There are places in the West that hold more than scenery.
They hold history. Legacy. Memory.
Places where generations have poured their lives into the land, shaping not only ranches, but the people fortunate enough to call them home. Places where horses, hard work, family, and tradition become inseparable from the landscape itself.
For Paula Cooper, Three Crown Ranch is one of those places.
Nestled beneath Colorado’s Flat Tops Wilderness near Meeker, the ranch has been woven into the fabric of her life since childhood. Summers spent horseback beneath mountain skies. Long days outside learning responsibility and grit. The kind of upbringing that teaches a deep appreciation for the Western way of life long before you realize how rare it truly is.
“My family’s ranch holds some of my most cherished memories,” Cooper said. “I’ve spent every summer there my whole life, and it still never ceases to take my breath away. There’s something almost magical about it. Even the drive-in feels like something out of a fairy tale to me.”
Every corner of the ranch carries a story for her. Horses tied to memories. The family gathered after long days. Lessons learned quietly through work, responsibility, and life lived close to the land.
Yet for much of her early life, horses were not her primary focus.
Growing up in Colorado, Cooper dedicated herself to competitive snow skiing, a sport that consumed much of her time and energy through high school. But even while pursuing skiing at a high level, she always knew the ranch and horses were where her heart truly belonged.
Over time, that pull toward the Western way of life only grew stronger.
Through Art of the Cowgirl, Cooper found not only inspiration but mentorship, fellowship, and connections that would profoundly shape the woman she would become. The relationships built through the organization and the opportunities it created deepened her appreciation for Western traditions and strengthened her desire to preserve and share them with others.
Today, that journey is part of what makes hosting the Colorado Gathering feel so meaningful.
Now, for the first time, that deeply personal place will welcome women from across the country as Art of the Cowgirl brings its Colorado Gathering to Three Crown Ranch August 3 through 9, 2026.
And while the setting itself is extraordinary, the gathering represents something much larger than a retreat in the mountains.
It represents the continuation of a vision.
Long before Art of the Cowgirl became the nationally recognized event it is today, founder Tammy Pate dreamed of creating spaces where women could gather to learn, connect, and preserve the traditions of the West through horses, craftsmanship, mentorship, and community.
That spirit remains deeply rooted in the Colorado Gathering.
“It’s really special to bring Art of the Cowgirl to this part of Colorado because retreats like this were part of Tammy Pate’s vision long before the event became what it is today in Arizona,” Cooper said. “I think her legacy shows up most in the way this community brings women together to learn, grow, and create opportunities for each other.”
For Cooper, hosting the inaugural gathering feels profoundly personal. Tammy Pate was the reason she first became involved with Art of the Cowgirl years ago, and now she finds herself helping carry forward something that shaped her own life in meaningful ways.
“There’s such a genuine spirit of encouragement behind it,” she said. “I feel a real responsibility to help carry that forward by creating an experience where people feel welcomed, inspired, and connected long after the gathering is over.”
Throughout the week, guests will experience life on a working Colorado ranch surrounded by horses, mountains, and women brought together by a shared appreciation for western traditions and authentic connection.
The gathering will feature horseback riding, fly fishing, workshops, ranch experiences, paddleboard yoga, chef-crafted meals, music, conversation, and opportunities to slow down and fully experience the place itself.
For Cooper, those quieter moments may ultimately matter most.
“I try to be really intentional about being present,” she said. “The moments that will stop me in my tracks are the ones where people are fully in the moment, connecting, learning, laughing, and experiencing everything this gathering has to offer together.”
That sense of connection sits at the very heart of Art of the Cowgirl.
In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, gatherings like this offer something increasingly rare. A chance to reconnect not only with Western traditions, but with horses, creativity, community, and self.
Not through performance.
Not through perfection.
But through shared experience.
It is found in conversations after long days. In new friendships formed beside arena fences and dinner tables. In women learning new skills together beneath the Colorado mountains that seem to hold stories of their own.
Years from now, Cooper hopes those are the moments people remember most.
“I hope people remember this gathering as something truly unique, not just because of the place itself, but because of the people and the connections made here,” she said. “More than anything, I hope it’s remembered as a place where lasting friendships, opportunities, and memories were created.”
This August, the gates open.
And beneath the mountains of western Colorado, another chapter of the West begins to unfold.
