(Mark Allen Zwiers)
Meet Duchess Zwiers. Duchess was first "born" at a rodeo in Phoenix, AZ. 2013.
Prior to 2013 she actually competed in 8 events as a boy. He was born and raised in the northwest corner of Missouri and grew up on the family farm there. His family went to 2 rodeos each year. One year the Junior rodeo was going to be in Tarkio, MO. Mark stated to his parents he wanted to do calf riding. Their reply was you will get hurt or worse you will get killed.
In 2006 Mark went to his very first "gay" rodeo, in Gathersburg, Md, ASGRA.
In 2007 he met Jennifer Vrana in Philadlephia, Pa and they started talking and Jen literally roped Mark into rodeo. Jen stated she did rodeo schools and would teach him how to ride her horse. Mark went to the school and learned how to ride Quinn.
September of 2007 Mark competed with Jen and won 5 ribbons 2 first place, 2 third place and the one that SHOCKED him the most was fourth runner up all around cowboy in his very first rodeo.
In June of 2017, Mark married Floyd Vincent Zwiers, in the arena at the innagural KSGRA rodeo. This is when Duchess aquired her last name.
Duchess believes in being a role model for those that are coming up after her. While advancing all rodeos by getting previous contestants reintroduced to rodeos and actively looking for those who were like Mark and opening the door for them to walk through and live their dream competing in rodeo.