Darcy LaPier

Darcy LaPier is a model, producer, actress, and award-winning rodeo barrel racer who has brought the rodeo world to reality television through A&E's *Rodeo Girls* (2013), which premiered in Fall 2013. LaPier stars in and serves as an Executive Producer of the series, which was produced in collaboration with the Weinstein Company. The eight-episode, one-hour series was ordered by A&E and began pre-production ahead of its December 2013 debut. LaPier's interest in rodeo began after attending events with her father in Oregon, and following his death, she began training in barrel racing, traveling 125 miles one-way to Washington to work with a trainer. She competed in rodeos starting in the early 2000s and, in 2004, earned the most money among rookie barrel racers. She now competes at a high level, often outperforming male competitors. Her career has been marked by rigorous training and frequent travel between rodeos, as well as multiple injuries common in the sport. LaPier's life story has elements of rags-to-riches, drama, and inspiration. After moving from her small-town Oregon roots to Hollywood, she became a "Hawaiian Tropic" model and tabloid fixture, marrying "Hawaiian Tropic" founder Ron Rice and later action film star Jean-Claude Van Damme. Her third marriage was to "Herbalife" founder Mark Hughes, but after his death within a year of their marriage, she found solace in rodeo. On her Oregon ranch, she has become one of the top 20 professional rodeo barrel racers in the country. Whether driving her 43-foot semi-truck to rodeos or raising her three children, LaPier balances her roles as a top athlete, businesswoman, and mother. Her daughter, Sterling Rice, is attending business college, her son Nicolas Van Damme is pursuing a career in entertainment, and her younger daughter, Madison, participates in various sports, including soccer, gymnastics, volleyball, and barrel racing.