Kansas cowgirls Dayna and Mady Eilert conquer formidable bulls, showcasing courage and skill, as they get ready for their biggest challenge yet in OKC this week.
At this week’s Pro Rodeo in Oklahoma City, two special young ladies will be climbing over the bull riding chutes and making their debut on a bigger stage. Dayna and Madison “Mady” Eilert are 21-year-old Kansas cowgirls who are on the rise in the bull riding world, gaining recognition for their talent in covering bulls with form and courage.
The girls live and work on the Berry Ranch, run by David Berry, founder of Monster Bull, and a former Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) bull rider. Their time with David has given them lots of practice on bulls and insight into the process, as well as chances to train horses and do general ranch chores.
Both girls love climbing on a bull and are always up for tackling a tough one. They’ve taken on their fair share of challenges, too. The twins have been able to cover incredible bulls like #21 “Bubby” who Dayna rode several times before his recent departure to join the PRCA circuit via the Salt River Rodeo Company.
Bull #231, known as “Rawhide” remained unridden after bucking off his riders at the 2026 International Finals Rodeo in Guthrie, Oklahoma this year. But during the 2025 year, he was ridden successfully four times–-all by an Eilert twin. And at the Winter Storm Bull Riding Series in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Mady had an 86-point ride on bull #813 “Blade.”
These are just brief examples of the numerous “unrideable” bulls these girls have covered. The list goes on and is growing as the girls continue to develop and enter new venues. In fact, the twins no longer enter all-female or novice events but instead focus on going where the competition is toughest, even when that often means being the only females there. Dayna and Mady were the first ever cowgirls to qualify in the bull riding for the American Cowboys Rodeo Association (ACRA) Finals in Tulsa, OK this past year and will undoubtedly keep on breaking down barriers and setting records.
Their success traces back to their natural talent, attitude, and form, all of which has been brought out by good coaching. Not only are they solid on a bull, but they sit a horse well and can put a good training foundation on one. Their form in bull riding translates to their general stockmanship and talent on a horse as well. Under David Berry's instruction, the girls have made comparisons to jumping horses and the body position that is similar to their body position when on a bull.
When you're the only women in an all-male event, you have to demonstrate a special kind of confidence and the twins exude it. On their Facebook fan page, the twins describe themselves with two mottos. One is a Bible verse, 2 Corinthians 10:13, about giving glory to God, and the other is their own saying, “No nuts, just guts!” They’re ready to laugh and have fun but also stick to their values and their belief in their own abilities. And their abilities are born out of the kind of passion for the sport that fuels lasting champions. Mady and Dayna will tell you that they love the smell of rosin on their rope and the sound of breathing bulls in the back pens, and most of all, love climbing on their backs!
Be on the lookout for their rides at the Pro Rodeo in Oklahoma City, produced by McCoy Rodeo, and watch these girls take on their biggest challenge yet. The twins are in it to win it!