On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea’s direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.

Cowgirls ‘n Angels Dakota’s Summer tells the story of Dakota Rose, a cowgirl and competitive trick rider who finds out at the age of seventeen that she was adopted. She secretly sets out to discover the truth about her adoption and meet her birth parents while visiting her grandfather, rodeo legend Austin Rose. At Austin’s ranch on break from the Sweethearts of the Rodeo trick riding team, Dakota discovers that family is not defined by blood, but rather personal commitment and by the love they share. Finally at peace, Dakota trains with Austin in order to prepare to rejoin the Sweethearts for their final competition against the talented Lone Star trick riding team and become the champion trick rider she was destined to be.