Cord and Jet McCoy are cowboys, from the top of their brimmed hats to the heels on their boots.
They were raised on a ranch near Tupelo, a town of about 320 in southeastern Oklahoma. Their parents, Janet and Denny McCoy, also were raised on ranches.
In the upcoming 10th episode of this spring’s 24th season of “The Amazing Race” that airs Sunday, the brothers will visit their ancestry when the five remaining teams take a tour of Spain. You see, while Spain is best known for the Running of the Bulls and matadors, there is a grand history of ranching.
The 10th leg of the race around the world for $1 million ventures from Switzerland to Spain in an episode titled “Bull Down.” In previews, team members are seen Spanish streets wearing giant bubble-like wraps that are outfitted with bulls’ horns.
But the origins of the American cowboy are from Spain. Spaniards who settled in North America brought that with them. Those in Mexico were dubbed vaqueros, and it involved the caring of livestock.
How will the McCoys fare in Spain? It’s hard to tell, especially with four other teams still in the mix. The reality show is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. Central Sundays on CBS-TV. The brothers bring a varied background with them to every task they tackle, and it’s paid off quite well so far.
Through the first nine legs, The Cowboys have won twice and finished as the runners-up four times. They have been fan favorites of viewers since their first appearance in the spring of 2010, when they were part of Season 16. They finished second overall that year.
They returned to “The Amazing Race” a year later in Season 18, dubbed “Unfinished Business,” a race that featured teams all vying for a second chance at the $1 million. The McCoys were eliminated in the ninth episode.
Now they’re in place to make another run at the victory. Will the race through Spain on Sunday night be the perfect fit?
In the storyline submitted by CBS this week, the teams will face a Double U-Turn, in which two teams can force two others to tackle both tasks of a Detour in an effort to slow their competitors down. CBS also revealed that one of the teams will suffer a potentially game-changing injury in Sunday’s episode.
It all should be quite exciting, but that’s why millions of viewers tune in to “The Amazing Race” each week.