Fitness Training
Red Bull Rancher Strong brings international athletes to Texas
Over 60 athletes, obstacle course racers, and fitness experts came to Fort Worth, Texas for the inaugural Red Bull Rancher Strong, testing their skills across a rigorous obstacle course.
You don’t have to be from Texas to be Rancher Strong. This past weekend at the inaugural Red Bull Rancher Strong competition, over 60 athletes from around the world gathered at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas to show off their grit, fervor, and strength. Among these incredible athletes were bodybuilders, parkour experts, soccer players, marines, and of course, farmers and ranchers. While every contestant demonstrated strength and dedication, only one man and one woman could be the winner.
01
The Winners
Participants celebrate on the podium at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Chris Tedesco
Men celebrate on the podium at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Chris Tedesco
Men winners Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Christian Pondella
At Red Bull Rancher Strong, Thomas Van Tonder, an obstacle course racer from South Africa faced off against Grant McCartney, a past American Ninja Warrior contestant from Honolulu, Hawaii. Though both men displayed impeccable timing throughout the competition, Van Tonder emerged as the winner among the men. Before celebrating a remarkable feat, he and McCartney hugged it out at the top of the barn.
“I've been doing obstacle races for 10-plus years,” said Van Tonder. “I've been doing it professionally since 2017. So it's almost like I've been training for this for a good decade. I have had my setbacks — I broke my arm in February in a big competition in Dubai, and it was really a struggle from there to rebuild and come back into form. So being able to come here to the heart of Texas and take a win.”
In the final round for the women, Loewen and Tianna Webberly — an obstacle course racer from Santa Clarita, California — went head to head. Though they were equally impressive, Loewen had just a bit of a Texan advantage as she made her way these grounds.
“The final round was about soaking it all in, but also making sure I'm still executing,” said Loewen. I would hate to get called out on my tire not going over, or falling off, or something. So it was just about being smooth. And then once I feel good, just go a little bit faster to cinch the deal…I love that I got to do this in my home state, and I'm proud of be a Texan.”
As the night came to an end, Loewen shared that she planned to celebrate in the best way she knows how. “Whataburger is the go-to.”
02
The Course
Rope the bull at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Christian Pondella
- For the competition, two contestants at a time would take on a rigorous obstacle course. The course consisted of eight portions:
- 1. Escape the Barn: Descend from the barn’s heights using hanging monkey bars—swing, drop, and don’t look down!
- 2. Load the feed: heave hefty feed sacks and hustle them into the waiting trailer. Grip, lift, go!
- 3. Stockyard Scramble: Leap the wire gate, toss a heavy tire back over, hurdle fences, hurl a second tire, and vault the final gate. Pure strength, all the way!
- 4. Tree Stumpede: Balance and agility are your best friends as you tiptoe across a gauntlet of tree stumps. One misstep, and you're toast.
- 5. Hay Bale Hustle: Scale a towering wall of hay bales and conquer the other side with grit and speed.
- 6. Grandpa’s Trailer: Unhook Grandpa’s trailer, push it with power to station #2, and unload it like a pro.
- 7. Rope the bull: Mount a stationary horse and haul a weighted bull sled across the line. Strength and grit required!
- 8. Barn & Finish – Buzzer Beater: Climb the ladder back to the barn balcony, slap the buzzer, and stop the clock with style.
Love from friends and family
Throughout the coliseum, several of the contestant’s friends, family, and loved ones packed the seats, cheering them on as they navigated this rugged landscape. The family of Seattle’s own Amanda Button – a regular at F45 – was in the audience showing their support with loud cheers and handmade posters. Kelsie Keen, a horse trainer from Sherman, Texas, was also supported by her family, who initiated a spiritual circle before she took the stage.
“I wasn't super nervous,” said Keen, “but hearing my crowd yell for me helped me power through it.”
Based just hours away from the Coliseum, Keen was used to the Texas heat, especially as a skilled horse trainer. This worked in her favor as she made her way across the floor.
“I occasionally go to the gym, but I mostly train ranch and utility horses all day in the Texas heat,” said Keen. “So that prepared me for this, I would say.”
Just like a movie
While completing such a detailed, thorough course in a crowded coliseum may sound a bit daunting, several of the competitors were no stranger to the spotlight. Many of the contestants —including Maggi Thorn, Todd Bourgeouis, and Yarizett Breunig — had previously appeared on American Ninja Warrior. Austin native Aydon Holley, known for his flips and humor, has over 11 million TikTok followers. Jalen Noble, also hailing from Austin, was previously a fan favorite on Love Island USA.
Hay Bale Hustle at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Karlo Ramos
While we may have become acquainted with some of these people in the television or online space, much of the international contestants felt that being in Texas was a cinematic experience in and of itself. Cameron Tew, an F45 athlete from Gold Coast, Australia, told us that Red Bull Rancher Strong was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
“It's a whole different world from what we used to,” said Tew.
”It’s pretty surreal. This whole place is like a movie scene.”
Navigating this course required precision and attention to detail. But following the qualifying round, Kieran Guffick, an F45 athlete described the journey in one simple word: “Ahh!”
“It’s all kind of a blur,” Guffick continued. “But it’s well worth it.”
Fans never lost their energy
Rope the bull at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Chris Tedesco
Hay Bale Hustle jump
© Christian Pondella
Stockyard Scramble at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Christian Pondella
Grandpa’s Trailer at Red Bull Rancher Strong
© Chris Tedesco
Hours into the competition, many of the participants became fan favorites among the audience. Arielle Loewen, a CrossFit athlete from Midland, Texas, noted that her family has “a cheeseburger waiting” for her after the qualifying round. More on this later. 19-year-old Jay Cash quickly became the one to watch, a CrossFit Athlete from West Monroe, Louisiana, quickly became one to watch, as he maintained the quickest completion time for the course throughout the qualifiers and the quarter-finals.
As the doors opened to the public, the already high energy levels skyrocketed. Several fans came ready to party and share joy and support for the Rancher Strong competitors. “You can be part of our circle,” said one participant’s family member to nearby fans. “We’re all family here,” said one participant’s family member to that of another contestant. The southern hospitality in the venue was strong, y’all!
Time went by quickly, and the evening rolled in with many fans eager to see who would be the winners of the first-ever Red Bull Rancher Strong competition. As many of these athletes never broke their stride, it was anyone’s guess as to who would be the victors.
If you missed this DFW event, mark your calendars to attend Red Bull Flugtag DFW on Sept. 13 at Lake Carolyn in Irving, TX