Just two weeks before a life-altering storm ravaged Erin Bradshaw’s Texas ranch, an air of calm enveloped the property. But as the morning light struggled to pierce through the aftermath, the once-pristine land now bore the marks of devastation—a tornado that swept through in early March tore apart sheds, leveled structures, and left fields strewn with debris. Heartbroken, the 35-year-old revealed the extent of her devastation: Two of her loafing sheds “got tossed like golf balls”. A baby horse was sadly killed, while a pregnant foal sustained a severe cut in her back leg.

It’s been two months now. The Bradshaw-Weiss family has slowly rebuilt their life again—every update on social media showing them with renewed vigor. And this time, Erin is seated on that same ranch once more. There’s another storm happening. But instead of the usual worry that would cloud her mind, the World Champion equestrian is at peace. When she married the love of her life Scott Weiss in 2017, this is exactly how she imagined life would be—a family, a home, and a life that revolves around horses. But her sense of humor is not one to be contained either.

In that perfect moment, a hilarious scenario popped into her head. On her Instagram story, Erin wrote, “We’ve hit retirement status. We are watching a storm with an alcoholic drink.” Honestly, that sounds like an ideal mix of date night and retirement vibes wrapped into one. And for Erin? She just decided to dive headfirst into the chill retirement life. But wait… what about her incredible horse-riding career?

Here’s the thing about Erin: she’s always been open, raw, and unfiltered—whether in the middle of a storm or facing something she’s been through before. This woman has spent most of her life out of the typical spotlight, even though she grew up as the daughter of Terry Bradshaw—a Steelers legend with four Super Bowl rings and a massive football broadcasting career. But Erin decided she didn’t want to live in her father’s shadow.

She’s built her own legacy in the world of competitive equestrian sports, a journey that started when she probably couldn’t even spell equestrian. “My dad put me on a horse when I was 5 and really let me start living that dream,” Erin told Cowgirl Magazine once. Now, fast forward to the 2024 APHA World Championship Show in Amateur Senior Western Pleasure where Erin and her horse Elicious aka “Eli”, added yet another world title to their collection! This wasn’t a one-off win either. Eli has racked up five World Championships and a Reserve World Championship in Western Pleasure with Erin before this one. Not to brag (okay, maybe a little), but Eli has also earned four more World Championships in Open Western Pleasure. Pretty amazing, right?

And judging by all the cheering fans at the show and the buzz online after their win? It’s clear that the duo are crowd favorites! Over the years, they’ve achieved the Non-Pro 2, Non-Pro 3, Amateur Junior Pleasure, and Amateur Senior Pleasure events together. That’s quite the track record! But, what’s their secret?

When asked how they keep Eli—and his 18-year-old sire, John Simon—at the top of their game for so long, Erin was extremely honest about it: “We show them very seasonally,” she explained. “We ask them to give us 150 percent and then give them time off. We try to peak them once a year, not push them 12 months out of the year, and that seems to work out really well for them.” Smart strategy, right?

That level of dedication to doing what’s best for her horses doesn’t just highlight her skills—it shows how much she loves her job. But here’s the twist: leaving behind everything you’ve worked for and choosing retirement? That’s a big, bold decision. While Erin is having a blast in retirement, her dad is dealing with some serious health issues.

Terry Bradshaw’s health: A look at his struggles

Terry Bradshaw has worn a ton of hats throughout his career in football. From dominating as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback from 1970 to 1983, after being the top pick in the 1970 NFL draft, to everything he’s done after hanging up his cleats, the 76-year-old doesn’t know how to slow down.

The 1978 NFL MVP didn’t just stop at football—he crushed it in broadcasting, too, snagging three Sports Emmy Awards as a studio analyst. As for personal struggles, the player-turned-broadcaster has battled two types of cancer, including a rare type of skin cancer. The good news? He’s cancer-free now. Then, in 2013, he was also diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which caused him to gain weight because of the steroids he was put on.

“I ended up getting rheumatoid arthritis, and so they put me on steroids, and it took forever to find out what steroid worked,” Bradshaw said. “And so I put on so much weight, and I got big, and I just couldn’t get it off. So Tammy started me on one of those shots.” He admitted it wasn’t the easiest journey but added, “I’ve been on this shot for about a year now, and I’ve lost 48 pounds, and now I’m doing periodic, I don’t stay on it.”

Even with everything he’s been through, Bradshaw never really stepped out of his role as a leader. Back in 2017, he helped push awareness for rheumatoid arthritis by taking part in the American College of Rheumatology’s Simple Tasks campaign during Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month.

This just goes to show—Terry’s always leading, no matter the situation. Honestly, that’s exactly what fans love about him.