In the man's world of rodeo, Jonnie Lynn Jonckowski is breaking all the rules.

Forget for a moment, she is a beautiful, petite cowgirl.

From Billings, Montana, Jonnie Jonckowski.

It's a rush, it's a charge, it's adrenaline, it's the crowd, I guess it's all kinds of things all rolled into one, that's why I do it.

There's a certain thing for a woman to do, and there's certain things men should do, and rodeo is a man's event.

This is way too serious, way too dangerous for a woman to be involved with.

Jonnie, what are you doing putting your pretty face up there in danger with a bull around?

I'm just having fun like the guys are.

Adrenaline was my drug.

I did anything to come up with the entry fees.

We didn't make any money.

I mean, shoot, if we won a rodeo somewhere, we might win $300, and it probably cost us $500 to get there.

Poverty sets in.

I mean, I'm starving to death.

I'm pulling things off of shelves in stores.

I literally turned into a thief.

It's an addiction like nothing.

She was going to ride like the guys...

Sometimes she just did it better.

I had an intensity with competing since the time I popped out of the chute.

She qualified for the Olympic trials in '76, but her dreams were shattered when she crashed into a hurdle, fractured her back and became temporarily paralyzed.

I don't know how to quit.

I don't know how to stop, even if it's scary.

I was truly a jock as opposed to the cowgirls.

I tried in the beginning to look like them and to be like them, but it just wasn't comfortable for me.

I wasn't afraid to show off a good bicep and a six-pack stomach.

I could strut and be a little more intimidating.

You know, to have people telling you every day all the different ways that you can't do it, and shouldn't do it.... that just fueled her fire.

Things were violent and I would get close to a world finals, and I would have to sit out for two months to heal up.

I didn't anticipate broken ankles, broken ribs.

I've been drug down the side of the arena, had by skin burned off, teeth knocked out.

I had a bull step on the back of my head, drove it into the ground so hard, he broke the orbital bones in my face.

There was two options: I will die or I will win.

Her name is Jonnie Jonckowski.

Please welcome Jonnie Jonckowski.

She's done so much to help other people.

But she's had some hard times.

This is what four inches of rain in two days looks like.

Numerous roads flooded, homeowners trying to salvage what they can.

I have no clue in hell how I'm gonna fix this.

I can't fail, I've never failed, I can't fail.

I can't let these people down.

I just can't.

She is the epitome of a true cowgirl.

[MUSIC – The Star-Spangled Banner] Why are you feeling emotional?

The same person who will ride a bull, yet tear up during the national anthem.

I guess cuz I'm out here doing what I wanna do.

And I can.

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