Gwynn Turnbull

Gwynn Turnbull is an American horsewoman, writer and filmmaker. Born in western Pennsylvania to parents who were both Carnegie Mellon School of Fine Arts' graduates, Turnbull received an early introduction to all things creative. She grew up in southern California suburbia, surrounded by the artists of the day. Painters, calligraphers, sculptors, musicians, graphic designers all frequented the family home. Their conversations around the dinner table, their visual sensibilities, their creative processes all provided a backdrop for what would later become the bedrock of her artistic expression. And yet, she dodged her artistic lineage and charged headlong into a life with horses. She pursued a degree in Animal Science in the California State University system while spending summers in Wyoming working with horses and cattle. Sidelined in 1985, Turnbull battled a debilitating illness, one that would help propel her into the next chapter of her life. She attacked those dreams on two fronts, academic and athletic. She enrolled in the University of Wyoming, this time as a distributed major in Art, English, and Theater. Then in 1987 she boldly made history by becoming the first woman to ride saddle broncs in the PRCA, the men's Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Turnbull rodeo'd for three years in the PRCA when fate stepped in and landed her a spot in the legendary Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo rookie bronc riding. The event, known for it's rough and tumble broncs, earned her a featured segment in the nationally televised George Michaels NBC Sports Machine. The segment got the attention of the film industry and segued into a production gig as a wrangler and stunt performer. Turnbull's new work put her close to camera with top caliber directors. She relished in it and found it easy to communicate with the creative community. She voraciously absorbed all she could from the directors, the D.P.'s, the talent and production executives, regarding how to bring a good story to life. Turnbull's interest in writing for the screen sparked while on the set of The Crucible (Twentieth Century Fox, 1996) where she spent time with legendary playwright Arthur Miller. There she began the process of learning to write screenplays and spent two decades self educating in the craft, writing spec scripts and studying the art of story. Turnbull considered directing one of her projects but realized that her experience in production, though helpful, was not going to be enough to successfully helm one. So in 1999 she decided to invent an event that mimicked the pressure cooker of production and tested and developed her organizational skills. Turnbull used her lifelong experience in the American west to create, produce and direct the acclaimed "Original Californios Ranch Roping and Stock Horse Contest,". The innovative live event drew 3000 annual attendees to the Reno Event Center and ran for 13 years. While producing the event, Turnbull met and married Nevada buckaroo David Weaver, the union would last 19 years. Together they began teaching all things cowboy, conducting equine clinics nationwide. In an effort to expand on that she made a supplemental film. The project, a documentary format instructional piece, was filmed over a period of three years on the American West's most legendary ranches. On a shoestring budget, she battled inclement weather and an avalanche of footage to produce a functional, honest, yet beautiful tribute to a way of life. The resulting film, "Branding" won an Award of Merit in the Accolade International Film Competition in 2010 and went on to win the Equus Film Festival in it's category in 2017, screening in Manhattan to an enthusiastic crowd. Turnbull's unique life experiences provided her with a wealth of compelling stories populated by complex characters readily identifiable to 'everyman.' She has several narrative films in development and continues to travel nationally and internationally teaching equine clinics. She lives on her horse ranch west of Orland, California.