Modern Northern Cheyenne Warrior Women

LAME DEER, Mont. – On Saturday, July 12, 2025 the Howling Wolf Indian Relay Team won first at the Horse Nations Indian Relay Competition at the huge pro Sheridan WYO rodeo. It was the second victory in a row in a row this season for the Northern Cheyenne team, the Sheridan win coming on the heels of a first-place finish at the Season HNIRA 2025 racing season held at Miles City, Montana in early June.

The team of three young Northern Cheyenne warrior women, cousins, recently shared insights about Indian Relay Racing for women with Native Sun News Today. First, though the team all share the last name of Bearchum, they have taken the Howling Wolf name with the encouragement of their father. Howling Wolf was an important warrior during the days of military conflict with the whites, prominent at the Battle of the Little Big Horn and the Cheyenne Long Walk Home from Oklahoma. The name is in danger of dying out, but has come back to life through the team of young Northern Cheyenne Indian Relay Racers.

This win puts the team in good position to achieve their goal of winning a National HNIRC, however, Vristen Bearchum (Shell Woman), mugger cautioned: “The competition is tough and any little mishap can cost a win. Everything has to work perfect for victory.”

To win, Howling Wolf bested the Brewcrew Team from Pine Ridge and Amiotte Team from Crow, both tough competitors. At one point, Howling Wolf had a twenty-length lead, due in part to a very smooth exchange and crossed the finish line ten lengths ahead of Brew Crew, who finished second.

The Howling Wolf team has several things going for them. Sharon Howling Wolf, (Little Contrary Woman) the rider is the only competitor who can mount a relay horse without a “knee up,” saving valuable time in the critical exchanges. “That is a real advantage” the team agreed.

This writer a great fan of the team also noted that their horses are unusually calm during the event, standing for the exchange while many of the competitor’s horses, overcome by the excitement are often hard to handle during the tricky maneuver.

“That’s because they are great horses,” Sharon proudly explained. The two main team horses are Musketeer or Mistaah (ghost in Cheyenne) a 7-year-old striking gray mare and Flip a 10-year-old bay as are most thoroughbreds. A main backup horse is Apollo, Sharon’s personal horse also dubbed “Beast” because as she says he will do anything, but is very independent and strong, sometimes even too much for her to handle. “Beast will overtake them and run his heart out. A lot of people in the circuit have been asking about our horses,” Sharon said, “but they are not for sale.”

Sharon follows a regular routine on keeping Misbah and Flip in shape, riding an average of 4-5 miles several times a week, all bareback. “I’ve never had a saddle. Don’t need one,” she explained. Feeding is also critical and other team members daily attend to that.

The team which has been competing since 2022 also goes by Northern Cheyenne Warrior Women, a phrase coined by Kaitlin Howling Wolf, (Howling Wolf Woman) holder. As the only team of females to represent Northern Cheyenne in the Indian Relay game, their goal is to make their nation proud and be good role models. They are being very successful at that.

They also encourage other young Indian women to try Indian Relay Racing, which is been called the “most dangerous equine sport” by veteran Race announcer, Hank Realbird, Crow.

As they advise: “If the opportunity comes, take it. Work it. Take care of your horses. Be good sportswomen and enjoy. Make your people proud.”

The team will race next at Dobson, Montana (Fort Belknap Country) on August 2nd in an open Indian Relay race. In non-HNIRC races they use the name Team Bearchum. Native Sun News congratulates these outstanding athletes (including Mistaah and Flip) on a successful season thus far and wishes them all and all women Indian Relay Racers good luck. It is a pleasure to watch you.

(Contact Clara Caufield at acheyennereview@gmail.com)

The post Modern Northern Cheyenne Warrior Women first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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