Like Mother-in-Law, Like Daughter-in-Law

PRLog (Press Release) - Oct 21, 2009 -
LIKE MOTHER-IN-LAW, LIKE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
Oklahoma Women Ranked in Regional and World Standings

Pauls Valley, Okla. - (September 30, 2009) - Jokes abound about the friction between mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws.  They’re just not supposed to get along.  

But not for cowgirl Mary Burger and her daughter-in-law, PJ Burger.  

The Pauls Valley, Oklahoma women compete at rodeos across the nation, and have traveled in the same rig together for the past three years, working rodeos from Oklahoma to Washington State and back.  

And it’s made for a wonderful relationship between the two.  

PJ, who married Mary’s youngest son Joey in 2003, says that Mary is her “best friend.  We get along really, really good,” PJ said.  “I don’t get where the (mother-in-law jokes) come from.”  

Not only do the two women rodeo together, they’re both ranked in the top five in the Prairie Circuit standings, the regional pro rodeo rankings.  PJ is at number two, with $22,744 won and Mary is at number three with $21,480 won.  Their rankings have earned them each a berth at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, the regional finals, held October 22-24 in Kansas City at the American Royal.  This will be PJ’s third trip to the Finals and for Mary, her eighth time.  In fact, Mary is the 2008 Prairie Circuit champion.  

Mary’s husband (and PJ’s father-in-law) Kerry travels with the women, doing most of the driving.  And in the backseat, in a car seat, is PJ and Joey’s two year old daughter, Kaden.  Kaden travels well, Mary says, “She is a sweetheart.  I spoil her good,” Mary said.  When they stop the truck to let the horses get out and stretch, Kaden stretches, too.  “We get her out (of her car seat) and let her move around,” Mary said.  

Mary and PJ have burned up the road this summer, winning money not only at rodeos in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, the states that make up the Prairie Circuit, but also at rodeos across the nation.  Both women are ranked in the top fifteen in the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings – Mary in third place with $122,288 won and PJ in fifteenth place with $57,060 won.  

This fall’s rodeo travels for the Burger women will take them to the Prairie Circuit Finals and to the national level: the National Finals Rodeo, PRCA’s world championship held in Las Vegas every December.  For Mary, this is her third time to make it to the NFR – in 2006, she was crowned World Champion there.  For PJ, this will be her first time at “the big show.”

And the idea that mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws should be at edge with each other doesn’t ring true for PJ.  “She’s somebody who’s been there, done that,” PJ said.  “She’s easy to look up to.  She’s a big time role model for me.”  


Upcoming pro rodeos in the Prairie Circuit include: the Tulsa State Fair Oct. 8-10 (Tulsa, Okla.), and the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo Oct. 22-24 (Kemper Arena, Kansas City).  

About the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kansas City:
The American Royal will host the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo October 22-24, 2009 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City.  There, Prairie Circuit cowboys and cowgirls will compete to earn a berth at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo (DNCFR), held annually every April in Pocatello, Idaho.  Two competitors from each event, the year end champion and the aggregate champion, will go on to represent the Prairie Circuit at the DNCFR.