The Behind the Chutes Fundraiser this month celebrates the Western lifestyle and more than a century of rodeo history while also raising money for individuals and families affected by breast cancer.
The fundraiser, to take place on Feb. 22, is organized and presented by Tucson Chicks n Chaps, a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to providing support and resources to breast cancer patients in Southern Arizona.
Former Miss Rodeo Arizona dons a pink outfit at the 2025 Tucson rodeo in support of those affected by breast cancer.
For 13 years, Chicks n Chaps has held the event in conjunction with La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo, which will be held on Feb. 21-22 and Feb. 26-March 1.
“We saw it as the perfect opportunity to educate people about rodeo, educate about breast cancer prevention and raise funds for our benefactor,” said Debbie Barnett, a founding member of Tucson Chicks n Chaps.
The fundraiser features events including a behind-the-scenes tour of the rodeo, a lesson on the history of the event, a silent auction and a fashion show featuring cancer survivors.
A partnership with Boot Barn, the fashion show includes models from Tucson Cancer Conquerors, a volunteer-run nonprofit for cancer survivors. They walk the runway as audience members listen to their stories, Barnett said. Some of the survivors walk alongside family members in the latest Western styles.
Attendees get a behind-the-scenes look of the Tucson Rodeo at the Behind the Chutes fundraiser.
“We’ve had fashion shows where it has been moms and daughters or husbands and wives,” Barnett said. “There’s a real emotional tug there when you see that these people have fought the battle and gotten through.”
Bringing national effort to Tucson
Barnett, who is a former chair at the Tucson Rodeo, helped bring Chicks n Chaps to Tucson in 2013 after meeting members of the national organization in Montana.
“This was the perfect thing for Tucson, so we formed a committee and started our chapter,” she said.
Cancer survivors and their loved ones on the runway at the Boot Barn Fashion Show during the Behind the Chutes Fundraiser in 2025.
All proceeds raised from Chicks n Chaps fundraisers go to the Arizona Foundation for Cancer, which provides wigs, breast prostheses, transportation, lodging and therapies such as acupuncture to breast cancer patients free of charge, said Courtney Slanaker, vice chair of Chicks n Chaps.
“We really wanted to start a fundraiser that was going to benefit direct patient care,” Barnett said. “We wanted to help people.”
Chicks n Chaps has raised around $160,000 since its creation in 2013, Barnett said.
Fundraising has become more difficult in recent years, Slanaker said, because with a growing number of nonprofit organizations in Tucson, everyone is fighting for the same dollars.
Despite these challenges, the organization is preparing to accommodate more than 100 attendees for this year’s event, nearly double the attendance in previous years, Barnett said.
Family, community and country
Chicks n Chaps also aims to promote Western values of community, family and friendship during the fundraiser, Barnett said.
“It’s an event for everyone,” she said. “You don’t have to be in the battle or with someone who is in the battle.”
In addition to supporting breast cancer patients and families, Slanaker said attendees will learn about the rodeo and get a chance to country dance.
“It’s a boot-scootin’ boogie,” she said.
Attendees are encouraged to wear pink.
The 13th Annual Tucson Chicks n Chaps Behind the Chutes Fundraiser will be at 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 22. The event will be held at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds at 4823 S. Sixth Ave. Tickets can be purchased in advance through the Chicks n Chaps website.
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