincerity is exactly what makes her a natural fit for Art of the Cowgirl. For Katy, the event has long been on her radar. It has been a bucket list gathering of horsemanship, craftsmanship, music, and mentorship all under one Arizona sky.
“I do not know why I waited so long,” she says with a laugh. “But this has always been an event I wanted to experience.”
As someone stepping into the emcee role for the first time, Katy brings a refreshing perspective. She is not pretending to know everything about every discipline. Instead, she is coming as both host and student.
“You do not need to know everything about a subject to conduct a good interview,” she says. “You just need a sincere desire to learn.”
That desire is what she hopes attendees will feel throughout the week.
“I hope people walk away more informed. More educated. Inspired,” she explains. “I am excited to sit back and learn myself. I hope that spark shows and maybe inspires someone else too.”
From the Colt Starting competition to keynote speakers and artisan demonstrations, Katy sees Art of the Cowgirl as a rare access point. It is a place where you do not have to live this life every day to experience it fully.
“It unites a community,” she says. “Maybe you cannot go work for a trainer full time. But you can come here and learn from multiple mentors and artists. It gives people access.”
That word, access, sits at the heart of why Art of the Cowgirl matters. It is access to knowledge. Access to mentorship. Access to fellowship. Access to women who are shaping the future of the Western industry. For Katy, it is also access to connection. Growing up between Canada, Arizona, and now Texas, she understands the rhythm of this lifestyle. Families gather. Stories are passed down. Community holds everything together. She has seen the grit behind the glamour and the humility behind the headlines. As emcee, her role will be more than announcing names or reading biographies. It will be creating space for those stories to be heard clearly and truthfully. If someone is unsure about attending, she offers this perspective.
“It is going to be a first-class event,” she says. “You are going to learn something. You are going to experience beautiful fellowship and mentorship. It is a bucket list event.”
Perhaps the most powerful part of her presence this year is that she is coming with the same excitement as any first-time attendee.
“I am sincerely excited to find out more and learn more,” she says. “We will learn together.”
With lifelong roots in rodeo, professional dedication to storytelling, and genuine curiosity, Katy Lucas brings something invaluable to the 2026 Art of the Cowgirl stage. Not just a voice, but a heart. And at an event built on legacy, mentorship, and community, that may be the most important role of all.
