Dreams of Natchez rodeo star featured as part of PBS Online Film Festival
Published 12:29 pm Monday, July 23, 2018
NATCHEZ — A short video featuring a Natchez woman and her dreams to become the first African American female to compete in the National Finals Rodeo is one of 25 documentaries competing in this years PBS Online Film Festival.
The video called “Cowgirl Up” featuring local barrel racer LaBrelah Hutchins and her father Larry Hutchins has been viewed more than 136,000 times on Facebook and has collected more than 16,000 votes on the festival website at this link. Each visitor to the website can vote for a film once during a 24-hour period. The online festival will collect votes through Friday.
The video, created by award-winning filmmakers Nathan Willis and Sherry Anderson, features LaBrelah discussing her dream of competing in the National Finals Rodeo.
“I know what my horse can do, I know my abilities,” LaBrelah said in the film.
In the film, LaBrelah’s father said he is confident that her daughter can reach her goals, but that he is proud of her whether she wins or loses. Reaching the NFR would be a great accomplishment he said.
“It would be a lifetime dream for me, for her mother, for all of us,” Larry said. “I think God intended her to a great barrel racer.”