Karoliina Paatos

Cowboy Girls

Cowboy Girls follows two sisters, Jette and Kole, growing up on a remote cattle ranch in Nevada. Alongside their daily lives, the series traces their relationship as sisters as they move toward independence.

Their lives unfold within a family structure that offers both stability and limitation, while broader changes in the livestock industry begin to shape their future. As fewer people can sustain a livelihood through traditional cow-calf operations, their prospects, like those of many in their generation, extend beyond ranching.

Developed over the past fifteen years, the project continues to observe daily life on the ranch, bringing forward women’s roles in ranching and rodeo culture. In doing so, it expands how the American West is seen and understood.

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